Science and Magic

In “Science and Magic” (Chalcedon Report No. 370), Rushdoony argues that both science and magic, despite appearing opposed, share a common foundation: they treat the world as impersonal, amoral, and subject to manipulation for power. Both seek control rather than moral obedience, and both thrive where God is excluded as a personal, sovereign Lord. Biblical faith, by contrast, begins with a personal God to whom all men are morally accountable, emphasizing redemption, obedience, and service rather than power. When science abandons God while continuing to rely on His created order, it depersonalizes man and reality, dissolving moral categories and reducing crime to mere technical violations rather than rebellion against God’s law. This moral vacuum fosters both tyranny and criminal culture. True dominion, Rushdoony insists, is not amoral power but righteous rule under God’s law, bringing all things into submission to Christ. Without this reordering through Christian faith, science becomes a modern ally of ancient magic, and society drifts steadily toward lawlessness and fear.