2. Christian magic During the first few centuries of the common
era, magic was identified with the paganism of the Greco-Roman
world that gave rise to Christianity. These rival religions were
competitors and paganism was seen as a threat. Efforts focused
on suppressing the power and beliefs of paganism. But the
problem posed by the suppression of the pagan religions was a
subtle one. It was a question of authority, not of the
underlying belief in superhuman knowledge and power. The seer or
diviner was still respected in late Roman times and the Old
Testament prophesies had to be preserved so it was a matter of
eliminating the competitor without dismissing the magic. "It was
a matter of setting aside these multifarious and vigorous
competing persons and objects without dispelling the emotions
and expectations which sustained them." (Flint 1991). The
temporal response to paganism was a simple one. The temples and
priesthoods were demolished (Peters 1978). But the intellectual
challenge was a more difficult one.