I've been a part of Wicca for 8 years and I have never heard of Noe-Wicca. Neo means new/modern, but considering Wicca is a modern day religion, the use of the tern Noe is redundant.
ETA: I found one person that uses the term Noe-Wicca, and by reading her definition on Wicca and Noe-Wicca is is clear that she has no idea what she is talking about. She seems to be using the term Noe-Wicca in place of solitary witch.
http://www.witches-tutorial.com/paths/neowicca.html
IE in her tutorial she makes this comparison:
Pagan>Witch>Wiccan
Christian>Protestant>Baptist
She claims that witchcraft is a religion and that Wicca is a subset of that religion.
Neo-Wicca is a stupid term used by *some* people who claim to speak on behalf of traditional Wiccans to attempt to paint some other forms of Wicca as a lesser form of Wicca.
Most people who use the term tend to not be Wiccans at all, certainly not traditional ones, and think that by using the term they are somehow demonstrating their great knowledge when, in fact, it makes them look like an idiot.
There is no Neo-Wicca. There is Wicca, yes. There is British Traditional Witchcraft (BTW), yes. There is a legitimate argument about whether or not BTW has any right to the word Wicca at all anymore, having eschewed the word publicly for 30+ years, YES. But there is no Neo-Wicca.
Well, unless those very people who painted the word Wicca as the term of poseurs and dabblers for over 30 years want the word Wicca back...they can have the term Neo-Wicca for themselves.
Neo means new, so when someone refers someone or something as being Neo-Wiccan, they're simply meaning a newer version.
(which I don't see how that really works, considering Wicca has barely been around long enough to have an "old" and a "Noe" side to it, BUT to each his own)
What LabGrrl said. "Neo-Wicca" is generally a derogatory term placed by certain BTWs on non-BTWs. It's in comparison with their concept of "real Wicca" which supposedly includes big-ass secrets only passed down through BTW lineages... which personally I find unlikely, and which I think is tangential to the issue of defining "Wicca" regardless.
It's a term used by many Wiccans to differentiate between "Traditional" Wicca -- which includes such things as Initiation, practice within a Coven, etc -- from the non-Initiatory, Solitary type of Wicca that has become very popular among especially beginners.
Contrary to popular belief of many beginners, Wicca is NOT "whatever you want it to be" or "whatever you make of it" -- It is a particular religion, with particular principles and practices. It *cannot* be "all things to all people", or it would soon become everything in general, and nothing at all in particular --
For more valid, trustworthy information on authentic Wicca, please see any of the following resources:
RESOURCES ON WICCA:
1. CoG - Covenant of the Goddess - http://www.cog.org
- a national organization of (legally-recognized Wiccan "churches") - Wiccan covens, clergy and solitaries -- with local "councils" in many cities. CoG provides general, basic information, links to resources and other organizations, Groups, Covens, teachers, High Priests and High Priestesses, and much more. CoG also "certifies" clergy and Elders, and sponsors "Merry Meet" - a yearly 5-day festival.
2. Circle Sanctuary - http://www.circlesanctuary.org -
- a Pagan (not just Wiccan) Sanctuary, working farm, and Learning Center. It offers training, workshops, festivals, networking, and sponsors other organizations (notably, "Lady Liberty League" (http://www.ladylibertyleague.org) which offers support, resources, networking and advocacy for any Pagans experiencing religious persecution) - and much more.
4. Witchvox - http://www.witchvox.com
- a wonderful resource offering general, basic information, articles, referrals and links to local and regional resources on Pagan Classes, Groups, Organizations, Merchants, and more.
6. ?Beginning Wicca? Yahoo Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BeginningW?
- One of the better Yahoo groups with several High Priests and Priestess members, so there are lots of good discussions and good information available in both the on line discussions, and the Files section.
7. Wicca For the Rest of Us: http://wicca.timerift.net/
I hope all of that is helpful -- Please don't hesitate to ask any questions -- But this is not the best place to do so; try any of the Resources above.
What is Neo - Wicca?
