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Early Christianity & WitchcraftScriptural Bases

Nature of WitchcraftExamples from Holy WritWhat to do with a Witch

The Ancient World & Early Xian ChurchRoman World

ApuleiusAugustine of Hippo

The Place of the Devil in the Early ChurchGods AdversaryLimits on His PowersSatans MinionsContact with Humanity

Later Church Policies on WitchcraftCouncils & Synods King Saul with the Witch of Endor, T.P. fromGlanvills Saducismus Triumphatus(1681)

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Scriptural Bases - Nature of WitchcraftExodus 7:22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts; andPharaohs heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had

said.

Daniel 4:9 Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of theholy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream . . .along with its interpretation.James 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual,devilish.Galatians 5:19-20 For the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these:

Adultery, fornication . . . Idolatry, witchcraft, seditions, heresies . . .Nahum 3:4 . . . whoredomes of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts,that selleth nations through her whoredomes, and families through her witchcrafts.1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is asiniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hathalso rejected thee . . .John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. Hewas a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is notruth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and thefather of it.Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, andmurderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have

their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone . . .

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Scriptural Bases - Examples from Holy Writ2 Kings 9:22 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace,Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy motherJezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?2 Chronicles 33:6 And [Manasseh] caused his children to pass through the fire inthe valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments,and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wroughtmuch evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.1 Samuel 28:7-13 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath afamiliar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him,

Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. . . . And the king saidunto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I sawgods ascending out of the earth.Acts 8:9-11 there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same cityused sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself wassome great one . . . And to him they had regard, because that of long time he hadbewitched them with sorceries.

Acts 16:16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessedwith a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain bysoothsaying.

Acts 19:19-20 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their bookstogether, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, andfound it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and

prevailed.

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Scriptural Bases - What to do with a WitchDeuteronomy 18:10-14 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son

or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens,engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or whoconsults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to theLORD . . . The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorceryor divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to doso.Micah 5:12 I will destroy your witchcraft and you will no longer cast spells.Leviticus 20:27 A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be

put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.

Exodus 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

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The Ancient World & Early Xian ChurchRoman World: Cursing Tablets & Calling on Demons & Gods for FavorI adjure you, demon, whoever you are, and I demand of you from this hour . . .that you torture and kill the horses of the Greens and Whites, and that you killand smash their drivers . . . and leave not a breath in their bodies. I adjure you,demon, by him who has turned you loose in these times, the god of the sea andof the air.As this cock is bound . . . so bind . . . Victoricus, the charioteer of the Blues . . . Iadjure you by the God of heaven above . . . who divided the land and set apartthe sea . . . that you bind Victoricus and Dominator, so that they may not cometo victory tomorrow.Apuleius: The Golden Asson the Power & Forms of Witches[Y]ou [Lucius] are in Thessaly where witches are in the habit of gnawing bits offlesh off dead mens faces for use in their magical concoctions. . . . You see,these abominable women have the power to change their shape at pleasure:they turn into birds or dogs or mice, or even flies disguises that would passscrutiny even in a Court of Law, and by daylight too.

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The Ancient World ContAugustine of Hippo: The City of Godon the Demonic Power of Deception(From Chapters 9, 10, 23)[I]ncantations and charms composed under the influence of a criminaltampering with the unseen world, of an art which they call either magic, or . . .necromancy, or . . . theurgy. . . . [T]he truth, however, being that both classesare the slaves of the deceitful rites of the demons whom they invoke under thenames of the angels. . . . [Regarding] certain wonderfully lovely appearances ofangels or gods, this is what the apostle refers to when he speaks of Satantransforming himself into an angel of light. For these are the delusiveappearances of that spirit who longs to entangle wretched souls in thedeceptive worship of many and false gods and to turn them aside from the trueworship of the true God. . . . There is, too, a very general rumor, which many

have verified by their own experience, or which trustworthy persons who haveheard the experience of others corroborate, that sylvans and fauns, who arecommonly called incubi,had often made wicked assaults upon women, andsatisfied their lust upon them; and that certain devils, called Duses by theGauls, are constantly attempting and effecting this impurity is so generally

affirmed, that it were impudent to deny it.

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The Place of the Devil in the Early ChurchGods AdversaryLucifer, Angel Fallen from Heaven

Isaiah 14:11-3Archangel Satan Vying for Power (Hubris)Limits on His Powers

If All Powers are of God, then . . .

If Devils Powers are not of God, then . . .Satans Minions

Fellow Fallen Angels (Now Demons)Rebellion vs. Gods Law (War in Heaven)

Contact with HumanityReal Contact in the Flesh

Illusory Contact in SpiritPossession of a Human Body

Lucifer with the Church Hierarchy,Anticlerical Tract 1 21

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Later Church Policies on WitchcraftCouncil of Elvira, ca. 306

Refusing Communion (& @ Death Bed)

to Murderers via Spell (maleficium)Association of Spells w/ the Devil

Council of Ancyra, 314

5 Years Penance for Consulting Magicians (Assumed Paganism)Council of Paderborn, 785

Sorcerers Punished w/ Serfdom

Death Penalty Burning a Witch

Synod of Reisbach, 799

Demands Penance, Not Punishment Milder Attitude in Late 8th Cent.

Representation of Constantine &

Bishops at Nicaea, 325