I'm new to Tarot and am fascinated by the Christian symbolism found within it.  How important is this?

The importance of ANY symbolism is dependant on each individual. If it's important to you, then it's important.

Hi Jaggerblade,

I agree wit Paganpriest, the development of a christian tarot deck was to validate the use of it. Unfortunately hard core christians see it as "demonic" of which it absolutely is not.

Tarot was also adopted fairly late in it's development within the occult movement. We Wiccans still remeber the "burning times" when the christian religious movement burnt so many "witches" live. This was absolutely due to their ignorane and the quest of the church at that stage to swing the scepter. They were therefore opposing any religous group as "pagan or satanic" And I really mean all faiths!

The Wiccan way is a way of life and is a practical application to worship. Many Wiccans are also devout chrisians and using Tarot and other means of divination and also magick. The Bible is full of magick in the sense of possitive confessions etc.

Blessed be

Interesting viewpoints.  Thank you.  Being a professional writer with a deep interest in history I'm not sure I agree with the idea that symbolism means what we want it to mean nothing more and nothing less.  All symbols being an extension of language, it seems to me that they have inherent power. If the meaning of a symbol is not fixed, what's the point of a dictionary?  Of course, I recognize that all language is fluid, but are we not always struggling to find agreement on the definition of words?  Without that we have no communication.  Why should it be different for other types of symbols?  And, somehow, I have a difficult time believing that the symbols used in the Marseille deck (for instance)  were chosen only out of a fear of oppression.  These are detailed works of art.  And they are powerful visual expressions.  I have to ask myself, as works of art what was the artist trying to communicate?  Do not all works of art express the artist's viewpoint regarding truth and reality?  Should we not take that into account as we make use of them?

I am sure the artist had his thought when he created his art....so also Tarot Deck.

Almost never will the Artist tell what he really wanted to say with his master piece....he/she let the viewer make up his/her own mind what they see in the art and this might give room for several books, when different people shall tell what they see as most important in a piece.

When it comes to symbols, then I agree with Jaggedblade.....symbols are like letters....they are given a meaning...and can not be evaluated the same way as the art itself.
But since very little is fixed in the world of "magic", the most important thing with the cards is what it tells the Reader, regardless of what the intent of the creator of the deck was.

This is only mine opinion though.....and I am not even a Reader