The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum

So I'd like to hear some opinions from everyone! If Janett or someone else has made a thread on this previously I didn't find it (I'm a technological dolt), so if that's the case I'd like to just bump the old thread and delete this one.

All valid points of concern that have been debated throughout the evolution of Wicca. It has been kind of "up for grabs" since Valiente&the Farrars acknowledge the craft's evolution on top of it being hi-jacked, and the term (of the)Wica(actually pronounced as "Wisha", and used in the genitive) was originally put to use because its use in O.E. I've seen other articles and debates over the use of the term Wicca by un- lineaged practitioners of the outer-court because of its O.E roots that some people believe ownership can't be put on, but that's another topic.

I personally don't have any issues with the use of the term by those that believe they are adhering to traditions that relate to the original mystery tradition, although I would prefer it to be used in accordance to the AlGard traditions because being part of a Traditional coven myself, the term implies certain things to me, and would also be less confusing in my use of it to others who may not know what tradition I belong to& not lump me in with those that I don't.

Amidst the progression of pagan witchcraft we have seen quite a few good labels other than neo, eclectic, or solitary "Wicca" such as Religious, Progressive, Traditional, Hedge, e.t.c, plus this Dedicatory Religious Witchcraft mentioned in the link. All wonderful trads with seemingly valid use of labels. The only thing that does raise my brow a bit in regards to Dedicatory Religious Witchcraft is that if it's placing importance on the Outer-Court, it could be confusing its importance in Trad Wicca, such as their use of the Rede&the Charge as tenets, which are meant to be very subjective in Traditional Wicca. Janet Farrar even told us Doreen Valiente grew to despise her own Charge because people where sticking to it word for word like robots, robbing it of all connection with the emotion and spirituality it is meant to arouse. The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief is also very controversial in Trad circles, especially here in the UK&Ireland where Wicca all started. This has been in recent focus due to the recent revival of the Council of the American council of Witches.
An elder of mine even says, "I Disagree with 12 of them!"

I just LOVE that I got a response from someone involved with traditional Wicca! It makes me all giddy. I know, I'm lame.

The DRW emphasis on the 13 principles and various materials is a bit "eyebrow raising" so your point is definitely something to think about.Thank you for this input!

It's quite a new label, so I'm sure it will be refurbished over time if it continues to stick.

Ergo, I wanted to comment on Micheál(you don't know what I had to go through to get that inflection on that letter a!) and the story about the elder only agreeing with 1 of the 12 of the principles: I can relate on that as well. I was saying to Miss earlier that I often forget esbats and only realize that it is one when I happen to notice the moon is full, then I honor the moon, not with any ceremony or anything, but typically with words. Now does that make me a bad witch, or no witch at all, because I don't follow that complete set of principles accurately? And I certainly don't see anything as the "Wiccan Way". Again it begs the question I already asked. I always believed that witchcraft was personal, meaning it was what you made of it. Am I wrong in this assumption? Am I supposed to be following a set a guidelines? Now I'M confused!

Sorry if I rambled!

Some information on DRW from the people who coined the term are here: http://rootsofritual.wordpress.com/category/through-the-leaves/

TC describes NeoWicca as “the revised form of Wicca that first became popular in the 1990s. Unlike traditional Wicca, it generally stresses the Wiccan Rede as law and downplays traditional Wicca's focus on sex and death. Some people now use the term "Neo-Wicca" is a negative manner, but we simply use the term to label the newer forum of Wicca”.

All valid points of concern that have been debated throughout the evolution of Wicca. It has been kind of "up for grabs" since Valiente&the Farrars acknowledge the craft's evolution on top of it being hi-jacked, and the term (of the)Wica(actually pronounced as "Wisha", and used in the genitive) was originally put to use because its use in O.E. I've seen other articles and debates over the use of the term Wicca by un- lineaged practitioners of the outer-court because of its O.E roots that some people believe ownership can't be put on, but that's another topic.

The broader definition of "Wicca" has been in play for much too long, in North America at any rate, for it to be re-narrowed to BTW-only.  


Frankly, the DRW folks' focus on "Outer Court" is a dead giveaway of how poorly they've actually researched the relevant history.  It suggests the common misapprehension that having an Outer Court is normative, if not universal, in BTW, and also conflates "outer court" with the broader term "exoteric", giving the false impression that the exoteric source materials on which Eclectic Wicca is built are all, or primarily, Outer Court material.  (Also the impression, which I have no way to identify as true or false at this point, that they think "outer court" is simply, "the witchy word for 'exoteric'," rather than referring to a specific exoteric structure.)

If it's possible to use the term "Llewicca" in a non-derogatory way, I'd posit that it's the precisely accurate term to apply to that form of Eclectic Wicca which adheres to the 13 Principles.

[/I] An elder of mine even says, "I Disagree with 12 of them!"