How would modern religions react to magic [closed]

Question

So I have an idea for a scenario in which all at once humans across the world are able to do at least some magic. This event is entirely random so a Christian pastor has the same chances of gaining magic as a Muslim imam, an African witchdoctor or a secular atheist.

I'm wondering how religions might react to this?

Would some say that what they do is miracles while others arr demonic?

Would they hunt or persecute any magic users regardless of if they're aligned with them or not?

Would we see a global schism as religions fought internally over what to do?

Answer 1

Q: I'm wondering how religions might react to this?

Religions usually do away with competition, they will deny the new Maguses actually having any powers, or being new prophets. They will frame the Maguses as an impostors, or magicians. When the magic cannot be denied, these people will be regarded as posessed by demons.

Q: Would some say that what they do is miracles while others arr demonic?

Depends on where the magic happens and how it affects the religion's believers. When the magic can be directed, selling beneficiary magic activities as Pious and Rightious, a religion may embrace the new Maguses. A religion that does not have any tolerance however will always attribute the magic to the devil.. When beneficiary, priests will say the improvements are a deception or illusion. The Apocalypse is near..

Q: Would they hunt or persecute any magic users regardless of if they're aligned with them or not?

They always did that.. when they were in the position to do hunting and persecution..

Q: Would we see a global schism as religions fought internally over what to do?

Absolutely, believers will fight over whether they should condemn these people. Maguses pose a risk for religions. One really strong Magus can gain followers and split a religion like the Christian church. Be regarded as a false prophet by one church, acknowledged as a prophet by another church, of the same religion. And common views regarding a Magus can change in history, without splitting the religion. This actually happened to Merlin, who was regarded as a (son of a) demon in early sources, and 500 years later deified as a hero, by the Plantagenet dynasty.

Answer 2

It depends on what the scientists come up with ... and how quickly.

If somebody is broadcasting video of nanites embedded in a witch's fingertips, and NASA is tracking the source of the nanites to an interstellar probe, the religions will mostly take a secular line. The main question will be whether people use their abilities for good or evil, as the religions perceive them.

If science has no answers, religions will try to look into their own ideas.

Either way, the outcome of religious thought is highly unpredictable. That's not a bug, but a feature -- in the face of unknown and terrible changes in the world, people can think deeply and have a chance to devise new philosophies to try to deal with their experiences.

Answer 3

They would react the way they already react to magic.

Many religions already have beliefs about magic, or on concepts similar to magic.

Many incorporate magic into the religion in some way.

Consider things like praying (to God / Mary / saints / relatives) for something to happen, invoking the sign of the cross to ward off evil, speaking in tongues, faith healing, religious visions, invoking angels to cast spells, and binding demons to cast spells. Different denominations of Christianity consider some of these allowable and in line with the faith, some heretical and untrue, and some evil acts of magic. If these all start commonly producing miracles for many people, the denominations already have rules on what is allowed and what isn't.

Traditions that differ in what forms of magic are acceptable would come into conflict.

My understanding is that in the past when belief in magic was more common, different actions were considered acceptable to different groups and this did lead to groups splitting up or competing or otherwise being in conflict. This was as much about differences in overall theology as it was about what we might call magic in particular.

Traditions with a focus on magic / mysticism / esotericism / occultism might become more popular.

If magic suddenly has a larger impact on day-to-day life, it makes sense that people would gravitate to religious traditions that more commonly think about magic. It doesn't mean that they would give up their existing traditions. Congregants might have different interpretations of their religion than the religious leaders, and be more / less / differently willing to incorporate magic into the religion.

Answer 4

Would we see a global schism as religions fought internally over what to do?

Not anymore than they already do about other things. Most major religions have many underlying sects with differences in belief.

Answer 5

Most religions would have internal disagreements

Most large religions have big communities of believers, and multilayered structures where the higher-up leaders are more cautious than the lower-level leaders. Most large religions would want to avoid making statements which would then be clearly wrong. Taking the 'wrong side' in the evolution debate was embarrassing for the Christian denominations which did it, and the leadership groups of each church probably don't want a repeat of that.

For that reason, many large churches try to limit their teaching to faith and morals. Claiming "A devil is giving people magic" is the kind of statement that might be overturned by science, so central leaders of large religions won't want to make it.

Of course, they might urge people not to use magic if they don't understand where it comes from. That's a moral question, and it won't be contradicted later.