When the term exorcism is mentioned, many people think of the devil-possessed head spinning, lead character in the 1973 movie The Exorcist. What is the actual definition of exorcism that Hollywood does not share with us? Exorcism as defined by the Catholic Encyclopedia is (1) the act of driving out, or warding off, demons, or evil spirits, from persons, places, or things, which are believed to be possessed or infested by them, or are liable to become victims or instruments of their malice; (2) the means employed for this purpose, especially the solemn and authoritative adjuration of the demon, in the name of God, or any of the higher power in which he is subject (Toner). However, man people are far less versed in the Roman Catholic form of exorcism.
The term Exorcism is derived from the Greek word “Exorkizein,” which means to bring by oath (Toner). The earliest accounts of exorcism come from ancient Babylon, where Babylonian priests served as the ritual performers of exorcisms. These ancient priests would construct wax or clay figurines suppose to represent the demon ascribed to the possessed person. The demon resembling figurines were then destroyed resulting the demonic spirit being removed from the person. The Fear of demonic spirits was so high in ancient Babylon that it was considered to be “the most important factor of daily life of a Babylonian.” The first explanations, which were written by the Assyrians for the handling of illness, incorporated prayers to god and challenges towards demons who were believed to be associated with diseases of every type (Bancroft). Exorcism continued to impact the Empires of ancient Mesopotamia in the 6th century Persian Empire. In the official religion of Persia, Zoroastrianism, accoun...
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Graham, Fr. Cliff. "Exorcism--The Facts!" Exorcism--The Facts! Jan. 2007. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. http://www.stmichael.pair.com/index.htm
MacNutt, Francis. The Healing Reawakening and Deliverance from Evil Spirits. Grand Rapids, Mich: Chosen, 2009. Print.
Matthew. The New American Bible: With Revised New Testament. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1987. Print.
Mark. The New American Bible: With Revised New Testament. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1987. Print.
Martin, Malachi. Hostage to the Devil: The Possession and Exorcism of Five Contemporary Americans. New York: Quality Paperback Book Club, 2000. Print.
Toner, Patrick. "Exorcism." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. 2 Apr. 2012 .
Weller, Philip T. The Roman Ritual. Milwaukee: Bruce Pub., 1964. Print.
Karlsen, Carol F. The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial America. New York: W.W.Norton & Co., 1987.
Peck, Scott, M. "Healing Human Evil." Meeting the Shadow. Ed Connie Zwieg and Jeremiah Abrams. Los Angeles: Jeremy Teacher, Inc. 1991.
The Cross-Cultural Articulations of War Magic and Warrior Religion by D. S. Farrer, main purpose of this article is to provide a re-evaluated perspective of religion and magic, through the perspective of the practitioners and victims. Farrer uses examples that range from the following: “Chinese exorcists, Javanese spirit siblings, Sumatran black magic, Tamil Tiger suicide bombers, Chamorro spiritual re-enchantment, tantric Buddhist war magic, and Yanomami dark shamans” (1). Throughout the article, he uses these examples to address a few central themes. The central themes for war magic, range from “violence and healing, accomplished through ritual and performance, to unleash and/or control the power of gods, demons, ghosts and the dead” (Farrer 1).
It is estimated that around a dozen U.S. children will die in faith-healing cases each year. Typically associated with Christianity, Faith healing is founded on the belief that certain people or places have the ability to cure and heal sickness, disease, or injuries. Typically this “healing” is associated by a close connection to a higher power through prayer, divine intervention, or the ministration of an individual who claims himself as a healer. Faith has been scientifically proven in the field psychology to yield benefits to health. Although faith has promised a greater wellbeing for many individual’s lives, it has yet to be a significant replacement for medication many people but relaying on faith as a means for medication.
Every cultural tradition and major religion has formed the idea of possession and has had the need for some form of exorcism. Catholics, Jews, Hindus, Islam’s, Buddhists and scientists all have different views on exorcism. Although these religions believe in the idea of exorcism, science proves to have different explanations to this phenomenon.
The influence of a supernatural god and the spirit world influenced every aspect of the Indigenous African community including health and healing, thus a holistic approach to health and healing was essential.
Futterman, Ellen. (1989, February 5). Hints of Darkness: Satanism Reports Stir Worry. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, pp 1A+.
A History of Dissociative Identity Disorder. (n.d.). Specialized catholic web about possession and exorcism. Retrieved December 1, 2011, from http://www.fortea.us/english/psiquiatria/history.htm
With the start of the high Middle Ages came a notable increase in witch-prosecution and an undeniable fascination with all things occult, the devil, demons and the obliteration of such heretics. While the great strife between Catholicism and Lutheranism began the number of those accused of consulting with the devil, and condemned of the heinous crime of witchcraft began to rise. This was due in part of the teachings of the reformers and the church itself, refuting any argument against witchcraft and its infection of traditional catholic, obedient society. In Luther's catechism, the control held by the devil over man's body and soul, life and property, wife and children amounts almost to omnipotence. According to Sister Antoinette Maria Pratt the interest in the occult increased in the 1200s as “Satan became, their whole lives through, the dominant idea. This was particularly true of the fifteen and sixteenth centuries, when the doctrines of Luther had permeated all classes of society and were producing their terrible resu...
Vodou is an actual religion and not something that should be demonized. The spelling of Vodou as Voodoo in itself is demonizing the actual religion with another belief by associating the system known as hoodoo, due to ignorance. It should actually be said and spelled Vodou (Voe-dou). Vodou has been a source of intrigue and fear for many since it’s first mentionings in the texts of 1800th century missionaries. For most people the first time hearing about the religion comes from hollywood movies. Unluckily these films portray the religion as a barbaric practice involved with witchcraft and devil worship. In reality Vodou is steeped in the history of the Caribbean and its origin country of Haiti. The religion tells the story of its home country,
Muller, Gilbert H., Nightmares and Visions: Flannery O'Connor and the Catholic Grotesque, Athens, GA, University of Georgia Press, 1972.
Unearthed skulls dating back to 6500 BCE have been discovered by archeologists to have large holes drilled into the sides of them. (1) The purpose of the drilling was to release the demon spirits that ruled inside these unfortunate beings. (2) The thought at the time was that strange, disruptive, or unexplainable behaviors demonstrated by individuals was a direct consequence of demons controlling the persons soul. These behaviors were seen not as a medical condition of any kind, but primarily relating to bad morals. There are Biblical references that Jesus cast out devils in those demonstrating irrational or crazed behaviors. Of course there are also Biblical reference that describe maniacal behavior that Jesus also healed and those individual were thought to simply be ill.
For many centuries to the present day, Christians have lived in fear of witches. They were known as to be the devils child who only practiced black magic and thought of as the Christians “persecution”. Witches have been known to mankind since the 1200’s. Throughout the 1400’s, the examination of witches was more focus and moved from the Jews. In the church’s law, it was stated that the belief of existence and practices of witchcraft was “heresy”. Because of what the Christians believed, churches would then torture and hunt down anyone who they thought were witches and killed the many women and only a few of the men. They even made them make the confession of flying through the midnight sky, being in love with the devil himself, practicing black magic and even turning into animals.
Weyer, J. (1563). De praestigiis daemonum [The Deception of Demons]. Basel, Switzerland: Per Joannem Oporinum.
Lehmann A. C. & Myers J. E. Magic, Witchcraft and Religion – An anthropological Study of the Supernatural (Fourth Edition) (Mayfield Publishing Company, 1997)