what is wicca

Wicca, also known as "The Craft," is a modern pagan, syncretic, earth-centered religion. It was developed in England during the first half of the 20th century and was introduced to the public in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant. Wicca draws upon a diverse set of ancient pagan and 20th-century hermetic motifs for its theological structure and ritual practices. It is typically duotheistic, worshipping and/or working with a Goddess and a God, and is considered a form of modern Paganism. Wiccans typically practice magic, which they believe taps into a spirit world often referred to as the “otherworld,” and they have a rule of "Harm none and do as you will." Wicca is a nature-based, pagan belief system that worships Nature, often personified as Mother Earth and Father Sky, and is considered a religion for the 21st century