Universities set up classes to teach witchcraft, magic

The founders of many universities in the West started the institutions to teach Christianity.

Some have moved far from that goal.

In fact, a report at The Washington Stand points out how several schools, both in the United Kingdom and the United States, have started teaching witchcraft.

And magic. And occult. And ritual.

Those schools include the University of Exeter in England, which will offer a master's degree in witchcraft, magic and the occult, by next year.

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In America, it's Rice University that teaches Gnosticism, Esotericism and Mysticism, offering a "certificate" from its religion department that focuses on magic, ritual and witchcraft.

"Witches are back, and they want academic credit," Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, explained in a recent podcast, the report said.

The Stand report explained, "Mohler discussed how these are 'universities that once understood the universals, the good, the beautiful, and the true, to be held together within the Christian worldview, which Jesus Christ is the unity of all truth.' But we are now in a time, he added, where Christ is removed as the unity of all truth, and these universals have been divided, which leads to programs centered around 'ancient paganism.'"

Joseph Backholm of the Center for Biblical Worldview explained to The Washington Stand that it's not new that there's interest in "magic." In fact, that interest dates to biblical times.

"Witchcraft was specifically condemned in Deuteronomy, and King Saul consulted the Witch of Endor in 1 Samuel," he said.

But humans are "wired with an interest in the supernatural," he said.

"[M]agic is sometimes where we turn when we want access to supernatural power but we don’t want to submit to anyone. It creates the illusion of power with control," he said.

Obviously, not all "supernatural" is good.

"All supernatural power that is not from God is from Satan. It’s real power, but it comes at a tremendous cost that isn’t disclosed up front," he said.

Backholm explained, "Satan’s goal is just to keep the crown of God’s creation — humanity — from knowing their creator. Both atheism and magic accomplish that goal, so Satan is happy with either choice. Atheism is for those who think something can come from nothing and magic is for those who can’t quit[e] shake the idea that there is something more but still want to be in charge of themselves."

Officials said the new Exeter program will be based in its Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies.

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