WICCA: UNRAVELLING THE FABRICATION OF MODERN-DAY WITCHCRAFT

Abstract

Though there are many forms of witchcraft throughout history, the modern-day witchcraft brand of Wicca is a unique New Religious Movement of the 1960s in the United States. Because the 1960s was an era marked by political, social, economic, and cultural change, Wicca was at the right place at the right time. Even though Wicca's founder Gerald Gardner attempted to fabricate a historical foundation for the Wiccan tradition, the religion has grown into an unforeseen movement from its inception in the mid-1950s. Using the Western prevailing religions of the monotheistic traditions as the status quo of the 1960s, Wicca broke away from the norm and helped change the religious landscape of the United States. Wicca is a nature-oriented, Neo-Pagan religion that was built on personal experience through direct participation through rites. Despite the differences between historical religions and nature religions, Wicca has endured a growing membership across America through the 1960s to today.