Centuries ago, the inquisitors and witch-hunters who executed witches as servants of the Devil believed they were
doing a service to God and humanity. They envisioned a
society free of witchcraft, which they viewed as heresy, a
scourge, an evil and a blight. They would be astonished today to fnd that Witchcraft—with a capital W—has become
one of the fastest-growing religions in Western culture.
How did this 180-degree turn take place?
The road from sorcery to spirituality is a colorful one,
full of secrets, twists, rituals and compelling personalities. In its short half century as a religion, Witchcraft has
a history rivaling that of any of the world’s great faiths
in drama, intrigue, pathos and triumph. Witchcraft has
taken its place in the ecumenical religious theater.
Traditionally, witchcraft—with a small w—is a form
of sorcery, concerned with spells and divination. The
magical witch, the sorcerer witch, was not practicing a
religion of witchcraft, but was practicing a magical art,
passed down through families or taught by adepts.
Witches have never enjoyed a good reputation. Almost
universally since ancient times, witchcraft has been associated with malevolence and evil. Witches are thought
to be up to no good, interested in wreaking havoc and
bringing misery to others. Individuals who used the magical arts to divine and to heal often took great pains to call
themselves something other than “witch.”
Darklady's Occult