In this episode of Universal History Deacon Seraphim Rohlin and I explore the world of magic and folk superstition at the roots of American Christianity. What is magic? Where’s the line between prayer and magic? Why did Protestant reformers ban holy water but keep belief in the devil? How did treasure-hunting rituals lead to the rise of Mormonism?

This conversation challenges common assumptions about magic and Christianity and shows how enchantment never truly disappeared from the modern world.

Timestamps: 00:00 - Coming up 00:37 - Intro music 01:01 - Introduction 04:54 - What is magic? 08:46 - The modern & Enlightenment ideas of superstition 11:00 - Prayers and psalms 13:30 - The Reformation's perspective 24:27 - Medieval understanding of superstition 26:53 - Example: the French "Dog-saint" 28:11 - Reformation conclusions 33:37 - You have an embarrassing illness 37:21 - Christian magic hacks 46:29 - Manifestation 52:03 - Scapegoating 54:31 - Categories of magic 56:47 - Divination 04:30 - Water witching 07:30 - Saint Porphyrios 08:51 - Finding water 09:57 - Finding other things 11:44 - Money digging 13:33 - How money digging works 17:34 - The symbolism of the New World 20:54 - Joseph Smith and Mormonism 24:18 - The human need for enchantment

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Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/