Can a person be both a Christian and a Wiccan?
Resolving the deity questions
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Resolving the deity questions:
Christianity teaches the existence of a single God. 1
But most Christian denominations teach that God has a different internal structure. Their God is a Trinity, composed of the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit. This was established by a majority vote of the bishops at the
Council of Nicea in 325 CE and some subsequent councils.
Many Wiccans (perhaps most) also believe that there is a single ultimate deity
which/who is unknowable. A common Wiccan saying is that "All Gods are
the ONE GOD." This deity is sometimes referred to as "The All"
or "The One" and is often visualized as having two aspects: a
male facet who is called the God and a female component, the Goddess.
- About the male aspect of deity: There were about 40 gospels and dozens of letters and essays written by the
early Christian church. However, only four gospels and various letters were
accepted into the Christian Scriptures (New Testament). Those four tell of a
partly unified early
Christian movement circa 70 to 100 CE whose members regarded Yeshua of Nazareth (Jesus Christ) to be the
Son of God. Other documents from the primitive Christian movement -- which never made it into the official
canon -- describe a divided Christian movement. They explain that, after Jesus was executed by the Roman Army, (circa 30
CE)
and a few years
before Paul returned to organize his churches (circa 37 CE), Jesus' disciples
organized a reformed Jewish
movement that is normally referred to today as the Jewish Christians.
They regarded Jehovah, as described in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), to
be a single, indivisible God. They regarded Jesus as fully human, and a Jewish
Messiah -- a combination religious, political, and military leader. Details are lacking, but
some early Christians may well have regarded Wisdom as a
type of female supernatural presence who was with God at the creation of the
world - a type of Goddess. A Wiccan might
consider these non-canonical gospels and writings to be accurate and adopt beliefs similar to those
of the early Jewish Christian movement. Wiccans might thus associate Jesus with the
male aspect of "The One."
- About the female aspect of deity: Some Wiccans and liberal
Christians believe that Jesus married Mary Magdalene. The marriage
ritual at Cana described in the Gospel of John may have referred to
their marriage. They honor Mary as the Goddess of Christianity -- as
representing the female aspect of "The One." Others substitute or
include:
- Miriam, the mother of Jesus;
- Sophia, the Goddess of wisdom who is described in a number of
places in the Hebrew Scriptures as a separate, female personality;
- Mother Earth; and/or
- Asherath, a Goddess worshiped by many ancient Hebrews. 2
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Considering Jesus as a wise teacher:
Throughout the past 2 millennia, there have been many beliefs
among Christians about the nature of Jesus of Nazareth. He has been considered
by various Christian and
secular groups as:
- A religious King,
- A God,
- A Lord,
- An itinerant rabbi in Palestine during the first century
CE,
- A native healer,
- A
gifted prophet,
- A spirit being who only appeared to be a human, and
- various
combinations of the above.
This diversity of thought continues today:
- Some
progressive Christians believe that Jesus was the greatest of all of the
Jewish prophets,
but not the Son of God, and not a person within a Trinity.
- Muslims believe that he was a great Prophet and teacher,
second in stature only to Muhammed.
- Most modern conservative and mainline Christians believe that he was God, one of three components
of the Trinity (along with God and the Holy Spirit).
Many Wiccans view Jesus
as a great teacher and prophet. So, one could be a Wiccan, believe that Jesus
was a great teacher, and be in accordance with many believers in the early Jewish
Christian movement, and with some progressive Christians today. Their deity could
then be "The One" with a male and female aspect.
References
- J.C. Taylor, "A Christian Speaks on the faith and path of Wicca,"
See:
www.paganpride.org/
- "The Cauldron and the Cross," at:
http://www.thewhitemoon.com/ This site is apparently off line.
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Copyright © 1999 to 2008 by Ontario Consultants on
Religious Tolerance
Latest update and review: 2008-NOV-12
Author: B.A. Robinson
Links updated: 2008-JAN-09
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