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"Rede" is a Middle English term that means to give counsel, advise, interpret, or explain. In a more archaic sense it also means to give an account or tell a story. The etymology of the word includes the Old English "raedan" and the Old High German "ratan" which both mean to "advise." [n.1] It may also include the Sanskrit "radhnoti" which means "to archive or prepare." [n.2] In the dialect of at least one Gaelic place-name it stands for "road," as in Carrick-a-Rede (Rock in the Road). Similar words in modern usage include the English "read," the Dutch "advise" (raad) and the German "speech" (rede).
In both Pagan and secular circles, "rede" is most often interpreted according to the Middle English definition. That is, a rede is more often treated as advice or counsel, rather than a strict law or commandment. To offer just one example of many, this is how the term was used by the 18th Century poet Robert Burns:
I rede ye tent it; A chiel 's amang ye takin' notes, And, faith, he 'll prent it. [n.3] As it relates to Wicca, there are several potential reasons why "rede" may have been used (instead of a more absolute term); including the humility of its original authors, the situational nature of the Rede itself, the occult tendency to avoid revealed truths, and the related Pagan practice of honoring individual paths which would conflict with the idea of holding out an absolute truth beyond a specific tradition. At the same time, it remains unclear who first used the term in Pagan circles. The original Rede-Poem presents the Rede as a pre-existing phrase, yet none of the Rede-Concepts appearing prior to the poem use this exact kind of nomenclature. Indeed, its entirely possible that while the Rede-Poem was articulating an old idea, it was at the same time giving it a new name - forever adding the term "rede" to the Pagan lexicon.
Additional Terms & DefinitionsFor purposes of the Wiccan Rede Project Web site, there are also several terms of art that would be helpful to understand as your read through these materials. Each of these are listed below: Wicca: Wicca is a sub-category (admittedly one of the largest sub-categories) of witchcraft. Witchcraft, in turn, is a sub-category of the broader religious and magickal paths comprising modern Paganism. Within Wicca itself, there are both more "traditional" forms, such as Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca; as well as other paths such as Eclectic, Georgian, Seax, and Dianic. While not universally true for all paths, Wiccan tenents can often involve a belief in a God and Goddess, the need for personal accountability, the responsible use of magick, a respect for nature, and a recognition of natural cycles. Wiccan Rede: Wiccan Rede is a general term often used to describe both the Rede-concept and/or the Rede-poem. Rede-Concept:The term "Rede-Concept" (for purposes of the WRP) is used to describe the shorter adage summarizing the idea of "doing what you will as long as it does no harm." The Rede-Concept can take various shapes, but generally falls into two categories: Those that use phrasing similar to the phrasing contained in the Rede-Poem, and those that do not. Rede-Poem: In the WRP, the term "Rede-Poem" is used to describe the Thompson/Porter version of a longer 26-line poem containing the most common "formal" version of the Rede-Concept; first published under the title "Rede of the Wiccae" in 1975.
n.1. Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (Merriam-Webster 1987). |