Magic Forums

Did Gerald Gardner really 'create' and invented Wicca? Many sites and many people say that Gerald Gardner invented Wicca.

I think he did not invent nor create his own practice. His practice was later on called Wicca. He did not use the word Wicca, he used the word Witchcraft. His book was Witchcraft Today not Wicca today. If its of my understanding Wicca was a term later used to describe Gerald's form of witchcraft because the word witchcraft had a negative connotation (This was stated by Raymond Buckland). Thus, Gerald did not used that term in the beginning.

I think he did not create it. He introduced it. Introducing and creating are two different things. His tradition and his beliefs were handed over by oral tradition by his coven.

There are lots of forms of Witchcraft, many forms do not have names! The witchcraft that Gerald practiced was known to be Wicca. Wicca and other forms of Witchcraft are different. Wicca IS witchcraft. In Wicca we have the God and Goddess, celebrate the Sabbats and Esbats and so forth! These are distinctions that make Wicca different from other forms of Witchcraft.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.