Occult!

October 14th, 2023| Topic: RaMbLeS | 2

In ye olde city of Exeter, in South West England, in the late 1800s three women were hanged for apparently engaging in witchcraft—the last of such executions in England.

A short walk from where the hangings occurred, the University of Exeter is now offering a “postgraduate degree in magic and occult science,” the first of its kind at a British university. The fascination with magic and the occult has permeated digital platforms, especially among the younger, less religious generations. The hashtag #WitchTok on TikTok, for instance, has garnered views exceeding 50 billion times, underscoring the widespread interest in the realm of the mystical and the magical.

Prof. Emily Selove, the head of the new program and an associate professor in medieval Arabic literature:

Coursework will include the study of Western dragons in lore, literature and art; archaeology theory; the depiction of women in the Middle Ages; the practice of deception and illusion; and the philosophy of psychedelics. Through the lenses of Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions, lecturers will explore how magic has influenced society and science.”

In the United States, where fewer people are affiliated with religious institutions than in the past, interest in all things occult has surged. Six in 10 U.S. adults believe in one or more of the following: reincarnation, astrology, psychics and the presence of spiritual energy in physical objects like mountains or trees, according to a 2017 Pew Research Center study.

The University of Exeter is not alone; other universities around the world offer similar programs, The University of Amsterdam offers a specialization in Western esotericism. The religion department at Rice University in Texas offers a certificate in gnosticism, esotericism, and mysticism.

Dr. Selove:

Career paths could include work in museums or art organizations, leading spiritual retreats, or pursuing further academic research in the field.”

Her rationale:

If we are looking for truly new and creative solutions to the problems that we as a society face, then we need to be honest and courageous about the fact that some of our tried and true methodologies do have a limit. Let’s cautiously and responsibly try some new or some old ideas that we’ve thrown out.”

Not a good idea, IMHO, and the Bible agrees. These demonic elements have, in any case, once and for all been defeated by Jesus Christ (though the consummation of that defeat is yet to come). As Paul prayed …

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him,
so that you may know … the surpassing greatness of His power …
which [power] He worked in Christ, raising Him from the dead
and seating [Him] at His right hand in the heavenlies,
far above every rule and authority and power
and dominion and every name that is named,
not only in this age but also in the one to come;
and He [God] put all things in subjection under His [Christ’s] feet,
and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
which is His body, the fullness of Him [God] who fills all things in all ways.
Ephesians 1:17, 19, 20–23

Those “rules” and “authorities” and “powers” and “dominions” are the hierarchies of power arrayed against God and against his people. But not to worry: Christ has them all under his feet. And—get this!—if believers, the church, constitute Christ’s body, well, those unruly and unsalubrious anti-God entities are also under us! Praise the Lord!

SOURCE: The New York Times; BNN Network