Can you be a Christian and still love Wicked—the movies or the musical? I’m a Christian who’s loved Wicked since high school. So, in this mini episode (originally posted to my social media), I want to share three questions I think through when considering this story and how it fits with my faith. I hope they help you as well! We’re talking specifically about the musical and movie adaptations, not the original book, which I’ve personally chosen not to read or recommend because of its more graphic and mature content.
See below for episode outline, key takeaways, and Bible passages.
1. Can a Christian Enjoy Entertainment That Includes Magic?
The Bible teaches that real evil spiritual practices exist, including witchcraft, divination, astrology, and consulting spirits or mediums. God forbids us from participating in these things because they’re sinful and spiritually dangerous. We also need to be careful about entertainment that goes beyond fictional fantasy to celebrate or encourage involvement in real occult practices.
But there’s a difference between real-world occult activity and imaginary magic in fictional stories and fairy tales. From my perspective, Wicked falls into the fantasy category. The spells used in the musical and movies are made-up rather than drawn from actual witchcraft, which is an important distinction in how I personally approach the story.
Scripture References:
- Leviticus 19:26, 31
- Deuteronomy 18:9–14
- Isaiah 8:19–20
- Galatians 5:19–21
- Ephesians 5:8–11
Related Resources:
- Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? (Everyday Walk episode explaining more about what the Bible says about occult practice)
- On Magic and Miracles by Marian Jacobs (book exploring on discerning fictional magic in art from a theological perspective)
2. How Does This Story Portray Good and Evil?
When you watch Wicked carefully, the story portrays compassion, helping others, and standing up for the vulnerable as good, while showing the harm caused by deception, mistreatment, selfishness, and slander. The lines between good and evil are not blurred in this story–they’re really clear.
The story also explores themes that can illustrate biblical truths and invite meaningful reflection: friendship, forgiveness, reconciliation, compassion, telling the truth, and learning from our mistakes. As Christians, we can thoughtfully evaluate the messages a story communicates rather than judging it only by whether it contains fictional magical elements.
- Ephesians 5:6-13
- Philippians 4:8
3. What Is God Convicting Me—or My Family—About in This Area?
Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8–10 teach us about personal convictions—areas where God hasn’t given a universal command that every Christian must follow in exactly the same way.
Your background, spiritual maturity, personal struggles, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance all matter when discerning entertainment. If watching Wicked would tempt you toward practices God forbids, confuse your understanding of fantasy and reality, or violate your conscience, it’s wise to abstain. But if God gives you freedom to enjoy it, you can receive art as a good gift from Him with gratitude.
We should take biblical discernment seriously without turning our individual convictions into universal rules or using them to judge the sincerity and maturity of another Christian’s faith.
Scripture References:
- Romans 14
- 1 Corinthians 8–10
- 1 Timothy 4:3-5
Additional Resources
- Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? — Everyday Walk episode on biblical discernment, harmless fantasy versus occult practices, personal convictions, and Christian witness.
- How Christians Should Handle Personal Convictions and Gray Areas — Everyday Walk episode discerning personal convictions from biblical commands
- How I Discern “Secular” Entertainment As A Christian – Everyday Walk episode with biblical principles for discerning what content to engage with.
- My Real of Stories of Discerning Entertainment With Jesus – Everyday Walk episode with practical stories from my life on how Jesus has helped me navigate what entertainment to enjoy or refrain from.
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.
