Is Fictional Magic a Gateway to the Occult?
On one end of the spectrum are those who passionately answer in the affirmative: “Scripture explicitly prohibits the practice of magic, so of course depictions of magical powers and practices—whether they’re labeled ‘fiction’ or not—are a gateway to the occult.” Those on the other end of the spectrum answer with equal passion: “Because fictional magic is different from what Scripture prohibits, it’s obviously not a gateway to the occult.”
What makes the issue complicated is that there are sincere believers firmly planted in each of the above camps. Who is right? Is the truth found in only one of those camps, or is it somewhere in the middle?
A wonderful new resource is available to help answer these questions. On Magic & Miracles: A Theological Guide to Discerning Fictional Magic, authored by Marian A. Jacobs and published by B&H Publishing. This book develops a robust theology of magic: how we need to take occult magic seriously, and how we cannot be flippant in our evaluation of fictional magic in the movies we watch, the books we read, and the games we play. She evaluates several examples from pop culture, finishing her book with an in-depth look at Harry Potter.
I was privileged to interview Marian about her book for The Christian Post, which you can read here. As is the case with every author interview I’ve had published, the finished product requires editing the material down to what basically amounts to a highlight reel. There’s always some great material that has to be cut for the sake of length. My interview with Marian was no exception. At the end, we had an extended time discussing the movie Encanto, and how her book’s material would lead someone to evaluate that movie in particular. The Christian Post interview didn’t have space for that part of the discussion at all, so you’ll have to watch the video (embedded below) to hear it.
Whatever your convictions are on fictional magic, Marian’s book is likely to encourage, challenge, and edify you. I highly recommend picking up a copy for yourself.
Header image by HBO Entertainment