Q. What is necromancy?
A. It is the conjuring up of dead spirits which is condemned in the Scriptures and is very evil.
I suggest everyone who reads this to stay clear of anything that smacks of such a practice. This includes playing with Ouija boards. Many people, especially young people, think this is a harmless game. It is not. It is incredibly dangerous and can put one’s soul in jeopardy. The spiritual world is incredibly real and proven in philosophy, theology, science and the Scriptures.
We as human beings are a composite of body and soul. Death is not the end of human existence but a stepping stone to life eternal. Jesus proved this through His Resurrection and Ascension.
Necromancy is understood as the conjuring of the spirits of the dead for purposes of revealing the future or trying to influence the course of events. In the Bible, necromancy is also called “divination,” “sorcery” and “spiritism” and is forbidden many times in Scripture (Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10; Galatians 5:19-20; Acts 19:19) as an abomination to God.
As I said, avoid any such practice at all costs. Necromancy involves demons and opens the one who practices it to demonic attack. If you give the devil any opening into your life he will take it (1 Peter 5:8).
In addition, necromancy does not rely on the Lord for direction in life, the Lord who promises to freely give wisdom to all who ask for it (James 1:5).
The idea that the souls of dead people can be contacted for information is inaccurate. Those who attempt such contact inevitably contact demonic spirits, not the spirits of dead loved ones.
This is qualitatively different than invoking the saints and the souls in heaven. We may invoke them through prayer because they reside with God in heaven and can be intercessors for us.
Jesus reminds us that He is the God of the living and not the dead (Matt. 22:32) and proves it by speaking to Moses and Elijah at his Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-9). Necromancy, which include séances, is forbidden, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 2115 – 2117.
Perhaps the most relevant paragraph is 2116: “All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to “unveil” the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.”
Really good question. Thanks for asking it.
This question was answered by Father Kenneth Borowiak, pastor of St. Michael Parish in Lincoln. Write to Ask the Register using our online form, or write to 3700 Sheridan Blvd., Suite 10, Lincoln NE 68506-6100. All questions are subject to editing. Editors decide which questions to publish. Personal questions cannot be answered. People with such questions are urged to take them to their nearest Catholic priest.
