Much debate often arises around what makes “witchcraft” actually witchcraft, and even whether religious forms of witchcraft such as contemporary witchcraft, can be classified as “witchcraft”.  This is often based on what appears to be an increasing belief (at least across social media) that witchcraft itself is an actual “practice”, i.e., a thing that is done, and that anything that is remotely religious is something else, i.e., Wicca.

Even within contemporary witchcraft itself, an array of mixed messages can be found as to whether or not this style of witchcraft is indeed “Wicca”, with some practitioners happy to label themselves as Wiccans while others vehemently opposed to the use of the word. 

In an attempt to clarify the words “witch” and “witchcraft”, the Temple of the Dark Moon offers this booklet for you to download and use to gain deeper insight into the historical use of these much loaded words.