retelling of future events: and
this is manifestly a sin. Consequently divination is always a sin;
and for this reason Jerome says in his commentary on Mic. 3:9, seqq.
that "divination is always taken in an evil sense."

Reply Obj. 1: Divination takes its name not from a rightly ordered
share of something divine, but from an undue usurpation thereof, as
stated above.

Reply Obj. 2: There are certain arts for the foreknowledge of future
events that occur of necessity or frequently, and these do not
pertain to divination. But there are no true arts or sciences for the
knowledge of other future events, but only vain inventions of the
devil's deceit, as Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xxi, 8).

Reply Obj. 3: Man has a natural inclination to know the future by
human means, but not by the undue means of divination.
_______________________

SECOND ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 95, Art. 2]

Whether Divination Is a Species of Superstition?

Objection 1: It would seem that divination is not a species of
superstition. The same thing cannot be a species of diverse genera.
Now divination is apparently a species of curiosity, according to
Augustine (De Vera Relig. xxxviii) [*Cf. De Doctr. Christ. ii, 23,
24; De Divin. Daem. 3]. Therefore it is not, seemingly, a species of
superstition.

Obj. 2: Further, just as religion is due worship, so is superstition
undue worship. But divination does not seem to pertain to undue
worship. Therefore it does not pertain to superstition.

Obj. 3: Further, superstition is opposed to religion. But in true
religion nothing is to be found corresponding as a contrary to
divination. Therefore divination is not a species of superstition.

_On the contrary,_ Origen says in his Peri Archon [*The quotation is
from his sixteenth homily on the Book of Numbers]: "There is an
operation of the demons in the administering of foreknowledge,
comprised, seemingly, under the head of certain arts exercised by
those who have enslaved themselves to the demons, by means of lots,
omens, or the observance of shadows. I doubt not that all these
things are done by the operation of the demons." Now, according to
Augustine (De Doctr. Christ. ii, 20, 23), "whatever results from
fellowship between demons and men is superstitious." Therefore
divination is a species of superstition.

_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 1; QQ. 92, 94), superstition
denotes undue divine worship. Now a thing pertains to the worship of
God in two ways: