Celtic Wicca is a modern form of Wicca that incorporates some elements of Celtic mythology.
Origins
Wicca, as established by Englishman
Gerald Gardner in the 1950s,
was not Celtic in nature but contained some influences and borrowings from Celtic sources.
"Celtic" Wicca can be seen as emphasizing and elaborating on the facets of
Gardnerian Wicca that practitioners believe to be Celtic, while de-emphasizing some of the more obviously non-Celtic facets (such as the worship of deities from other cultures).
Author Jane Raeburn believes that while there is "a firm distinction between historical Celtic inspiration and modern Wiccan practice", that the two can be blended to form "a living path of ethical and spiritual growth".
As Carl McColman has observed, many people find beauty and meaning in this spirituality that blends "religious witchcraft with Celtic wisdom".
Several different variations of the tradition have existed. For instance, Lady Sheba (Jessie Bell) called her tradition "American Celtic Wicca".
Comparisons to other traditions
Celtic Wicca can be seen as both a form of Wicca and a branch of Celtic neopaganism.
On the
Neopaganism continuum from eclectic to reconstructionist, Celtic Wicca is at the eclectic end: as non-historical as most forms of
Neo-druidism,
and contrasting firmly with Celtic reconstructionism, which emphasizes cultural focus and historical accuracy.
Criticisms
Celtic Wicca is criticized for a number of reasons. Critics point to the very recent development of the "tradition", its modernly syncretic nature, its misappropriation or misrepresentation of authentic Celtic traditions and history, and its difference from all historically attested Celtic beliefs and practices.
Authors including
Ronald Hutton,
Aidan Kelly, John Michael Greer and Gordon Cooper have noted that Celtic Wicca draws on mythology by way of the
Romanticism Celtic Revival rather than historical fact.
Further, these authors have documented that Gardnerian Wicca was synthesized from elements of many cultures and traditions including
Hinduism,
English folklore, romanticized misinterpretations of what Gardner believed to be Native American beliefs and ceremonies,
and the ritual structures and terminology used by the
Freemasonry.
Greer and Cooper specifically point to Gardner's involvement in the English Woodcraft and
Kibbo Kift groups as a strong influence.
See also
External links
