Marian A. Jacobs joined us for an edifying discussion of her book, On Magic and Miracles: A Theological Guide to Discerning Fictional Magic.
Her book was reviewed by Dr. Louis Markos at World Magazine here: “Fantasy novels and the Christian faith.” Markos highlights the broader mission of Jacobs’ work, writing:
“On Magic and Miracles is a rich book that succeeds in helping readers face the supernatural elements of the Bible directly and with discernment and so face with equal directness and discernment the fantasy novels and films that have become so ubiquitous in our society.
But it succeeds, as well, in another area of great importance to the Church. Jacobs doesn’t merely want to convince fearful or skeptical parents that their kids can, with proper guidance, read Harry Potter and other works of fantasy. She wants to convince the wider Body of Christ that beauty, wonder, and imagination are vital to the maintenance and growth of the Church, especially if she wants to honor the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20) and the Cultural Mandate (Genesis 1:28).”
Our conversation with Marian dove deep into these themes, exploring how we can move from fear to discernment when it comes to magic in literature.
