Astrology from a Christian's Perspective

Signs in the Sun, Moon and Stars

Astrology

David Williams/Getty Images

Editor's Note: This article is by About.com Guest Author Carmen Turner-Schott, MSW, LISW.

”Let there be lights in the heaven and let them be for Signs.” Genesis 1:14

I will never forget sitting in Sunday school while the preacher taught us about the three wise men. I wondered how they could have known that Jesus would be born just by following the special shining star in the sky that was guiding them. It was years later when I realized that the three wise men were astrologers. This information brought me peace as I began my astrological counseling journey.

I once worked for a devout Christian who was a little leery of me because she had heard of my interest in astrology. She knew I was notorious for incorporating it into my counseling sessions with teens and families. One day she approached me and said, “I was teaching Sunday school for the first time this weekend and I was shocked when I found out that the three wise men were astrologers.” I remember smiling as she asked me if I would look at her natal chart. After our counseling session she told me, “Everything you said just validated all of my life experiences and how my personality is.” Her mind was opened up for the first time simply by allowing me to interpret her birth chart and life experiences.

Many Christians are opening up their minds to things that they have never dreamed of before. According to a recent study, nearly 30 percent of Catholics stated that they believed in astrology. Among white evangelicals there was 13 percent that professed a belief in astrology. From my personal experiences working as a licensed clinical social worker, I find that many of my clients are becoming more interested in astrology as a tool for self-awareness.

Astrology as a Tool

Many are turning to astrology as a tool because of its accuracy and the comfort that they find from it. They tell me that astrology validates their experiences and even explains why certain painful experiences happened to them. Many Christian clients of mine even tell me that they feel more connected to God and their Christian faith after having an astrological consultation. They feel that they are not alone and that there is a purpose in their life and that God’s plan is validated to them when they hear about their natal chart.

I feel that astrology was a tool created by God for us to understand ourselves better and to use as a spiritual tool. I feel that there are many biblical verses that support astrology. As a Christian, I focus on what Jesus taught. Christ himself talked about the importance of astrology when he said in Luke 21:25, “There shall be signs in the sun, moon, and stars.” He discusses with the disciples the importance of astrology and how it can be used as a sign of his return. If we are not supposed to interpret the energies of the planets and signs and if Jesus was truly against it, why would he tell us this important information? Just as the three wise men knew that Jesus would be born under the star in the sky that led them to him lying in the manger, Jesus advised us that there would be signs in the sky upon his return.

What the Bible Says About Astrology

The verses in the Bible that condemn astrology can actually be interpreted in many different ways. It is easy to get confused by the controversy. As a Christian, I truly believe that the knowledge of astrology must be used with care and with great integrity. I have seen the accuracy and the powerful insights that astrology can reveal to others and it must be used cautiously, just as a counselor treads lightly on certain topics until the client is ready. As a counselor myself, I use astrology as a tool with clients to help them understand themselves and others better. There are many things that astrology reveals about our character, behaviors, emotions and soul mission. Anyone with an open mind that reads about their sun sign traits cannot deny that those traits usually exist within themselves and are accurate.

Astrology is one of the most ancient sciences and predates both astronomy and psychology. It was not created to harm others or to worship before God. Human beings were warned by God not to put anything in the outer world above your relationship with him and that includes astrology. The verses in the Bible that mention the occult are warning us not to depend on psychics for all of our answers.

There is a tendency for people to neglect God and put their faith in psychics and mediums completely and this is what the Bible warns against in some verses. They were warned that it is a tool to be used in moderation, when needed, but to never ignore God and depend solely on an astrologer for your answers. A Christian mystic, Edgar Cayce stated, “Astrology is fact, but there is no greater power over man than his own will.” God gave us free will to make our own choices and as Cayce believed the planets energies have an effect upon us by influencing our inclinations, tendencies are urges. Cayce himself was a devout Christian who stepped out of the traditional teachings and dedicated his life to serving others.

Editor's Note: This article is by About.com Guest Author Carmen Turner-Schott, MSW, LISW.

Famous People and Astrology

Astrology is a map of the soul and shows God’s plan for us in this life. Throughout history, famous people have studied astrology and used it for several purposes such as Hippocrates, Sir Isaac Newton, Galileo and Pythagoras. Modern medicine today was created because of astrology. It was first started by associating certain parts of the physical body with the parts of the body associated with each of the twelve zodiac signs.

Hippocrates stated, “A physician that does not know the truth of astrology is not a physician but a fool.” The Bible is filled with astrological information. Jesus represents the Sun and the twelve disciples represent the twelve astrological signs of the zodiac. In the book Kabalistic Astrology, it is written that the twelve sons of Jacob were representative of the twelve signs of the zodiac and that the personality traits of each son were used to describe each sun sign we know today.

It is important to keep an open mind. There are many interpretations of scripture and each Christian can interpret the verses in unique ways. I like to focus on what Jesus said and on some of the most powerful verses in the Bible that validate a belief in things that we don’t always understand. Astrology has always been a part of the Christian faith in many different ways.

When I traveled to Europe and visited historic churches I saw remnants of astrology in architecture and in art. If there was no truth in astrology as part of the Christian faith, why would our ancestors go to such trouble to include all twelve zodiac signs in church décor across the globe? Christians are studying astrology and using it to understand themselves better. Just like the personality tests that organizations offer to employees such as Meyers Briggs Type Indicator or Strength Finders, basic astrology can paint an accurate and detailed picture of our personality strengths and talents.