Wicca/Paganism history

[Ewtn2010]

I am in a discussion with a friend who has identified herself as a witch. During our discussion, she pointed out a section in a book by Vivianne Crowley, Wicca where Vivianne writes:

" “All the religious and [magical] practices on which the Catholic Church did not bestow its blessings—other Christian sects Paganism, and [magic]—were now lumped together. Whatever their aims and virtues, they were declared to be Devil worship …Despite fierce attempts to persecute those Christians whose views did not accord with Catholicism, the heretical sects which later transmuted into the Protestant movement flourished and grew strong.” —Vivianne Crowley, Wicca (Revised and updated edition), pp. 19-20, emphasis added)

How is that refuted or where can I look up the history of where she says the Catholic Church fell in to apostasy?

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Not clear on what you are getting at. I don’t see anything in your quote where the author alleges that the Catholic Church fell into apostasy.

So far as I am aware, while she does not embrace it, the Church does not condemn Wicca, in and of itself, as “devil worship”. Earth-based spirituality is not devil worship. Thinking of the earth (“Gaia”) or natural forces as being gods might be a form of idolatry, but idolatry and devil worship are two different things.

 

[gpmj12]

Welcome to CQ, ewtn 2010.

Catholic Answers has provided this unabridged explanation of the history of the Church and witchcraft from the Catholic Encyclopedia. Hopefully it will be helpful. The Church has definitely been unnecessarily cruel in some parts of its history and we need to acknowledge that in apologetics scenarios as the recent Popes have done. But those sins don’t amount to apostasy. Keep in touch with us about how you go in conversation with your friend.

Witchcraft | Catholic Answers Encyclopedia

 

[Ewtn2010]

If the Catholic Church was unable to distinguish the practice of magick or other pagan rituals from those of the Protestant movement, then I would say they she is saying that the leaders of the Church are not practicing what Her founder teaches, hence apostasy. Crowley’s use of the word “persecute” triggers that idea.

 

[Crusader13]

I think she’s making a broad generalization as to how she thinks the Church dealt with paganism and non-Catholic Christians (later known as Protestants).

There’s no documents or official Church declarations, that I’m aware of, that states Protestants and Pagans are Devil worshippers.

I think the burden of proof falls on her to prove that such a thing was ever universally taught by the Church.

And what’s her end game in your debate with her? What exactly is it that she’s arguing?