“My niece is a Wiccan”

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This is what a friend of mine told me recently.   Being a Christian herself, my friend was concerned about what “being a Wiccan” could mean for her niece.  Her other concern is that she doesn’t know that much about Wicca.   Is witchcraft involved?  Could this person put a spell on me?  Does she and her coven gather in the woods during a full moon and chant?    This led me to write an article to help my friend, and others, understand more about Wicca and how to talk with Wiccans about their beliefs.

What is Wicca?  According to religioustolerance.org, Wiccan involves:

• Common to almost all Wiccans is the recognition of the existence of the Goddess, and her consort the horned God. These may be viewed as real living personal entities, or as symbols.

• Wiccans follow the Wiccan Rede “A’in it harm none, do what thou wilt.“  This means that as long as it harms no one, including yourself, one is free to do what they wish. A Wiccan carefully reviews the implications of each action or non-action in her/his life. Domination, manipulation and control are particularly prohibited by the Rede.

• Wiccans typically go through a dedication ritual at the start of their training, where they declare their intent to study Wicca. If they choose, they experience an initiation ritual when they complete their initial study of the religion — often a period of a year and a day.

• Wiccans engage in rituals, either alone or within a coven of other Wiccans. They are committed to personal spiritual growth

Wicca can be categorized as neopaganism or pantheism.   The recent movie Avatar is one example from popular culture on how this worldview is expressed. Ross Douthat, a columnist for the New York Times, wrote:

” ‘Avatar’ is Cameron’s long apologia for pantheism — a faith that equates God with Nature, and calls humanity into religious communion with the natural world. … The Na’Vi [race] are saved by the movie’s hero, a turncoat Marine, but they’re also saved by their faith in Eywa, the ‘All Mother,’ described variously as a network of energy and the sum total of every living thing. …”

“If this narrative arc sounds familiar, that’s because pantheism has been Hollywood’s religion of choice for a generation now. It’s the truth that Kevin Costner discovered when he went dancing with wolves. It’s the metaphysic woven through Disney cartoons like ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Pocahontas.’ And it’s the dogma of George Lucas’s Jedi, whose mystical Force ‘surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together’.”

“Hollywood keeps returning to these themes because millions of Americans respond favorably to them. From Deepak Chopra to Eckhart Tolle, the ‘religion and inspiration’ section in your local bookstore is crowded with titles pushing a pantheistic message. …”

“At the same time, pantheism opens a path to numinous experience for people uncomfortable with the literal-mindedness of the monotheistic religions — with their miracle-working deities and holy books, their virgin births and resurrected bodies. As the Polish philosopher Leszek Kolakowski noted, attributing divinity to the natural world helps ‘bring God closer to human experience [while] depriving him of recognizable personal traits’.”

So how should a Christian talk with a Wiccan or any other person who has a pantheistic worldview?   Dare 2 Share Ministries has a great tool for engaging people of different worldviews in significant conversations.   Their guide on talking with Wiccans explains the following:

• Willow (the Wiccan) is extremely sensitive toward anything that sounds intolerant and/or judgmental, so approach with extreme caution! As well, she sees Christianity as an oppressive religion, so be sure and show her love and respect.
• Ask Willow what she believes about Christianity, because she might have a distorted image of what Christianity is. Try and use this as an opportunity to help her develop a correct understanding of true Christianity.
• Don’t confuse Wiccans with witches, because anyone can practice witchcraft, but Wiccans follow a strict code. Also, don’t confuse Wiccans with Satanists, because most Wiccans don’t believe in Satan or the devil.
• Outline the strengths and reliability of the Bible (accuracy, consistency, fulfilled prophecy, etc.) because Willow rejects it as unreliable.
• Stress your personal relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ and what impact that has on your daily life.
• Whether Willow knows it or not, she is in the grips of Satan, so be sure and cover your relationship and conversations with her in a ton of prayer.

While this article just scratches the surface of Wiccan belief and how to talk with a person who practices Wicca, all Christians should become familiar with the beliefs of those people God puts in our lives.   You may not know a Wiccan, but you may know an atheist, a Muslim, or a Hindu.    Or you may know a person who is just areligious or agnostic.   Either way, do your research and stay engaged with your friends about spiritual things.  Learn how to turn a conversation toward the eternal Truths of the Bible and Jesus Christ.   And do so with “gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)