To Magic or Not to Magic?

Hello, fellow writers! If you're a Christian writer with a preference for fantasy, then this post is for you. (But if you're not, don't worry, you're not excluded.)

Christian fantasy writers often face a trying dilemma with their work: Magic or no magic? On the one hand, some Christians might call magic "wicked" or "evil." On the other hand, most publishers of fantasy prefer, if not require, some sort of "magic" in the story. Non-magical fantasy is hard to find on the market, and hard to find an audience for. So what's a Christian fantasy writer to do?

I think the first question we should ask ourselves is not, "Is magic evil?" but "What is magic?" In the Bible, "magic" usually refers to witchcraft or necromancy--yucky stuff that humans are not supposed to do. (See 1 Samuel 28:3-24 for an example.) In that context, magic is evil.

However, that is an extraordinarily narrow definition of magic, and is not the kind of "magic" you see in most fantasy books. In most fantasy stories, "magic" refers to special abilities that most normal humans don't have (at least in our real world). It's rather difficult to define in positive terms, so let's look at what magic is not for a second:

• The native abilities of non-human creatures (elves, for example) are not magic. It is what they were created to do--their inscape, if you will. It's completely natural for elves to walk on snow, fairies to make flowers bloom, and dragons to breathe fire. There's nothing magical about that at all; it's just what they do.
• The in-born special abilities of the humans in your fantasy world are not magic, either. In one of my worlds, certain people are born with a tendency towards violent nightmares, hallucinations, and visions of the future. That's not magic, that's a condition they were born with, did not choose, and have little control over. In fact, when it comes to in-born abilities, control (natural or learned) has nothing to do with whether or not the abilities count as magic. People learn to control the skills they are born with, just as children learn to control their tempers.
• Abilities passed down through ancient genetic inheritance are not magic. Even if the species that originally possessed these abilities is long forgotten by your world's society, even if no one knows anymore where these abilities came from, it's still not magic. It's a natural ability passed down through generations--either from a human with in-born special abilities, or a non-human with those qualities. Maybe it's not obvious in the story, but you know your worldbuilding. You know what's magic and what's inheritance.
• Abilities granted by benevolent deities in your story are not magic. That's a gift. Now, if your character bargains for this power, or gains it from an evil deity, then that's "bad magic." But if it's a gift freely given by a good higher power, that's not magic.

Okay, so what is magic then? "Magic," in the Biblical sense, appears to be chosen, learned, and ritual-based. In some Christian works (such as The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne), it is suggested that magic is an ability gained through dealings with the devil--power in exchange for your soul.

If that's not what's happening in your story, it's not magic, and it's nothing for you to worry about. You're not sinning by giving the characters in your story special abilities. And if what happens in your story does fit that definition of magic, then not all is lost: As long as this magic is clearly portrayed as evil (i.e., something the villains do), then you're still abiding by Christian morality, depicting evil as evil and good as good.

Here's a few other finicky questions you might have about magic:

What about spells? Well, what is the purpose of the spell? If it's an incantation meant to summon up the dead/evil spirits/etc., then it's prob'ly "bad magic." But if the spell has the same purpose as say, a wand--channeling the power you already possess in a more efficient manner--then you're all good. (Another thing to take into account is that words are traditionally regarded as extremely powerful: God spoke everything into existence, after all. If your use of spells is meant to mirror the power of logos in a holy way, then you're prob'ly doing something right.)

What about raising the dead (not just communicating with them)? That's iffy territory right there. Most Christians would prob'ly say that raising the dead through your own power is an act of evil, since authority over life and death belongs to God. There are a few specific instances, such as when that power is granted by God, as in 2 Kings 4:17-37, that it's okay. But otherwise, you should prob'ly avoid it.

What about immortality? That's another gray area. Let's look at how immortality is depicted in famous Christian fantasy: In the Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson, drinking special water can heal/restore life/grant immortality. The villains use it to lengthen their life for selfish purposes, but the heroes also use it to heal and restore life. So some of the morality lies in proper use. Looking at The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien, we see that the heroes can go to the Undying Lands and live forever, which could be seen as an allegory for Heaven. So some of the morality lies in how immortality is gained. This is a good place to use your own better judgment.

What about prophets/apostles? That falls under the "power granted by God/benevolent deity" clause, and isn't "bad magic."

What about seeing the future? Once again, the morality lies in the way it's done. If elaborate rituals are necessary, or calling upon spirits or an evil power, then it's prob'ly "bad magic." But if it's a natural ability or a gift granted by God, then you're in the clear.

Finally, a note about how the word "magic" is used by writers: Everyone from fantasy worldbuilders to superhero comic writers uses the term "system of magic" to refer to the rules, limitations, and consequences surrounding the origins and use of special abilities. This term doesn't refer to magic specifically, but to any system of abilities that doesn't exist in our real world.

Which brings me to one last important point: Even if the system of abilities in your story doesn't technically fall in the domain of "magic," you can still refer to it as "magic" as a convenient handle. It's not ideal, since this double-meaning is what got Christians in the "fantasy magic is evil" mess in the first place, but unfortunately there's not really a better word for a set of special abilities that doesn't exist our world as we know it. (If you know a better word, please comment! I'd love to know alternative terminology, for clarity's sake.)