Differences? What Is The Difference Between A Wiccan and A Witch?

Yes, there is a difference.

Witchcraft is a practice, Wicca is a religion.

Witches were people who practiced the art of magic, usually some form of nature magic. Witches did not/do not operate within a specific religion-- they can be Christian Witch, Pagan Witch, etc... in past times they were simply the magic people who worshiped whatever the Gods indigenous to their regions were. They can even practice magic entirely without being part of a religion.

Wicca is a religion founded by Gerald Gardener in the mid 20th century that is a reconstruction/reinvention of ancient Northern European Paganism. Wicca embraces the practice of Witchcraft, Wiccans are usually Witches (originally, all Wiccans were also Witches, but there are some modern Wiccans now who just practice the spiritual parts of Wicca without ever doing magic).

Not all Witches are practitioners of the Wiccan religion.

Pagan covers all belief systems that are not Christian, Jewish or Islam. It is an umbrella name. Wicca is a religion as is Witchcraft. But you do not have to be Wiccan to be a Witch. However generally speaking if you are Wiccan you are a Witch. Although some may argue that. Up until the 1980s There was no separation between being Wiccan and being a Witch. However there are other forms of Witchcraft that are not Wiccan. And other Pagan Religions that do not call themselves Witches, Such as Heathens and more.. You have to research it.... Good Luck

I disagree with MSB, which is the pat answer a lot of people give. Wicca was dreamed up by a guy named Gerald Gardner, who received some training from a nice lady and then added a bunch of stuff to what he'd been taught, and he packaged it up and called it Wicca (which by the way is a made-up word - check the etymology yourself). Witchcraft is undefined, period. It can be whatever a person wants it to be - good/evil, include healing, divination, spiritual stuff, include New Agey stuff, shamanic stuff, whatever. Someone like me who calls themself a Witch is free to do whatever the hell they want and not be bound by last year's definitions. I can practice skills or be lazy if I want. I can use different colors in the quarters if I want, or mix pantheons, or create justice in a situation that desperately needs it. I follow my heart and my Guides, not bound by any stupid list of rules that someone else wrote. I call it Aquarian Witchcraft. And I teach others to be just as free and open and experimental as they possibly can be. Sure I sometimes get my fingers burned, but so what? Living in fear is the worst kind of hell imaginable. And excuse me, but I'm EXTREMELY religious and I will NEVER call myself Wiccan. Folks, please reconsider your words. My definition of Witch: another force of nature, channelling the Upperworlds and the Lowerworlds equally and being the medium inbetween.

A Witch is someone that studies and/or practices a set of skills. The Witch may or may not incorporate these skills into their spiritual life, though many do to some degree.

A Wiccan is someone who is a follower of the religion of Wicca. Wicca is not a skill set. Some aspects of that religion call for ( CAN call for) activities that fall under the definition of Witchcraft.

However, beyond those rituals (and for some not even then) they may not practice Witchcraft at all. Although again, for most Wiccans it is a very important part of their faith.

So Wicca is a religion, Witchcraft is a skill. Someone can be a Witch without the practice of the religion of Wicca and someone can practice Wicca without adopting the skill-set of a Witch.

Okay, here goes...

-Wicca is a religion, first and foremost. It involves deities, dogmas, mythology, ethics, etc etc.

-Now witchcraft, on the other hand, is not a religion. It is a practice. It involves spells, divination, and all that good stuff.

-However, the two are NOT mutually exclusive. There are certain parts of some Wiccan rituals which are derived from witchcraft. Some Wiccan traditions regard witchcraft as one of the disciplines of Wicca. Some (certainly not all) Wiccans do practice witchcraft, so it's easy to see why so many mix the two up. But remember: there are Wiccans who are not witches, as there are witches who are not Wiccans, so they are NOT the same thing.

I didn't see you at the prom last night, I was over in the corner trying to comfort a couple of lonely girls whose dates didn't show up. Then I got stuck on the keg when I jumped out and tried to save it. Sorry I missed you. :P

Wiccan is a religion that believes in the God and Goddess as the main "God-Head." Many Wiccans practice magic, and some call themselves witches (others don't). But the main difference is that Wicca is a religion.

Witches can be Wiccan, or any other religion, or no religion. Witches are just people who practice magic - be it candle magic, divination with runes or tarot, kitchen magic, etc. etc.

I see being a witch as an ancient belief but not necessarily dark in nature...Wicca is new and falls under the title of neo-paganism...

I have read a book about Wicca but I couldn't tell you the differences between a Wiccan and a Witch.

Anyway good luck.

,many Wiccans are witches, not all witches are Wican, as some simply call it the olde faith

MSB has given you the basic correct answer about the differences.