Does alchemy have to do with the devil?

Answer 1

It has absolutely nothing to do with the devil. The belief of many things such as paganism, tarot cards, and other forms of divination being the work of the devil has been deeply rooted in society since the acceptance of Christianity in ancient Rome. This was the result of the emperors of Rome attempting mass conversion of the pagans to Christianity by portraying them as well as their beliefs and gods as demonic. Since the Catholic church first gained power during medieval times it suppressed beliefs or theories that either went against scientific preconceptions or against the teachings of the church calling it the work of heretics. Alchemy was a science that was misunderstood at the time and like many ideas became suppressed and those that were associated with it were either sentenced to death or lifetime house arrest even if they renounced their statements, the best example is that of Galileo Galilei who stated that the sun was the center of the universe instead of the popular belief that the earth was and was locked inside his country home outside of Florence for the rest of his life. During the scientific revolution alchemy and other scientific practices and theories were brought out into the open without persecution. Alchemy was what laid the groundwork for modern chemistry which later replaced it during the 18th century.

Answer 2

Alchemy does not necessarily have to do with the devil. Historically, alchemy was a philosophical and proto-scientific tradition aimed at transforming base metals into gold and discovering a universal elixir of life. While some alchemists were associated with mysticism, the practice itself was not inherently connected to the devil.