Question!

[a-little-piggy]

This is on Wikipedia:

There are various different denominations within Witchcraft, which are referred to as traditions. Some, such as Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca, follow in the initiatory lineage of Gardner; these are often collectively termed British Traditional Wicca, and many of their practitioners consider the term "Wicca" to apply only to these lineaged traditions. Others, such as Cochrane's Craft, Feri and the Dianic tradition, take primary influence from other figures and may not insist on any initiatory lineage. Some of these do not use the term "Wicca" at all, instead preferring to be referred to only as "Witchcraft", while others believe that all traditions can be considered "Wiccan".

So ... which is it? Can we call these forms of witchcraft "Wiccan", or is the term "wicca" only reserved for gardener/alexander traditions?

Note: I do not usually use wikipedia as a source for anything.  

[maenad nuri]

Wicca, for our purposes, is any lineaged tradition that maintains the core of the Gardner's teaching. There's a number of traditions and covens that do this, and many that have moved away.

Feri does not claim Wicca at all, except as an occasional influence. They are a different initiatory witchcraft religion.

Dianic is what happened when Traditional Wicca met Feminist Spirituality -- it hasn't been referred to as wiccan for awhile now.

Wicca was initially used as another word for Witch -- but as other witchcraft traditions were established, encountered or created that were fundamentally different from Wicca, Wicca became the specific and witch the general.  

[aoijea23487]

Like the Wikipedia article says, various people have various opinions on the matter. Two Gardnerian covens near me (from different lines--one from Minnesota, the other from New York) as well as Gardnerian author Deborah Lipp assert that the title "Wicca" does not apply to only lineaged British Traditional Wica's initiates. Lipp goes into detail about where the lines of what Wicca is and is not are. I have written about that here.

This Gardnerian talks about the lineage issue, noting a cultural difference on each side of the Atlantic. According to the video, in the UK and Ireland it's more common for "Wicca" to only refer to British Traditional Wicca, whereas in America the term is much more flexible and encompasses things like "Solitary Eclectic Wicca."

On the other hand, I know a third degree of the Mohsian tradition not too far from me that is much of the opinion that only British Traditional Wicca is rightfully called Wicca. This opinion dominates mailing lists like Amber and Jet. There is a lot of squabbling on that mailing list, but for all intents and purposes I highly recommend it.  

[Deoridhe]

The thing about Wicca is that they have a very successful smokescreen of teenagers who think magic is "cool" who call just about anything Wicca. Hel, I was once referred to as Wiccan by someone who didn't know the details of my beliefs because that was the more recognizable term.

What this means, for Wiccans, is that dabblers and people largely in it for being perceived as dangerous - both without the ability to do research - don't make it as far as the Outer Court of a given Coven. It also means that the common usage of Wicca is diluted, the way that "coke" is used to refer to all soda in some areas of the USA.

With most disciplines, there are two layers of knowledge - layperson and insider. Often with different disciplines one can become an insider and know the terms and the meanings of being inside the knowledge through research. This is not the case with disciplines that are oathbound like Wicca, so there is a vetting process possible for ones in the know which is unavailable to those who are not.

I believe we tend to consider anyone who would put time into being Pagan - of any sort - to want to be in the know.