neopaganism / charts / wicca vs christianity
Comparison Chart of Wicca and Christianity
St. Michael's Tower is part of a church that once stood on Glastonbury Tor, a sacred site revered by Neopagans. Photo: Sacred Destinations.
Below is a chart comparing the history, stats, beliefs, practices and ethics of Wicca and Christianity. As with all charts of this type, information is oversimplified for the sake of brevity and should not be used as the sole source of information on either Wicca or Christianity.
Terminology & Stats |
||
| Name of religion | Wicca or Neopaganism | Christianity |
| Meaning of name | Either "wise ones" or "to bend or shape." | "Followers of Christ." |
| Main symbol | Pentagram | Cross |
| Name of adherents | Wiccans, witches, pagans | Christians |
| Number of adherents worldwide | Estimate of 1-3 million | 2 billion |
| Areas w/ highest concentrations | UK, Canada, United States | North and South America, Europe |
History & Texts |
||
| Founder | Gerald Gardner (1884–1964), a retired English civil servant | Jesus of Nazareth (c. 4 BC-30 AD), a Palestinian Jew |
| When and where founded | 1950s England | 1st century Israel/Palestine |
| Ancient roots/influences | Celtic and Norse pagan religion | Hebrew monotheistic religion; Greco-Roman philosophy and religion |
| Foundational text(s) | Gerald Gardner, The Witch Cult in Western Europe and The God of the Witches | Bible (esp. New Testament) |
| Major creeds | Charge of the Goddess, Wiccan Rede | Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed |
Beliefs & Doctrine |
||
| View of time | Cyclical | Linear |
| Afterlife | Reincarnation until reach the Summerland | Resurrection, judgment, eternal heaven or hell |
| Type of theism | Polytheism (many gods) or pantheism (god/gods are part of nature) | Monotheism (one god, who is separate from nature) |
| Ultimate reality | "The All" or "The One," an unknowable Supreme Being | One God |
| Deities | The Goddess and her consort, the horned god; various other pagan deities like Diana, Thor, Zeus, etc. | One God, who is a Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit |
| Venerated male figures | The God; Adonis, Apollo, Dionysus, Odin, Osiris, Pan, Thor, Zeus, etc. | Jesus Christ; saints like Francis, Anthony, etc. |
| Venerated female figures | The Goddess; Athena, Brigit, Ceridwen, Diana, Hecate, Ishtar, Isis, Venus, etc. | The Blessed Virgin Mary; saints like Mary Magdalene, Teresa, Bridget, etc. |
Rituals & Practices |
||
| Assembled worshippers called | Coven | Church; congregation |
| Place of worship | Outdoors | Church; chapel; meeting hall; sometimes outdoors |
| Regular rituals | Prayer, casting a circle, Drawing Down the Moon, reciting spells, dancing, singing, sharing cakes and wine or beer | Prayer, singing, reciting Scripture, Eucharist (bread and wine) |
| Special rituals | Initation, handfasting (marriage) | Baptism, confirmation, marriage |
| Regular worship days | 13 Esbats (full moons) each year | Sundays |
| Major holidays | Samhain, Beltane, equinoxes, solstices | Lent; Easter; Advent; Christmas; various feasts |
Ethical and Social Views |
||
| Basic moral code | Wiccan Rede: If it harms none, do what you will. | Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. |
| Status of women | Equal in value to men | Equal in value to men |
| Women in religious leadership | Accepted in all traditions | Accepted in some denominations |
| Women in secular leadership | Accepted in all traditions | Accepted in all denominations |
| Homosexuality | Accepted and celebrated in nearly all traditions | Rejected in most denominations |
| Concern for environment | Emphasized in all traditions | Increasingly emphasized in many denominations, but overall less so than Wicca |
