Witchcraft 101

What is witchcraft?
That's a difficult question to answer when it gets into specifics, but very broadly, witchcraft can be defined thus: the practice of magical skills, spells, and abilities.

What's the difference between magic and witchcraft?
Witchcraft is one form of doing magic. For example, a Christian priest offering a piece of bread to his parishoner that becomes the body of Jesus, and a Wiccan priestess combining certain herbs and fragrances to anoint a candle, are both practising magic; however only one of them is practising witchcraft. So, again, very broadly: all witchcraft is magic, but not all magic is witchcraft.

One way of defining witchcraft is that it primarily utilises tools and ingredients that are classically linked with the natural world (such as herbs and crystals) and paleopagan practises (such as rituals honoring the seasons).

Is witchcraft only for witches? Or just women?
No! Witchcraft can be practised by anyone, of any gender, and there are many practitioners of witchcraft who don't identify as witches. It's just that the majority of those who perform it are indeed witches! (And not all witches are women, either!)

Is witchcraft a religion?
No. Witchcraft is the study, curation, and practice of magic within some religions, such as Wicca and many other neopagan faiths. Witchcraft itself isn't a religion anymore than "prayer" is!

Is witchcraft a religious practice?
For some who practise it, divinity is definitely linked intimately with their craft, but it's also entirely possible to perform atheistic witchcraft. You aren't required to believe in a higher power to perform witchcraft, although the majority of practitioners are theists of some stripe.

What kinds of witchcraft are there/what counts as witchcraft?
There are many practises that can be classified as witchcraft. Some of them include (but aren't limited to):

And just quickly...what's a fanlisting?
Exactly what's written on the tin -- a listing of fans in digital format! All you need to join is an email address, no websites required. TFL covers everything you need to know further here!