Theology of Spells

In this essay, we are exploring the symbolism of spells. We talked about the symbolism of potions previously, so it is only fitting that we discuss the other main magical feature found across literature: spells.

What Are Spells?

So, what are spells? Well, in literature, a spell is where you say some words and some effect happens. But here in the real world, we can do that too with our speech.

My wife asks me to take out the trash, and then I take out the trash. Her speech caused an action in the world. Or think about what happens to your body when your girlfriend, for the first time, says, “I love you.” Or consider when your boss asks you to make a presentation, and a presentation is made.

It is spells all the way down. Spells are just the crystallization of the power of speech. Just like caricatures take the main features of a person’s face and make them bigger, spells are a caricature of speech, making its main natural features extreme.

Little Copies of God’s Speech

Indeed, our spells—our speech—are little copies of God’s spells, like in Genesis 1. In Genesis 1, God speaks and stuff happens. Light, water, land, animals, and man are the effects of God’s spells. Spells tap into something deep because the primary user of spells is God. That is, when he speaks, things happen. Spells communicate or symbolize the potency of words.

Now, I am sure you are thinking, “Wait, there is a big difference between the causal connection between our speech and its effects and the effects of spells in stories, because there is a huge causal gap in spells in stories, like it’s magic.”

And my answer would be twofold. First, maybe. And second, it doesn’t matter. Let me explain what I mean.

The Causal Chain

First, the maybe. Let us think about how our speech works. Well, a person thinks of something, which we are not entirely clear how that works. Then that speech gets translated into vibrations of vocal cords and physical shapes of the mouth that pressurize air. That pressurized air travels across long distances of air, is then received through the ear, and is translated into electrical signals. Then it is somehow transformed into intelligible content in the brain that is then translated into some motor action. And this does not even include every aspect of consciousness, memory, linguistic systems, and physiology. That is, the causal chain in our spells is far from transparent.

Furthermore, we have no idea how the causal chain works between God’s speech and his actions in the world. There could be a lot more going on than we know.

The Potency of Language

But like I said before, it probably does not matter, because spells are caricatures. They are crystallizations of the power of speech. Just like all stories are a compression of life in both word and action in order to focus on something particular, spells focus us on potency. Spells focus on the potency of language.

Like James says:

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!

Apparently, forests can be set on fire by words.

And that, my friends, is why the Bible is art.

Watch the original episode.