The fantasy genre has experienced a significant resurgence, due in no small part to the success of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies in the early 2000s. And while various forms of magic and witchcraft have had a long presence in Hollywood storytelling, they’ve been especially prominent in recent years. One publication even referred to 2024 as “the year of the witch.”

Concurrently, we’re seeing an astronomical rise in the presence and practice of real-life witchcraft. With many from Gen Z turning to the occult, contemporary paganism and Wicca are making a comeback.

Debates abound on whether these two trends represent correlation or causation. Regardless, Christians know discernment is essential in a culture where fictional and real-world magic are more and more prominent. How do we discern what “fictional magic” is edifying and what isn’t?

Terms and Definitions

Many Christians understandably find fantasy magic suspect, since the word “magic” and its variations appear in Scripture in a largely negative light. But the Bible’s use of the term isn’t as clear-cut as some might think. For instance, Daniel is called “chief of the magicians” (Dan. 5:11), even though his abilities come from God and not Satan. In the New Testament, the Greek word magos is sometimes translated as “wise men” (e.g., Matt. 2:1) and sometimes as “magician” (e.g., Acts 13:6, 8).

Discernment is essential in a culture where fictional and real-world magic are more and more prominent.

Furthermore, Marian A. Jacobs, author of On Magic and Miracles, notes that “the phrase most often used in Scripture to describe supernatural events, especially in the New Testament, is ‘signs and wonders.’ It’s used to refer to things that Jesus and his disciples do [e.g., Acts 4:30], and to things that false prophets or false messiahs do [e.g., Matt. 24:24].” Jacobs goes on to say this reality “is probably the most important key to understanding how to discern the miraculous, not only in Scripture but also in fiction.”

Thus, when evaluating a work of fantasy, what matters most isn’t so much whether the word “magic” is used but the way magic is used in the narrative. This requires, on the one hand, that we avoid labeling all supernaturalism in fantasy as inherently harmless because “it’s all pretend” or “it’s just a movie.” On the other hand, it requires that we avoid labeling all supernaturalism in fantasy as inherently harmful because “it’s all of the Devil.”

Context and Categories

A common theme of the prohibited occult practices in Deuteronomy 18 is seeking unknown knowledge (especially regarding future events) through some kind of reliance on evil spirits. Extrapolating from this passage, we might explain the essence of witchcraft as going around God to achieve what you want, apart from his aid or permission.

But not all supernatural activity is demonic. There are many instances in the Bible where supernatural activity—the sorts of things we might see in a sci-fi or fantasy movie—are done by God’s power and for his purposes.

• Superhuman strength (Judg. 15:13–15)
• Teleportation (Acts 8:39–40)
• Visions of the future (1 Sam. 10:1–9; Acts 9:12)
• Striking enemies blind (2 Kings 6:18; Acts 13:11)
• Making a piece of iron float on water (2 Kings 6:5–7)
• Receiving guidance during a trance (Acts 10:10–11)
• Using a staff to turn water into blood (Ex. 7:19–20)
• Employing sacred items to obtain knowledge of hidden things (1 Sam. 14:41–42)

But even with biblical examples, the context matters. Saul’s use of the Urim and Thummim in 1 Samuel 14 is a form of priestly divination God condones (Exod. 28:30). Yet elsewhere in Scripture, Saul’s use of the Witch of Endor is clearly a violation of the clear commands God gives regarding use of mediums (Lev. 19:31; Deut. 18:10–12).

As we evaluate the nature of supernatural activity, we can’t just look at surface-level appearances. Even more important are root-level realities.

Fairy Tales and Wizards

Biblical wisdom would lead us to consider not only the use of the supernatural but also the “heart” of the work. This would include the postures and motivations that either press characters toward or drive them away from God—or (if there’s no clear God figure in the story) a true moral order.

Many fairy tales include made-up magical systems in which evil is condemned and virtue is praised. In Disney’s animated Beauty and the Beast, for example, the enchantress works to expose the prince’s hard heart and to press him toward character growth and renewal.

Or consider J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, in which Gandalf is from a branch of the Maiar, a race of heavenly spirit beings. He’s sent by the God figure, Ilúvatar, to oppose Sauron (who, in The Hobbit, is known as the Necromancer). While Gandalf is commonly known as a Wizard, he’s more akin to an angel than anything else. Students of Tolkien have long recognized the world-building of Middle-earth as distinctly Christian.

Some stories do more than merely depict supernatural evil; they excuse or even glorify it. One example is the 1996 film The Craft, for which a real Wiccan was hired as a consultant to make sure the occult practices depicted in the film had a higher degree of authenticity.

Some stories do more than merely depict supernatural evil; they excuse or even glorify it.

Another problematic use of magic is that in some modern stories—such as Weapons and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness—the protagonists end up using the dark arts themselves to defeat their enemies. (Interestingly, a key theme in The Lord of the Rings is the inherent danger of wielding evil powers to defeat the power of evil.)

As these examples demonstrate, the way fictional magic is employed or portrayed matters. When we watch these narratives, Christians should move beyond simplistic embrace or wholesale condemnation, instead opting to wisely evaluate the helpful and unhelpful aspects of a movie or show’s depictions of magic.

Training and Discernment

It’s not always easy to tell the true nature of a miraculous act. Sometimes, acts of God and acts of Satan look similar (Exod. 7:10–11; 7:20–22; 8:6–7). Even those who rigorously study and teach Scripture can misinterpret divine work as demonic work (Matt. 12:22–32). That’s why it’s important to evaluate the context of the action.

Scripture calls us to “have [our] powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Heb. 5:14)—to distinguish true light (Eph. 5:9) from false light (2 Cor. 11:14). This discernment has always been important for believers, but today’s mainstreaming of magic and the occult—in part through pop culture narratives—makes it even more urgent. May we lean on God’s grace and the Holy Spirit’s wisdom as we seek to evaluate the miraculous in the stories we read, watch, and play.