One of the more unique sets of observations, correct or not, of controversial pro-Christian author Rodney Stark is that he sees witch hunts as out of step with most of Christian history, and a comparatively late development brought on almost contemporaneously with the Reformation and with the Enlightenment (which he thinks is misnamed).
According to Stark, medieval Catholicism was not so uptight about magic and sorcery. The attitude was more or less neutral and the Church's view of whether it was satanically influenced depended on what the spell casters intent was. Evil intent in practicing magic was considered evil, and magic for the purposes of seduction or theft was frowned upon, but for healing and other purposes the attitude was rather laissez-faire.
What could have caused established religion to keep thinking of magic in this way (magic doesn't kill people, evil magicians do) through the Reformation and Enlightenment eras into modern times.