Christianity & Old Magic

I am not a Christian. However, I notice some of you are wondering how you can practice magic but still be a Christian. Since this seems to be a mainly Wiccan forum, I thought the information I'm posting now may be new to most of you.

I practice a form of magic known as Hermeticism, and use medieval grimoires like the Ars Goetia. This involves making summoning circles, burning incense, chanting spiritual commands, etc. This is magic as it has been practiced for the last few hundreds of years, and almost every magical order extant today is based on it - Wicca is one of the few exceptions.

The important thing to know about Hermeticism and grimoire magic is that God plays a very large part in them. Most of the magicians who made these grimoires and developed Hermetic philosophy were Christians themselves. All the spiritual authority the magician has is supposed to come from God. When doing the rituals, one often calls upon God; verses from the Bible are sometimes used, as are the Names of God; and the Hermetic magician is, in fact, supposed to strive to unite him or her self with God - that is the ultimate goal.

It is said that King Solomon, from the Bible, practiced this sort of magic. One common idea is that while normal Christianity is good for most people, some few are called to receive another, secret wisdom from God, through the practice of magic. As I said, I'm not a Christian, and I view the references to God through a different paradigm; but know that if you are a Christian, you are in good company, magically speaking.

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Thank you for that. Now, one thing I must add: in the Christian Bible, those that (Christian) God warns Christians about is those that directly draw their power from Satan/Lucifer, due to the fact that in Christianity, Lucifer/Satan is seen as the master of all lies, filth, and evil. Of course, Luciferian Satanists have a very different outlook on that as well. Now, as far as Magicks, if you are a Christian, then doing magicks that involve the use ofcalling on Satan or his dark angels is ill-advised.

Christianity is one messed up religion.

Funny, some of them say the same thing about Wicca and every path under the term Pagan.

Funny how that works out, huh?

Christianity isn't a messed up religion. People who take it to an extreme literal interpretation are the problem, not the religion itself. Honestly I think those that claim to be pagan and say things like this about Christianity are hypocrites who are being just as intolerant as the extremists.

I'd also like to point out that it's unlikely that Solomon practiced or even wrote the Keys. They are merely accredited to him. They were wrote a quite while after his time.

"honestly I think those that claim to be pagan and say things like this about christianity are hypocrites who are being just as intolerant as the extremists."

Paganism is an umbrella term to describe many poly or mono theistic paths that generally have a focus on nature. It is not a religion on its own and isnt really something that people claim to be. Paganism has no teachings, no rules. The paths under the category pagan do. I am considered a pagan and I do not like christianity. This does not make me a hypocrite. 

Excellent post Vilhjalmr, very informational.

Thanks, Aquafish! I'm glad you got something out of it.

I have a distaste for fundamentalist Protestant Christianity as well - I grew up in Texas, and some of the Christians there were intolerant, hateful, hypocritical people. That doesn't mean they're all like that, though. I also have a fondness for Catholicism, though I'm a pagan myself; well, pagan-atheist.

I follow the religion of Northern/Western Europe before it became Christianized, as best I can determine it was practiced. I am attempting to become proficient in the magic of this location and time period, as well: galdr, seidr, and the rest. Thus my avatar: a seal from the Heptameron with an eisenkreuz in the middle. I hope to eventually take what I have learned from Hermeticism and practice my own brand of "Wodinetics"!

If you need help with that let me know, I am an Asatruar and very familiar with the magick related to that culture.

Although it would seem that wiccans dominate this forum, many of us are not wiccan. In fact, this website is supposed to be for all paths.

I, for one, am not a wiccan. I'm a natural pagan, therefore a "grey" or balanced witch.

I think it's great that you put this out here. I actually tell Christians interested in magick that there are many forms of magick out there that have a great deal of Christian influence. The Renaissance times are full of it.

Do I think it's being a "true" Christian to perform magick? Not really. But I feel that religion and faith is a personal choice, and if someone wants to take from a religion some things and not all, that is their prerogative.