The relationship between the Christian Church and practitioners of magic in the medieval period was far more nuanced than the later witch trials suggest. Between the 12th and 15th centuries, certain witches—herbalists, cunning folk, and even necromancers—were covertly employed by the Church for a variety of purposes. From healing and exorcisms to occult espionage and political strategy, historical records indicate that the Church, despite its condemnation of sorcery, selectively utilized magical practitioners. However, this relationship gradually deteriorated into persecution and paranoia, fuelled by doctrinal shifts, political instability, and the rise of the Inquisition.
During the medieval period, the relationship between the Christian Church and practitioners of magic was far more complex than the later witch trials would suggest. Between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries, individuals skilled in esoteric practices were not only tolerated but actively sought out by the Church for various purposes. Despite theological condemnation of sorcery, historical records indicate that figures such as cunning folk, necromancers, alchemists, and astrologers were employed in monasteries, courts, and ecclesiastical institutions. These practitioners assisted in healing, divination, and even political manoeuvring, blending occult wisdom with religious dogma. The Church’s reliance on magic was not merely pragmatic but deeply entrenched in its intellectual traditions, borrowing from ancient Greco-Roman, Arabic, and Jewish mystical sources.
