FAQ on Christian Witchcraft
A blog asked me the following questions:
How did you come to identify as a Christian witch?
How does one deal with the fear that they’re “letting in evil” by practicing witchcraft?
How does one deal with the fear of loved ones discovering you’re a witch and rejecting you for it?
First of all, thanks for your questions! You’re not alone out there as someone who both feels drawn to aspects of witchcraft and cherishes their faith. I hope that my story offers a perspective that is helpful for you.
How did I come to identify as a Christian Witch?
I was raised in the Quaker Church, which ascribes to most of the typical Christian doctrine. But it also has some unique elements to it that emphasize a highly personal relationship with God (called “the Light”) and utilizes some of the techniques that witches use as well, such as grounding and centering. That connection with God was where I started; it’s the basic element of how I practice and how I worship. I’m going to link this video because it explains the Quaker theology better than I can in text: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0SLPW0JHsU
My interest in witchcraft was piqued when a friend of mine started dabbling in lunar witchcraft. She wasn’t super outspoken about it, but her interest led me to start researching the modern community of witches; what they do, what they believe. And I found that so many of the rituals were similar to things that Christian churches do all over the world. It was then that I realized that these rituals weren’t what angered God, but rather certain contexts in which they were performed and ill motivations behind performing them. If you are a Christian and your witchcraft is performed in a way that aggrandizes the power of a deity besides God, then it could constitute idolatry. If it’s performed with the intent to harm someone. it violates the command to “love your neighbor” and is therefore sinful.
The essence of being a Christian witch, in my experience, is practicing in a way that affirms the Bible’s core teachings and incorporating God into every aspect of your craft. Once you do, you find that being in the Light (or the presence of God) energizes your craft. You feel more confident and you see change happening in your life that you wouldn’t have expected. I personally don’t believe in magic that affects the physical plane (that’s just me), but I wholeheartedly believe in magic that transforms the mind and heart; magic that reveals knowledge, that fortifies us spiritually against the world, that brings peace to those who are suffering. Witchcraft utilizes the senses to set intentions so deep in our heart, that we live them out every day and work towards worldly change ourselves. In Christian witchcraft, God is the cornerstone of that endeavor.
How do I deal with the fear of being discovered and rejected by loved ones for practicing witchcraft?
Concerns about being discovered and rejected are valid and not trivial. I don’t struggle so much with them now because I live with roommates that wouldn’t care. But when I visit my parents for extended periods of time, I do worry that they’ll find a book or something that I’m reading and get the wrong idea (namely because witches seem to feel obligated to stick a pentacle on the cover of every book). But if they did find something like that, I would want them to ask me about it so that they wouldn’t worry about the state of my soul. I probably wouldn’t start right off the bat and say, “I’m a witch!” because there are assumptions made right there that make it more difficult to explain the nuance of my spiritual practice. But, I would tell them that I use certain objects to get myself in a worship-focused state. It’s no different to a candlelight church service, dressing in special clothes for Sunday service, or having an altar in the sanctuary. With tarot, I would point to the Biblical imagery present throughout the cards and explain that they’re tools to examine a situation through different lenses. All of this is both meaningful and truthful–it simply describes the purpose of the action rather than simply assigning it a label that someone might not understand.
How do I deal with the fear that I’m “letting in evil” by practicing witchcraft?
There is a risk of “letting in evil’ in every single thing that we do in life. By having children, there’s a risk that one could choose to abuse them. By accumulating wealth, there’s a chance that one could choose to value profit over human welfare. By assuming a position of political power, there’s a chance one could choose to discriminate against minority groups. The risk of choosing sin is unavoidable, but it’s just that: a choice. Witchcraft is not inherently sinful, but it is our responsibility, as in all things, to look to Jesus’ teachings for guidance and choose to practice in a way that brings light to the world, not darkness. We do this by examining the “fruits” of our actions and our beliefs (Matthew 7:15-20). If one’s craft produces “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control,” (Galatians 5:22-23) then it produces the fruit of the Spirit and should be called righteous.
At the end of the day, “witch” is just a word. Calling yourself a witch is not a sin; it’s simply a marker of who you associate with, a label one can apply to themselves in order to discover like-minded people. If someone attacks you about spending time with people who they perceive as sinful, you can remind them 1) that Jesus did just that all throughout his ministry; and 2) “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23) so there is no one on earth who spends their time with righteous people.
Best of luck as you explore your path, and may peace be with you always. ✨
(Tags for other Christian Witch blogs: @sweetcreamcoven @christowitch @marymagdalaa @stained-glass-sins)
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