Witchcraft

Witchcraft Witchcraft' Witchcraft is a sensation that has captured the minds of people since the beginning of time. I think it important to first discuss some history of witchcraft. The World Book Encyclopedia (2002) describes some of the history as follows: The term witch comes from the Old English word wicca, which is derived from the Germanic root wic, meaning to bend or to turn.” “In many places around the world, witchcraft beliefs and practices have existed for centuries with little change, [and] [p]rehistoric art depicts magical rites to ensure successful hunting. (p. 371, 372). Some beliefs about witchcraft may have risen from stories and legends told, possibly around a fire, just as ghost stories are now told around a campfire. Around A.D. 700, Christian religion saw witchcraft as denouncing the Catholic Church and began to question “heresy”, a rejection of the church, and, “began a long campaign to stamp out heresy…[and] [b]eginning in the 1000’s, religious leaders sentenced heretics to death by burning” (World Book, 2002 p. 372). It was then that society and the church began associating witchcraft with devil worship. Although, according to The World Book Encyclopedia (2000), women, witchcraft, men, woman, accused, witch, nadel, 1952, witches, nupe, 1994, barstow, being, way, ursula, female, during, world, scribner, people, man, book, because, 1990, thus, power, often, europe, been, witchcraze, society, out, old, history, four