Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Enchantment never truly disappeared from the modern world.
In this episode of Universal History Deacon Seraphim Rohlin and I explore the world of magic and folk superstition in 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?
Episode 2 of the Universal History series on the American religion.
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 - Scenario: you have an embarrassing illness
37:21 - Christian magic hacks
46:29 - Manifestation
52:03 - Scapegoating
54:31 - Categories of magic
56:47 - Divination
01:04:30 - Water witching
01:07:30 - Saint Porphyrios
01:08:51 - Finding water
01:09:57 - Finding other things
01:11:44 - Money digging
01:13:33 - How money digging works
01:17:34 - The symbolism of the New World
01:20:54 - Joseph Smith and Mormonism
01:24:18 - The human need for enchantment
💻 Website and blog: thesymbolicworld.com
🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau
🔒 BECOME A PATRON: thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe
Our website designers: resonancehq.io
My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: matthewwilkinson.net
Enchantment never truly disappeared from the modern world.
In this episode of Universal History Deacon Seraphim Rohlin and I explore the world of magic and folk superstition in 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?
Episode 2 of the Universal History series on the American religion.
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 - Scenario: you have an embarrassing illness
37:21 - Christian magic hacks
46:29 - Manifestation
52:03 - Scapegoating
54:31 - Categories of magic
56:47 - Divination
01:04:30 - Water witching
01:07:30 - Saint Porphyrios
01:08:51 - Finding water
01:09:57 - Finding other things
01:11:44 - Money digging
01:13:33 - How money digging works
01:17:34 - The symbolism of the New World
01:20:54 - Joseph Smith and Mormonism
01:24:18 - The human need for enchantment
💻 Website and blog: thesymbolicworld.com
🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau
🔒 BECOME A PATRON: thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe
Our website designers: resonancehq.io
My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: matthewwilkinson.net
