History: Gerald Gardner: Publisized wicca in book "Witchcraft Today", 1954 Created the Garderian tradidion of wikka from Doreen Valiente ("Mother of Wicca"): Outlined traditional core beliefs, principles, and practices before Gerald publisized it, in 1940's and 1950's Beleifs: Wicca beleives in two gods, Tripple Goddess and Horned god Tripple Goddess and Horned god stand for many things, which can be represented by lower level dieties > Because of this they are often refered to as the "Great * god[ness]", great refering to containing other dieties > Many interpretations on these gods. Some refer to them as a devine figure, others more an imporsonal force > Commonality between traditions is that Wiccan dieties are viewed as forms of ancient, pre-christian divinities Tripple Goddess: Hornded God Broader Wiccan beleifs can range from monisim (all from one source), panthesm (reality is the embodyment of god) Godness Monothesism (a movement worshiping godnesses due to male dominated religon) Tradition branches: Wicca is devided into branches of diffrent beleifs and orginizational structures, these branches are called traditions Misconceptions/controversy: Is it a religon? Evangelical Christains tried to make sure it wasn't legally classified as a religon "Wicca has both influenced/been influenced by other Pagan religions, making clear-cut distinctions difficult for religious studies scholars" Paragraph ideas: History Misconceptions Controversy Diffrent branches of wiccan Values of wiccan Beleifs of wiccan