Shifts in the use of Magic in Christianity and Islam

     In last week's readings, I was interested by the symbols of magic. We had previously discussed the use of amulets and other items like dream catchers, but this was the first I had read about specific symbols and etchings. On page 66 of the reading, the book said that "symbols had the same magic as spoken spells." The symbolism of certain objects or sensations, like thunder being the sound of Thor's hammer, shows how vastly intertwined magic was in the culture and daily life. The runes were another example the book mentioned about symbols used to portray magic. I found the runes particularly interesting because they are able to give a glimpse into dialogues happening at that time. The early use of symbols to depict magic bleeds into the depiction of gods worshipped by different societies at that time. 

    The use of magic and spells within the church is interesting. As we discuss in class often, Christianity now is against the use of spells or worshipping idols, but the beginnings of Christianity often show the use of 'magic,' or the belief in other things such as healing stones. The Byzantines are interesting to look at because they had declared themselves as Christian, but still believed in spells to ward off evil or stones to heal them. Christiantity focuses on the worship of one god, and does not agree with the use of idols or other symbols, but the beginnings of the religion often incorporate them. I would love to learn more about the sudden or gradual switch between the use of symbols to not allowing them. 

    The book mentions how Muslims believed in one God, but still relied on the use of spirits to protect them and in symbols like the evil eye to ward off magic. The Quran, similarly to the Bible, did not encourage the use of spirits or magic, but they were still used. 

    It would be interesting to learn more about the sudden switch of religions (or religious groups) being 'ok' with the use of magic or worshipping of idols to the sudden disapproval of these items. Religion was so ingrained in these societies, but it became ingrained in a society that was frequently using and believing in magic. It makes sense that there were hints of religion in some of the spells and stones, and spells in some religions, but what's confusing is how over time people began to dispell these ideas. 

Comments

  1. williams.dan76September 10, 2024 at 6:45 AM

    Great first blog. Thanks Abby. We live in such a different world than people two millennia ago. I like how you mentioned the importance of magic in their lives. Indeed, their lives were thoroughly infused with magical beliefs, and for centuries there was actually little difference between religion and magic. I also like what you said about the power of symbols, and it's true that we overlook the belief in symbolic power, and what is believed becomes real. I think as the early Christian patriarchs began to solidify their power they wanted to discourage alternative beliefs, such as magical practice, but we we mentioned in class there is a wide gulf between what was preached in the pulpit and what common people believed. Great stuff. I look forward to reading more of your blogs.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Witch Thanksgiving

 Witch Thanksgiving: Mabon When deciding what to write about this week, I decided I would write about the season we are currently in- Thanksgiving. I had no idea if there was any sort of correlation between Witchcraft/Witches and Thanksgiving. After I typed in "Witchcraft and Thanksgiving" on Google, I discovered something called Mabon. Mabon is essentially Thanksgiving in Witchcraft, but it is around the Fall Equinox in September.  Mabon is practiced by Earth-based spiritual practioners and originates from the Pagan culture. Celebration of the autumn solstice is something that dates back to the early Greeks. The Greeks celebrated Persephone, a greek goddess, returning to Hell. The Romans also had celebrations for autumn returning. Mabon, the name given to this celebration in the 1970s, celebrates the second harvest of the year and the perfect balance between day and night. It's also a way of showing gratitude towards the Earth's abundance, which makes sense because i...
Read more

The Egg Test(s)

 The Egg Test     Unfortunately, I do not have any eggs, and my roommates do not either. The Egg Test that we discussed briefly in class has an actual name, Oomancy. Oomancy is divination with eggs. Basically, you read and interpret the shape egg whites form after you drop egg whites into hot water. Oomancy was used in Ancient Greek and Roman societies as a way to read futures. The most common usage was to determine if someone was pregnant, and if so what the gender was. The color of the egg, texture, and shape also can determine outcomes of pregnancy, or someone's future in general.      Since I unfortunately can not do the egg test, I have decided to find out exactly how to do the egg test. The first step is to clear your mind and set your intentions. This  is not a surprising step in egg diviniation because in order to interpret you must have a clear mind. Then, it is advised to simply crack the egg into glass of water and watch. You are supposed to...
Read more

Self Care and Witchcraft

 Self Care and Witchcraft     Last week when I was researching Oomancy (watching TikTok videos and reading other blog posts on the internet), I noticed being calm was frequently mentioned. In the article, the woman said to be calm and practice mindfulness before starting Oomancy. In some of the TikToks, it was said you needed to be calm to let the power fully talk to you. Witchcraft in the movies we have discussed has the frequent theme of practicing to get what you want. In this world, people often search for calmness with a huge emphasis on self care. I started to wonder if witchcraft can be used as a self care mechanism.      Upon my first Google search, I found an article titled "Creating a Witchy Self-Care Routine." I had no idea what a witchy self care routine contains. According to this article a witchy self care routine contains "elements of divination, energy work, moon watching, spiritual watching, spiritual connection and healing." The article go...
Read more