Can you be a Christian and still love Wicked—the movies or the musical?! In this mini episode, I’m sharing with you three questions I think through as a Christian who’s loved Wicked since high school and loves the incredible artists who have been bringing this story to life for over 20 years! I hope this helps your discerning process too!
I first made this video for my social media, so this episode looks a little different and I don’t have my usual prayer at the end. But I pray that God encourages and refreshes every on stage/screen and behind the scenes artist who has been a part of ‘Wicked’ as they have used and continue to use their talents to bring joy to others’ lives. And I pray that He guides your decision making as you enjoy and discern your engagement with this piece of art.
See below for episode outline, key takeaways, and Bible passages.
1. “Can a Christian enjoy entertainment that includes magic?”
The Bible clearly forbids participation in actual occult practice as sinful and spiritually dangerous. But there is a difference between real-world occult practices and fictional stories and fairy tales about a fantasy world that have some kind of magic or magical characters within it. From my perspective, Wicked falls into the fairy-tale/fantasy category.
Scriptures on real evil spiritual practices, evil spirits, and the evil spiritual realm:
- Leviticus 19:26-31
- Deuteronomy 18:9-14
- Isaiah 8:19-20
- Galatians 5:19-21
- Ephesians 2:1-3
- Ephesians 6:10-12
- 2 Corinthians 4:4
The book On Magic and Miracles: A Theological Guide To Discerning Fictional Magic by Marian A. Jacobs is a good read on the topic of discerning fictional magic in entertainment.
2. “How does this story portray good and evil?”
If you watch Wicked carefully, you’ll notice the lines between good and evil are not blurred and confused at all; they’re actually very clear. You might also notice some themes and storylines in Wicked that illustrate biblical truths and invite reflection and conversation. So, you have to seek God in Scripture and prayer about what He’s asking you to do in this area based on how He is leading your conscience.
- Ephesians 5:6-13
- Philippians 4:8
3. “What is God convicting me—or my family—about in this area?”
The Bible teaches us that some choices fall under personal conviction, also called issues of personal conscience, Christian freedom, or disputable matters. Navigating our engagement with “secular” entertainment would fall into this category, as long as the piece of art in question is not being used in a sinful way.
Scriptures personal convictions/personal conscience issues:
- Romans 14
- 1 Corinthians 8-10
- 1 Timothy 4:3-5
More Episodes on Personal Convictions & Discerning Entertainment
For more biblical discussion and practical tips on enjoying and discerning art & entertainment, watch these episodes of Everyday Walk Podcast.
- How Should Christians Handle Personal Convictions and Gray Areas? (S1:E7)
- Can Christians Listen to “Secular” Music? (S1:E8)
- How I Discern “Secular” Entertainment As A Christian (S1:E9)
LET’S TALK: Respectfully, tell me your thoughts on this topic in the comments and how you’re approaching it. And if you’re a Wicked fan like me, tell me your favorite scenes or songs! Discuss this episode in the comments below.
