The Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures in Five Minutes - Philippe Guillaume
50. Where Is the Magic?
The Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures in Five Minutes - Philippe Guillaume
Shawna Dolansky [+]
Shawna Dolansky holds a Doctorate of History (Ph.D.) from the University of California at San Diego. Her research interests include ancient Israelite religion and historiography, with a focus on understanding constructions of gender and portrayals of women in the ancient world. She has published Now You See It, Now You Don’t: Biblical Perspectives on the Relationship Between Religion and Magic (Winona Lake, IN Eisenbrauns, 2008), in addition to numerous articles and essays in print and online.
Description
Both the biblical and archaeological records show that the ancient Israelite world view was rife with belief in magic. Moses, Aaron, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, and Jesus all perform magical feats and miracles. Why, then, are the practitioners of magical arts to be stoned to death?