Magic in Christian Fiction
One of the most controversial questions in Christian storytelling is: can Christians have magic in their stories?
While Christians can all agree that magic in the real world is abhorrent, magic in fiction is much more of a grey area. Some believe all magic, even pretend, is an absolute no, while others are confident that it’s no big deal. While the Bible itself is clear on real world magic, much like other sins, it can be a little ambiguous with what can or cannot be in fiction.
To equip Christian creatives to navigate this question in a way that aligns with their personal convictions and ways they honor God as individuals, this article is going to focus on two key elements: 1. the definition of “magic” and 2. it’s use and purpose in the story. It is not going to provide the perfect, one-size-fits-all answer to the question because every story and every storyteller is different. The same is true for any number of elements in fiction and the key is, as always, following your personal conscious and the convictions of the Holy Spirit. The goal here is not to sway anyone in one direction or another, but this article will present a few different thoughts and ideas on the topic to chew on during the creative process.
The Many Definitions of Magic
The term “magic” has become somewhat ubiquitous in the modern era, especially with the rise of Fantasy. Formerly, the term was more exclusively related to witchcraft with a long list of elements including spells, incantations, tools, crystals, pentagrams, divination, supernatural powers harnessed from the outside, deals with devils, false miracles, and fake idols that defined it. In more recent storytelling history, the term “magic” has grown to encompass all manner and variety of unknown and vaguely-defined forces. Even something like the Force from Star Wars is sometimes considered magic, despite the story’s more Science Fiction flavor. Some stories also feature unknown natural forces that are being harnessed that, while labelled “magic” by a less technologically advanced society, are not actually supernatural in origin.
Another kind of “magic” in modern fiction is the “technology so advanced it looks like magic”. Like harnessing an unknown supernatural force, this is not the same thing as pulling in outside, supernatural powers for false miracles. A smartphone might seem like a magical totem to a primitive tribe, although there is nothing supernatural about it. The phone is merely harnessing the natural, God-made physical, chemical, and electrical laws of the world. For fiction, it is entirely possible to write a universe with a “magic system” that is really just a natural force or a series of natural forces innate to the world that the characters and audience may not fully understand. This kind of thing does not have to have the same foundational root as real-world witchcraft and therefore doesn’t fit the Bible’s definition of “magic”.
What the Bible is concerned about when it comes to magic is a kind of tapping into supernatural forces to provide miracles, rather than relying on God, His wisdom, and His timing for solutions to our problems. It is reaching for power that does not come from our Heavenly Father and the only other supernatural power aside from His is that of evil. It is desiring false miracles from entities that cannot bring life and shunning the true miracles of God. This is why the Bible warns so strongly against magic, witchcraft, divination, idolatry, and all of these kinds of things because, in the real world it is turning away from God’s lifegiving strength and intent and towards things that mean to do us harm.
Magic in Christian Fiction
And now the question is whether or not this witchcraft/false miracles kind of magic can ever be used in a piece of Christian fiction. This leads to the second thing that needs to be established: magic’s role within the story. In essence, why is magic in the story? If it is in the story to be the embodiment of evil; a poisonous force that wreaks havoc on the users, builds false prophets, and corrupts those who pursue it, then there is no reason to shy away from its use in Christian fiction. The Bible states that it is evil in the real world and so it can be an amazing storytelling tool, much like any other sin. It can help draw a line between the good guys and the bad guys, showing what happens when evil is given power. This works incredibly well with more overt Christian stories, where it can be used to set up a picture between God’s good miracles and the false ones of the devil. The key here is that there is really no room in overtly Christian stories for “white” or “grey” magic; the use of that — aside from a pretense by evil to hide their true intents — undermines the evil message of witchcraft.
It becomes a little trickier in more covertly Christian stories. In some situations it may be possible to utilize “good” and “bad” magic to symbolize good verses evil, both supernaturally and in simple terms of humankind. These situations might even honor some God’s truth as they set clear lines between purity and corruption. However, there is the question of whether or not using a force God expressly states as evil in the Bible can appropriately and respectfully represent Him and His goodness. The miracles performed by Jesus and His disciples are not due to their ability to say the right incantation with the right rocks in their hands to tap into some omnipresent mystical force at their whims; it was by God’ power, in His timing, for His glory. True miracles come only from God and are given to humanity only through our humility and obedience to Him, not our strength. Trying to mold magic into a positive Christian message may set a poor precedent for the story’s underlying foundation depending on the context.
The Audience
One final thing to keep in mind with using witchcraft — mostly in a positive light — in Christian fiction is the audience. Real world magic has a tendency to give people a sense of power and sets a dangerous precedent for the worship of both self and idols. Now, the Christian creative is ultimately not responsible for how their audience reacts to their story; all the creative can do is tell a story that steers clear of encouraging sin or making it look appealing, but the audience is responsible for their own spiritual health. Many Christians have no problem with magic; it does not tempt them to sin, or sway them from their walk with God. However, in a world that is currently inundated with a new wave of real witchcraft, tarot, healing crystals, astrology, and other forms of magic, a Christian creative may want to ask the question: is including this into a story that should be pointing towards God in some capacity the best or wisest solution? It may very well be! There is also a chance it may not be. Perhaps it is strategic to lean into the current culture while telling a story with a core pointing toward Jesus. Perhaps it’s best to stand counter to culture in this particular situation. The best way to know for certain is to pray and seek God’s will over your story.