Celtic connection to Wicca (ritual, tradition, pagan, point of view, religions)

[Victor]

I remember I did some reading on Celtic pagan groups and was wondering if it had any connection to Wicca.

[Fluffy]

Urm are you talking about Celtic pagan groups of a couple of thousand years ago or the very modern revivalist movement?

Some Wiccan authors (such as Silver Ravenwolf) have asserted that Wicca is somehow connected with these older groups. However, there is no historical evidence to back this up. We can trace Gardner's immediate influences with a high degree of certainty and none of these point to an ancient pagan origin. Wicca's main influences would be Aleister Crowley (especially in terms of ritual) and Eastern traditions (none in particular but Wicca has a decidely untypical response to religion from a Western point of view).

The view that Wicca has some sort of connection with ancient pagan groups is generally held only by those who are viewed as "Fluffy Bunnies". Some vague influences are there but we simply do not know enough about these religions (and the religions themselves were likely to have varied massively) that such a connection seems impossible to assert.

[Victor]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

Urm are you talking about Celtic pagan groups of a couple of thousand years ago or the very modern revivalist movement?

Some Wiccan authors (such as Silver Ravenwolf) have asserted that Wicca is somehow connected with these older groups. However, there is no historical evidence to back this up. We can trace Gardner's immediate influences with a high degree of certainty and none of these point to an ancient pagan origin. Wicca's main influences would be Aleister Crowley (especially in terms of ritual) and Eastern traditions (none in particular but Wicca has a decidely untypical response to religion from a Western point of view).

The view that Wicca has some sort of connection with ancient pagan groups is generally held only by those who are viewed as "Fluffy Bunnies". Some vague influences are there but we simply do not know enough about these religions (and the religions themselves were likely to have varied massively) that such a connection seems impossible to assert.

Actually you answered my question with the historical wantings.

[gnomon]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

Urm are you talking about Celtic pagan groups of a couple of thousand years ago or the very modern revivalist movement?

Some Wiccan authors (such as Silver Ravenwolf) have asserted that Wicca is somehow connected with these older groups. However, there is no historical evidence to back this up. We can trace Gardner's immediate influences with a high degree of certainty and none of these point to an ancient pagan origin. Wicca's main influences would be Aleister Crowley (especially in terms of ritual) and Eastern traditions (none in particular but Wicca has a decidely untypical response to religion from a Western point of view).

The view that Wicca has some sort of connection with ancient pagan groups is generally held only by those who are viewed as "Fluffy Bunnies". Some vague influences are there but we simply do not know enough about these religions (and the religions themselves were likely to have varied massively) that such a connection seems impossible to assert.

Nice post.