Witchcraft Paths

[Lolair]

I've found that there seems to be a lot of confusion about a difference between Witchcraft and Wicca. I remember when I started out on the path and all I could find was Wicca, I had no idea that there were other witchcraft traditions until much later. I used to work for a large Wiccan forum, and almost none of the thousands of members knew that there were other witchcraft traditions out there. I thought I'd try to cover as many as I can personally think of just to open up some doors of possibility... I have not included Pagan or Ceremonial paths, but in some cases the craft within a Pagan religion.

Cultural Witchcraft Traditions - Specific witchcraft traditions from cultural backgrounds some are strongly influenced by Catholicism and Northern traditions. Basque, Brujeria, Curanderia, Hoodoo, Obeah, Santeria, Streghoneria (NOT Grimassi's Stegheria), Spae-wife or women/spae-craft, Shamanism (European & Asian), Vodun, Volva/Seidr...

Traditional Witchcraft - Not to be confused with BTW, traditional witchcraft practices and beliefs can be very different from Wicca with a few similarities. Traditional witchcraft is usually based more on history, folklore and folk-magic than the ceremonial side of things. (1734/Ancient Keltic Church/Clan of Tubal Cain, Cunning Folk, Hedgewitchery [not Rae Beth], Cultus Sabbati/Sabbatic Craft Tradition, Cornish Witchcraft, Feri Tradition (Andersons), hereditary witchcraft & family traditions.

Wicca - Originally 'Gardnerian' but is ever growing with new traditions (Alexandrian, Gardnerian, Georgian, NROOGD, Dianic, Seax-Wica, Covenant of the Goddess, Aquarian Tabernacle Church...)

If anyone wants some recommended websites or books, just send me a PM, but I'm sure other members have some great suggestions as well.

[redbint]

I think I may have siad to you before - you have a wealth of knowledge and know your stuff!!!

[ladyraven]

I've always found it interesting that most people (especially those coming out of Christain backgrounds) don't realize how many other paths are out there for them to choose from. Hopefully some of the younger members or those new to the ideas of witchcraft will see this thread and take sometime to try and find out about some of these paths so that they can find something that truely fits their spiritual needs.

I've told a lot of the people I've personally met who are new to witchcraft that Wicca is only the beginning. It may wind up also being the end, but it opens many paths if you're open to it.

[Ben Gruagach]

For the 1734 witchcraft tradition the best website to visit was Joseph B. Wilson's http://www.1734.us/ -- but unfortunately he died a few years ago and his website disappeared. Until someone decides to bring that material back somewhere on the web it can still be found through the Internet Archive at this link to the last archived copy (http://web.archive.org/web/20060104000840/http://www.1734.us/).

[Lolair]

Thanks Ben, the site has been brought back up, only just recently, the new url is http://www.1734-witchcraft.org/

Slainte!
Lolair

[Ben Gruagach]

Thanks Ben, the site has been brought back up, only just recently, the new url is http://www.1734-witchcraft.org/

Slainte!
Lolair

Thanks for that link! I'm glad to see Wilson's work isn't lost to the mists of time.

[Elderbush]

Would you place the feminist/goddess groups under Cultural?

[raven grimassi]

Streghoneria (NOT Grimassi's Stegheria)

I think you meant to indicate Stregoneria as opposed to Stregheria. The two are quite different though somewhat related. Both have their cultural roots in Italy.

http://www.stregheria.com/what.htm

[Moondancer]

Wicca - Originally 'Gardnerian' but is ever growing with new traditions (Alexandrian, Gardnerian, Georgian, NROOGD, Dianic, Seax-Wica, Covenant of the Goddess, Aquarian Tabernacle Church...)

If anyone wants some recommended websites or books, just send me a qPM, but I'm sure other members have some great suggestions as well.

Neither Covenant of the Goddess nor the Aquarian Tabernacle Church are "traditions" in the same sense that Alexandrian, Gardnerian and the others listed are.

Covenant of the Goddess (http://www.cog.org) is an unbrella organization of covens from a number of traditions as well as solitary practitioners.

While the Aquarian Tabernacle Church (http://www.aquatabch.org) started as a single coven, it now encompases many covens of diverse backgrounds, ranging from eclectic to traditional.

regards,
Moondancer
(one of many founders of COG back in 1975; the ATC HQ is a few miles from my home and I've known the founder of it for nearly 20 years.)

[Lolair]

Moondancer, so the ATC and COG are more like the Wiccan Church of Canada? They founders call their tradition Odyssean, but they accept and teach all Pagan and witchcraft paths. I've only talked to Pete Pathfinder once, so I didn't know whether the ATC was a tradition or an organization - so thank you!

[Ben Gruagach]

Moondancer, so the ATC and COG are more like the Wiccan Church of Canada? They founders call their tradition Odyssean, but they accept and teach all Pagan and witchcraft paths. I've only talked to Pete Pathfinder once, so I didn't know whether the ATC was a tradition or an organization - so thank you!

No, the Wiccan Church of Canada does promote a specific Wiccan denomination, Odyssean, so it's not the same as the COG (which is an umbrella group for any Wiccans who choose to join, regardless of denomination.)

The ATC started out a lot like the WCC but by the sounds of it they've grown much larger and are no longer promoting a specific denomination. So they've gone from being a WCC type of group into more of a COG type of group.

At least that's what I've understood -- perhaps Moondancer can clarify.

[*Rasenna*]

Cultural Witchcraft Traditions - Specific witchcraft traditions from cultural backgrounds some are strongly influenced by Catholicism and Northern traditions. Basque, Brujeria, Curanderia, Hoodoo, Obeah, Santeria, Streghoneria (NOT Grimassi's Stegheria)



I think you meant to indicate Stregoneria as opposed to Stregheria. The two are quite different though somewhat related. Both have their cultural roots in Italy.

http://www.stregheria.com/what.htm

Right, and it's the same with any system. I mean, here in the U.S. you have people basing their traditions or systems on Celtic paganism, Druidism, and northern European witchcraft. I don't see anyone arguing that these don't have cultural roots in Europe.

[SoulFire]

I've found that there seems to be a lot of confusion about a difference between Witchcraft and Wicca. I remember when I started out on the path and all I could find was Wicca, I had no idea that there were other witchcraft traditions until much later. I used to work for a large Wiccan forum, and almost none of the thousands of members knew that there were other witchcraft traditions out there. I thought I'd try to cover as many as I can personally think of just to open up some doors of possibility... I have not included Pagan or Ceremonial paths, but in some cases the craft within a Pagan religion.

Cultural Witchcraft Traditions - Specific witchcraft traditions from cultural backgrounds some are strongly influenced by Catholicism and Northern traditions. Basque, Brujeria, Curanderia, Hoodoo, Obeah, Santeria, Streghoneria (NOT Grimassi's Stegheria), Spae-wife or women/spae-craft, Shamanism (European & Asian), Vodun, Volva/Seidr...

Traditional Witchcraft - Not to be confused with BTW, traditional witchcraft practices and beliefs can be very different from Wicca with a few similarities. Traditional witchcraft is usually based more on history, folklore and folk-magic than the ceremonial side of things. (1734/Ancient Keltic Church/Clan of Tubal Cain, Cunning Folk, Hedgewitchery [not Rae Beth], Cultus Sabbati/Sabbatic Craft Tradition, Cornish Witchcraft, Feri Tradition (Andersons), hereditary witchcraft & family traditions.

Wicca - Originally 'Gardnerian' but is ever growing with new traditions (Alexandrian, Gardnerian, Georgian, NROOGD, Dianic, Seax-Wica, Covenant of the Goddess, Aquarian Tabernacle Church...)

If anyone wants some recommended websites or books, just send me a PM, but I'm sure other members have some great suggestions as well.

This is a very nice summary!

[Moondancer]

Moondancer, so the ATC and COG are more like the Wiccan Church of Canada? They founders call their tradition Odyssean, but they accept and teach all Pagan and witchcraft paths. I've only talked to Pete Pathfinder once, so I didn't know whether the ATC was a tradition or an organization - so thank you!

Ben has the right of it in his response to you above. My apologies for not getting back to this sooner, but I've not had a great deal of time to spend online here.

[RenDjembe]

African Vodun has no conections to Christianity. Haitan & New Orleans Voodoo however does.

[Lajmar]

This is a very nice summary!

I agree!!!:yayah: