Goetia

Goëtie is a term for magical practices, which are as unnatural, forbidden or considered diabolical and compared with the theurgy. The term is known in particular in connection with the Ars Goetia font.

The term is used for Demon Summoning and as particularly reprehensible prestigious magic, but is defined differently: Hans Biedermann according to which he called "predominantly necromancy or necromancy, besides also in a more general sense, the summoning demonic creatures with help, blasphemous ' rites ', while Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa divided the ceremonial in Goëtie and necromancy and A. Debay Goëtie and black magic equates. Georg Pictorius assigns Goëtie turn will necromancy, the Anthropomantie, in the future from the entrails of sacrificed humans is read, the Leconomantie ( defeating a demon with exorziertem water) and " prophecy from the quake, lowering or gaping of the earth" ( geomancy ), the fire ( pyromancy ), the air ( Aeromantie ), the lines of the hand ( palmistry ) or the flight of birds ( auspices ) to.

The Neoplatonists attached great importance to the distinction between theurgy and Goëtie; Iamblichus of Chalcis stressed that one should " by no means brought about by the goetic techniques mirages with the extremely clear show of the gods " confused. While the theurgy operates with good spirits, evil spirits are conjured in the Goëtie; theurgy is in this case as higher and lower than the Goëtie form of magic.

Opponents of magic, as Augustine of Hippo, however, tend to demonize both alike because they are " entangled both in the fraudulent practices of the falsely called angels demons " were; to theurgy and Goetie differ for them only by their designation.