Paganism, Wicca, and Witchcraft

One question I keep seeing as I read Wicca 101 books and online sources is, "What is the difference between Paganism, Wicca, and Witchcraft?" Marietta at Witchy Words does an excellent job of explaining the difference. Allow me to offer a brief explanation with the use of one of her visuals.

Paganism  encompasses many different types of earth-based religions with a reverence for nature. Wicca is a specific type of Paganism based on ancient European traditions and folklore combined with some modern practices. In the 1950s, Gerald Gardner published both fiction and non-fiction books that popularized Wicca. Witchcraft is the non-religious use of magick (k is sometimes added to distinguish between true magick spells and sleight of hand). As you can see, there can be some overlap between Paganism, Wicca, and Witchcraft.

I consider myself a Neo-Pagan Witch. Neo-Paganism is used to differentiate between modern and ancient practices of Paganism, but they're used somewhat interchangeably. Paganism may draw from ancient practices, and there are many different kinds of Paganism, but I suspect a lot of Paganism today is Neo-Paganism. My religious practices include celebrating Wiccan holidays. I prioritize nature-based spirituality and rarely perform magick spells.

Do you consider yourself a Pagan, Wiccan, or Witch?