A reader posed an earnest question to me, and one of great interest to a man of my profession of faith in my profession as a fantasy author. The question is one wiser heads than mine have pondered, so my answer was to direct him thither, towards Tom Simon, the greatest living essayist of our day, and Stephen Graydanus, a reviewer who critiques films from a Christian perspective.
Nothing said below is likely to surprise a longtime reader of this space, but the thoughts, I hope, are worth repeating.
Modern fantasy stories often refer to “white magic” or “good witches” as opposed to “black magic” or “evil witches”, and often portray the magic done by wizards or wise men as benevolent and lawful.
Given that an unbroken tradition of Biblical teaching since the Bronze Age unambiguously condemns the practice of magic as unlawful and damnable, the question my reader asked was this:
Is there any justification for a Christian to write, read, or watch stories portraying or referring to magic in a positive sense? This includes not only secular fiction such as “The Wizard of Oz” and “Disney” but also the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.”
Yes, there is not only a justification, but a compelling one. However, the danger is also real, and we must be careful when answering the question, for it a serious one.
Let us attempt to be judicious in answering.
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