Exorcism in Christianity

*Christ Exorcising a Mute* by Gustav Dore, 1865.

In Christianity, exorcism involves the practice of casting out one or more demons from a person whom they are believed to have possessed. The person performing the exorcism, known as an exorcist, is often a member of the Christian Church, or an individual thought to be graced with special powers or skills. The exorcist may use prayers and religious material, such as set formulas, gestures, symbols, icons, or amulets. The exorcist often invokes God, Jesus, angels and archangels, and various saints to aid with the exorcism. Christian exorcists most commonly cast out demons in Jesus' name.^[1]

The concepts of demonic possession and exorcism are found in the Bible and were practiced by the early Christians, especially gaining prominence in the 2nd century.^[2]^[3]

In general, people considered to be possessed are not regarded as evil in themselves, nor wholly responsible for their actions, because possession is considered to be manipulation of an unwilling victim by a demon resulting in harm to self or others. Accordingly, practitioners regard exorcism as more of a cure than a punishment. The mainstream rituals usually take this into account, making sure that there is no violence to the possessed, only that they be tied down if there is potential for violence.^[4] However, some believe possession is a voluntary act, where individuals permit demons to subjugate them.^[5]^[6]

^ Compare: Mohr, M. D., & Royal, K. D. (2012). "Investigating the Practice of Christian Exorcism and the Methods Used to Cast out Demons", Journal of Christian Ministry, 4, p. 21. Available at: http://journalofchristianministry.org/article/view/10287/7073 Archived 2019-01-11 at the Wayback Machine. "[...] results indicate that virtually every exorcist in the sample casts out demons in Jesus' name."
^ Twelftree, Graham H. (1 October 2007). In the Name of Jesus: Exorcism among Early Christians. Baker Academic. p. 129. ISBN 978-1-4412-0599-5.
^ The Westminster handbook to patristic theology. Westminster John Knox Press. 2004. ISBN 978-0-664-22396-0. Retrieved 2007-12-31. Exorcism From the Greek exorkizo, "i adjure" (cf. Matt. 26:63), exorcism became a term prominent in early Christianity from the early 2nd century onward (cf. Justin, Dialogue with Trypho 76.6;85.2) as the casting out of devils.
^ Malachi M. (1976) Hostage to the Devil: the possession and exorcism of five living Americans. San Francisco, Harpercollins p.462 ISBN 0-06-065337-X
^ Mwani, Joseph Tepillah (2020). "Jesus and Legion: A socio-political perspective on demon possession and exorcism in Mark 5:1-20 and in African Pentecostal Churches" (PDF). University of Pretoria – via University of Pretoria Repository.
^ Carlson, Reed (2022). Unfamiliar Selves in the Hebrew Bible: Possession and Other Spirit Phenomena. De Gruyter. ISBN 9783110670035.

[1] Compare: Mohr, M. D., & Royal, K. D. (2012). "Investigating the Practice of Christian Exorcism and the Methods Used to Cast out Demons", Journal of Christian Ministry, 4, p. 21. Available at: http://journalofchristianministry.org/article/view/10287/7073 Archived 2019-01-11 at the Wayback Machine. "[...] results indicate that virtually every exorcist in the sample casts out demons in Jesus' name."

[Twelftree2007-2] Twelftree, Graham H. (1 October 2007). In the Name of Jesus: Exorcism among Early Christians. Baker Academic. p. 129. ISBN 978-1-4412-0599-5.

[John_Anthony_McGuckin_-_Definition-3] The Westminster handbook to patristic theology. Westminster John Knox Press. 2004. ISBN 978-0-664-22396-0. Retrieved 2007-12-31. Exorcism From the Greek exorkizo, "i adjure" (cf. Matt. 26:63), exorcism became a term prominent in early Christianity from the early 2nd century onward (cf. Justin, Dialogue with Trypho 76.6;85.2) as the casting out of devils.

[4] Malachi M. (1976) Hostage to the Devil: the possession and exorcism of five living Americans. San Francisco, Harpercollins p.462 ISBN 0-06-065337-X

[5] Mwani, Joseph Tepillah (2020). "Jesus and Legion: A socio-political perspective on demon possession and exorcism in Mark 5:1-20 and in African Pentecostal Churches" (PDF). University of Pretoria – via University of Pretoria Repository.

[:0-6] Carlson, Reed (2022). Unfamiliar Selves in the Hebrew Bible: Possession and Other Spirit Phenomena. De Gruyter. ISBN 9783110670035.

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