Should the Traditional Definition of Witchcraft Be Discarded?

If modern witchcraft is so different from the witchcraft described in the standard reference works, shouldn’t the traditional definition of witchcraft be discarded and the Bible’s warnings and prohibitions against it disregarded as historical relics?

By no means. While some Neopagan witches have made a strong effort to redefine witchcraft, the standard definition of witchcraft still fits most of its historical occurrences as well as the general meaning of the term as it is still used in the modern world. Even a large number of those who practice witchcraft today in the United States and Europe continue to perform manipulative and black magic. ¹

Again, it is puzzling why the members of any religious group would insist on calling themselves witches. Terms like witch, sabbat, and coven are all associated with the particular kind of diabolical witchcraft that was pursued during the witch craze of the 16th and 17th centuries. These terms may attract attention, but they also generate misunderstanding and hostility. It would seem more reasonable for Neopagans to stop using the terminology of diabolical witchcraft.

1. “To make the mistake of thinking that black magicians do not exist today is one of the most foolish of all premises. I would say that the dark forces are gathering now at a much greater rate than ever since the Middle Ages. They also have the advantage of being much more organized; their fallow period of lying low for a few centuries has honed their sensitivity, as well as their recognitionthat now is the time when seeds of evil can grow into whole crops of mandrake-oriented communities” (Sybil Leek, The Complete Art Of Witchcraft, p.67). Back To Article