Wicca vs. Paganism (rituals, Earth, tradition, beliefs, theist)

[Hierophant]

What do you see as the inherent differences between Wicca and Paganism in General?

[Runt]

The main difference I see is that Wicca is a FORM of paganism, but not vice versa. And some Wiccans actually take a monotheistic approach to paganism, with all gods being manifestations of one God or there being only one deity worshipped (like the Goddess in her many guises), whereas most pagans are true polytheists.

[dolly]

Wicca is to Paganism as Calvinism is to Christianity. I love analogies. : )

[Irenicas]

Hmmm... I'm not convinced any of those explanations are completely true. Sure, Wicca is a form of Paganism, but in the same way that Christianity could be seen to be a form of Judaism. They share core beliefs, but are very different. The major difference I feel is that Wicca has what I would discribe as limits to its beliefs, in that there is a solid centre of the God and Goddess, and there is no varying from that. If you do, then you're not a Wiccan, just as if you vary form believing that Christ was the son of God, then you're not a Christian.

I love analogies too

[Runt]

Actually, I know plenty of Wiccans who have varied from that God and Goddess centered belief (some worship only the Goddess, for example) and yet I am pretty sure they are 'true' Wiccans.

And the "Wicca is to Paganism as Christianity is to Judaism" analogy doesn't really work... Yes, Paganism is the root of Wicca just as Judaism is the root of Christianity, but Paganism isn't a RELIGION, with a central identifiable set of beliefs, while Judaism is. Paganism is a general classification of very broad religious beliefs... there are many different "pagan" religions that pretty much have nothing in common except polytheism and nature worship (and even those are not necessarily a part of every pagan religion), but there is no one Pagan religion. Judaism, on the other hand IS a religion, and has a clear set of beliefs that makes it identifiable as a single religion.

The analogy would be more appropriate if it is "Wicca is to Paganism as Christianity is to The Abrahamic Religions". It is a much broader relationship. Wicca is just one of many pagan religions, just as Christianity is merely one of many different Abrahamic Religions (Islam, Christianity, Judaism.... you could even argue that Kabbalism, Gnosticism, and Jainism are all "Abrahamic Religions" as well, though not as convincingly.)

[Irenicas]

That seems reasonable. But I'm still unconvinced that the God and Goddess thing is true. If they don't believe in a God and a Goddess, what is the difference between it and other forms of Paganism?

[Runt]

Ritual structure. The ritual structure is highly defined. Although there are some variations among different practicioners (depends on if it is coven or solitary, and what particular wiccan tradition each come from), wiccan rituals usually follow a very specific format:

Casting The Circle
The Challenge
Calling the Quarters
Calling the Deities
Magick Working
Symbolic Great Rite
Cakes and Wine
Dismissing the Quarters
Dismissing the Deities
Opening the Circle

All Wiccan religions are also linked by some literature, traditions, and theology: the Wiccan Rede, the Charge of the Goddess, the Challenge, Witches Creed, the Triple Goddess, Drawing Down the Moon, the Law, the Threefold Rule, the Elemental Correspondences (North-Earth, South-Fire, East-Air, West-Water), the working tools (the athame in particular),

And all Wiccan religions share the same holidays: Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltaine, Litha, Lughnasadh, Mabon, Samhain. Some only practice the four Greater Sabbats though... but they still have those 4 in common.

This is not to say that EVERY wiccan group will believe in/use/follow ALL of this... but every Wiccan group probably follows at least 1/2 of this stuff, whereas other pagan religions may only share 1-2 items with Wicca (like the 4 Greater Sabbats).

[dolly]

If they don't believe in a God and a Goddess, what is the difference between it and other forms of Paganism?

I thought that all Wiccans must acknowledge the existence of a God and Goddess, but they can believe that they exist in different ways (pantheist, panentheist, monotheist (both the god and goddess are sections of one whole being) true polytheists, ditheists, etc) and worship one more than the other. Like Dianics recognize that both exist, but they focus more on the Goddess.

[Irenicas]

That was my thought, though the idea about ritualistic structure is true as well.

[Runt]

I guess that's true. I was thinking of the Dianics when I said some don't believe in the Goddess... but it is true that they may acknowledge but simply not worship the God.

I know my coven occassionally refers to just The Divine... without specifying gender or number... but we also recognize that the Lord and Lady are manifestations of The Divine, so... hmm...