FAQ

The goal of this FAQ is not to offer an introduction to Paganism, but rather to explain my approach to it on this blog. It should go without saying that I don't speak for other Pagans; this is just where I'm coming from (and it's always evolving).

What is Paganism?
"Paganism" is a blanket term that typically refers to a collection of spiritual behaviors that include animism, pantheism, polytheism, nature veneration, numinousness, and magic.

In a historical context, paganism usually refers to the polytheistic traditions of pre-Christian Europe though it may also include Eastern religions and the indigenous religions of the Americas, Central Asia, Australia, and Africa. In contemporary usage, Paganism (with a capital P) refers to modern movements that attempt to reconstruct or draw from historical paganism.

What is Wicca?
Wicca is a Pagan religion popularized by Gerald Gardner in the 1950s. It is a new religious movement influenced by many sources including classical mythology, medieval notions of witchcraft, Romanticism, Theosophy, Freemasonry, ceremonial magic, folk magic, and feminism.

What is Witchcraft?
Historically, witchcraft is a supernatural means of malevolent magic and the word still carries this meaning for many people. For Pagans, however, witchcraft may refer to the practice of folk magic or to a collection of religious practices dubbed Traditional Witchcraft, which some assert developed separately from Wicca.

What is Georgian Wicca?
Georgian Wicca is an initiatory, oath-bound Wiccan tradition founded by George Patterson in California in 1970.

What is Santeria?
Santeria is a syncretic religion that blends West African beliefs and practices with Roman Catholicism and indigenous traditions. It is a New World religion born out of slavery and colonialism in the Caribbean.