In Christianity, deliverance ministry refers to groups that perform practices to cleanse people of demons and evil spirits. These groups attribute certain people's physical, psychological, spiritual, and emotional problems to the activities of these evil spirits in their lives. [1] Not all Christians accept the doctrines and practices of these ministries.
Deliverance is meant to cast out evil spirits (a.k.a. "demons"), helping people overcome negative behaviors, feelings, and experiences through the power of the Holy Spirit. [2] Each event is different, but many include some or all of these significant steps: diagnosis, naming the demon, expulsion, and some form of action taken by the afflicted person after their deliverance to keep the demon from returning. [1] The distinction between deliverance ministry and exorcism is that while exorcism focuses largely on possession and is for believers and unbelievers alike, deliverance focuses more on spiritual oppression and is more for believers. [3] In both cases in casting out spirits, intercessors are following the example of Jesus Christ and his disciples given in the New Testament. [4]
Many believers in deliverance ministry cite Biblical precedent as an authoritative source for their rituals; this forms a significant part in arguments surrounding deliverance practices. [4] The Biblical precedent for cleansing people of evil spirits returns to Jesus.
The New Testament mentions Jesus casting out evil spirits fifty-five times but only describes the events in detail five times. [4] He casts demons out of a man in a synagogue (Mark 1) and two men near tombs (Matthew 8). In both episodes, Jesus converses with the demons, and they acknowledge him as the Son of God before he casts them out. [5] This[ clarification needed ] is a common occurrence in modern deliverance rituals as well. [6] Jesus also casts demons out of a little girl (Mark 7) and a young boy (Luke 9), both events that the Bible expressly connects to strengthening the faith of their parents; [5] modern practitioners of deliverance ministry interpret their experiences expelling demons as an opportunity to strengthen their own faith as well. [4] Jesus heals a possessed man (Matthew 12) to show his Messianic calling and the fulfilment of prophecy, [5] leading modern believers to see successful exorcisms as evidence of Jesus' power in their lives. [4]
Jesus' disciples also cast out demons many times throughout the New Testament. This occurs before and after Jesus' death. After his death, believers interpret the events as proof of the authority the disciples still have through faith in Jesus. [5] Each exorcism event is different in the Bible, and the methods used to cast out demons change; some participants in modern deliverance ministry interpret this to mean that there is no "right" or single way to cast out demons, but that many methods may be used as long as they are rooted in Christianity. [4] Practitioners of deliverance ministry pay careful attention to each of these Biblical examples as they navigate and interpret demonic activity and deliverance rituals in their own lives. [4]
However, it is worth noting that, even in the New Testament, there are reported cases where the disciples themselves were unable to cast out demons, having to resort directly to Jesus, [5] or even others, who were not direct followers of Jesus, failed when trying to cast out demons by invoking His name. [5] There is also the reminder that, even those who say they are capable of casting out demons in the name of Jesus, will be repudiated by Him on the Last Judgment, for not having been able to faithfully fulfill His word. [5]
Exorcism was practiced by Catholics throughout the Middle Ages. [7] Martin Luther practiced it in Germany during the 1500s as a way of participating in the "war with the devil," a tradition continued by Lutherans throughout the Reformation to the present day. [4] [8] He simplified the ceremony to avoid drawing attention to evil powers. [4] Deliverance practices became somewhat more widespread with the growth of the Pentecostal movement, and especially with the Charismatic movement that began in the 1960s. [6] These movements continue to understand themselves as part of spiritual warfare, in which Christians are understood to be at war with the forces of evil which work in the world in efficient ways, afflicting people with all kinds of problems (physical, emotional, spiritual). [6] People believe they can combat these evil forces through the power and authority of God. [6]
According to believers in oppression, demons are believed to be able to enter a person's life in many different ways. [1] Some believe that objects, by their very nature, harbor demons; for example, certain types of literature, especially if it leads the reader to question their faith and other media such as fantasy/horror novels or films, Dungeons and Dragons or other types of role-playing games, CD recordings of alleged satanic music, art with non-religious or blasphemous/sinful themes, or artifacts depicting pagan gods. Sacred texts (false religious texts) or simple decorations from a non-Christian religion may also be a hiding place for demons. Other types are objects with a sinful history (e.g. a piece of jewelry from an adulterous relationship, an object purchased with greed, etc.). [1]
Demons can also be said to "run in families." The usual cause is ancestors who were Satanists, Freemasons, or witches, or who died unrepentant of terrible sins such as abuse, adultery, or murder. Some claim that negative traits and practices run in families because of the demonic presence that is passed down from parent to child. [1] Others claim that physical ailments and persistent problems such as poverty and addictive behaviors (drugs, pornography, etc.) can be caused by ancestral sin and the resulting family curses.
Deliverance ministries focus on casting out the spirit or spirits believed to cause an affliction. The person must first be "diagnosed" with the presence/possession of an evil spirit, which often requires the participation of a person who is trained or experienced in this area. [6] This expert may ask questions to learn about the person's life and try to discover if they have committed any sins that might invite a demonic presence; if they have, they must repent of that sin as part of the deliverance process. [1] The expert might question the person about their relationships with their spouse, children, and friends, as poor relationships with closer circle may be evidence of a demonic presence. [6] They may also ask about their extended family and ancestors to determine if the demon might be the result of a family curse. [6] They can attempt to discern if an object or a room is the source of the demonic activity and help the person understand what may have attached the demon to that object or space. [1] Some may be able to see demons or hear their names through the Holy Spirit. [6] Once the source of the demonic presence is identified, it is cast out through the renouncing of any contract made with the spirit and any lies accepted, and commanded to leave by the power of the Holy Spirit. [6]
Some believe that an ordained member of a clergy must perform the deliverance, while others believe that anyone can have that spiritual power. [1] Diagnosis may occur in private spaces, or during public meetings as the Holy Spirit is invited to reveal the presence of demons in the attendees or while the "preacher" walks through the audience forcing demons to manifest themselves in the audience. [6]
Revealing the demon's name may be part of the expulsion process, as it gives the person casting out the demon authority over it. This process is not required to cast out the demon, and some adherents do not accept it (some believe that demons can give the wrong name). Still, others believe it is necessary. [6] The presence may identify itself or be identified as a specific demon (e.g. Jezebel, Asherah, Baal, etc.) [1] or its "name" might be the name of the sin or affliction it represents (e.g. rebellion, gluttony, sexual perversion, anorexia nervosa). [6] Explicitly identifying the problem may prepare the healed preacher and the healed person to expel the demon. [6]
Various methods are used to expel demons. [6] Some adherents recite Biblical verses about casting out demons, or pray; many also invoke "the blood of Jesus," a reference to Jesus suffering for people's sins and intervening with God on behalf of humanity. [6] In this context, invoking the blood of Jesus is calling on him to intervene specifically on behalf of the possessed individual. [6] The person performing the deliverance might touch the possessed person, or anoint them with oil or water. [6] People may also perform rituals over objects that contain evil spirits, destroy them by breaking or burning them, then remove them from the home. [1] If a place has evil spirits because of sins committed there in the past, people may repent on behalf of those who committed the sins as part of casting out the evil spirits. [1] This is meant to force a demon to leave an afflicted person, place, or thing. [1] The demon may resist the expulsion using the body of the possessed person and may speak, scream, cry, laugh, vomit, or lash out physically. [6] exorcism or deliverance rituals can be loud, dramatic, and highly emotional experiences for those involved. [6] Once the demon is gone, people often feel like a weight or darkness has left them. [1]
According to believers in possession, a demon may return after a successful deliverance meeting if proper precautions are not taken. [1] To avoid this, a person must pray over their own being as well as their home for God's protection over them. Because the Holy Spirit is believed to be stronger than the demons, the person remains protected. If needed, the person may have to take other steps of action as well, such as removing certain media from their home and creating boundaries with certain individuals who may have "spread" the spirit(s) to them.
Certain Christian theologians have held that the wearing of a head covering by Christian females confers protection against fallen angels, which they teach is referenced in 1 Corinthians 11:3–10. [9] [10] [11]
Ministries can organize the removal from homes of items that are believed to harbor demons. Members are instructed to burn items that are related to Idolatry, "demon drawing" symbols, and music that summons demons. Rev. Don Jeffrey, an exorcist in Arizona, states that any of these objects should be exorcised of evil spirits and blessed before burning them or sending them to the dump. For example, some believe that ouija boards can act like a gateway for the demonic and must be exorcised and blessed, as the gate must be closed before it is destroyed. [12]
For some Christians, deliverance ministries are activities carried out by specialists such as Bishop Larry Gaiters, Rev Miguel Bustillos, and Rev Vincent Bauhaus, [13] or groups aimed at solving problems related to demons and spirits, especially possession of the body and soul, but not the spirit. Ministries like Ellel Ministries International, Don Dickerman Ministries, and Neil T. Anderson explicitly teach that a Christian cannot have demons in their spirit because the Holy Spirit lives there. However, they can have demons in their body or soul due to inner emotional wounds, sexual abuse, or Satanic ritual abuse. [14] This is usually known as partial possession or demonic infestation, as opposed to outside demonic oppression which does not reside in any of the three parts of a person: body, soul, spirit.
While some people interchange the terms "exorcism" and "deliverance," others distinguish between the two. According to the latter school of thought, exorcisms are carried out through the use of various rituals of exorcism, such as those in the Roman Ritual, and often utilize attendant sacramentals such as holy water. In contrast, deliverance is not as ritualistic and may look different from meeting to meeting depending on the level of oppression, and how the Holy Spirit guides the meeting. (For example, while one may have to take some time to forgive others, another might not have any one to have to forgive, and may have to spend more time renouncing lies.) Others claim that "deliverance" and "exorcism" refer to the same practice but that exorcism is a more intense form and is used in more complex or extreme cases. [15] Deliverance ministries seek to discern the influences that are more subtlety spiritual, and if needed, discern the root of them, whether it be from another or self-introduced. The individual must take responsibility and be involved in the process. [16] [17]
Some deliverance ministers do use crucifixes, holy water, and anointing oils, as well as the Bible. Some deliverance ministers who also use the term "exorcist" wear the clerical collar (first used by Presbyterians) and also incorporate a stole.
Frank Hammond and his wife Ida Mae have been called "perhaps the most influential practitioners of deliverance ministry." [18] Their book Pigs in the Parlor: A Practical Guide to Deliverance, published in 1973, is one of the most influential books on the topic, [18] and has sold over a million copies. [19] In diagnosing demonic presence, they focused more on the moral, ethical, and spiritual signs of possession rather than more dramatic physical manifestations like writhing on the ground. [18] As the title indicates, their book takes less of a theoretical/theological approach to deliverance; it's meant to be used by believers in real-life situations and includes tools like seven signs of demonic possession and how to recognize when a demon has departed following a ritual. [18]
Reverend Bob Larson has also achieved widespread public notoriety, not just within the deliverance ministry movement itself. Larson is known for drawing media attention to deliverance practices; he performs exorcisms in front of live audiences, teaches exorcism workshops, and even had his own reality TV show, bringing a sort of theatrical quality to exorcism. [18] His daughter Brynne and her friends Tess and Savannah were featured on news channels in 2012 under the title "the teenage exorcists," [1] even gaining the attention of news organizations and publications as well known as BBC News [20] and People magazine. [21]
A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in media including comics, fiction, film, television, and video games. Belief in demons probably goes back to the Paleolithic age, stemming from humanity's fear of the unknown, the strange and the horrific. In ancient Near Eastern religions and in the Abrahamic religions, including early Judaism and ancient-medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered a harmful spiritual entity that may cause demonic possession, calling for an exorcism. Large portions of Jewish demonology, a key influence on Christianity and Islam, originated from a later form of Zoroastrianism, and was transferred to Judaism during the Persian era.
Spirit possession is an unusual or an altered state of consciousness and associated behaviors which are purportedly caused by the control of a human body and its functions by spirits, ghosts, demons, angels, or gods. The concept of spirit possession exists in many cultures and religions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Haitian Vodou, Dominican Vudú, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Wicca, and Southeast Asian, African, and Native American traditions. Depending on the cultural context in which it is found, possession may be thought of as voluntary or involuntary and may be considered to have beneficial or detrimental effects on the host. The experience of spirit possession sometimes serves as evidence in support of belief in the existence of spirits, deities or demons. In a 1969 study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, spirit-possession beliefs were found to exist in 74% of a sample of 488 societies in all parts of the world, with the highest numbers of believing societies in Pacific cultures and the lowest incidence among Native Americans of both North and South America. As Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian churches move into both African and Oceanic areas, a merger of belief can take place, with demons becoming representative of the "old" indigenous religions, which Christian ministers attempt to exorcise.
Christian demonology is the study of demons from a Christian point of view. It is primarily based on the Bible, the interpretation of these scriptures, the writings of early Christianity philosophers, hermits, and the associated traditions and legends incorporated from other beliefs.
Spiritual warfare is the Christian concept of fighting against the work of preternatural evil forces. It is based on the belief in evil spirits, or demons, that are said to intervene in human affairs in various ways. Although spiritual warfare is a prominent feature of neo-charismatic churches, various other Christian denominations and groups have also adopted practices rooted in the concepts of spiritual warfare, with Christian demonology often playing a key role in these practices and beliefs, or had older traditions of such a concept unrelated to the neo-charismatic movement, such as the exorcistic prayers of the Catholic Church and the various Eastern Orthodox churches. The term spiritual warfare is used broadly by different Christian movements and in different contexts: "by charismatics, evangelicals, and Calvinists, and applied to missiology, counseling, and women."
In some religions, an exorcist is a person who is believed to be able to cast out the devil or performs the ridding of demons or other supernatural beings who are alleged to have possessed a person, or (sometimes) a building or object. An exorcist can be a specially prepared or instructed person including: priest, a nun, a monk, a witch doctor (healer), a shaman, a psychic or a geomancer.
Brian N. Connor was an American pastor and exorcist who also taught people about spiritual warfare.
The Neo-charismaticmovement is a movement within evangelical Protestant Christianity that is composed of a diverse range of independent churches and organizations that emphasize the current availability of gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and faith healing. The Neo-charismatic movement is considered to be the "third wave" of the Charismatic Christian tradition which began with Pentecostalism, and was furthered by the Charismatic movement. As a result of the growth of postdenominational and independent charismatic groups, Neo-charismatics are now believed to be more numerous than the first and second wave categories. As of 2002, some 19,000 denominations or groups, with approximately 295 million individual adherents, were identified as Neo-charismatic.
Exorcism is the religious or spiritual practice of evicting demons, jinns, or other malevolent spiritual entities from a person, or an area, that is believed to be possessed. Depending on the spiritual beliefs of the exorcist, this may be done by causing the entity to swear an oath, performing an elaborate ritual, or simply by commanding it to depart in the name of a higher power. The practice is ancient and part of the belief system of many cultures and religions.
Frank Davis Hammond was an American author of Christian books, particularly on deliverance ministry. In 1980 Hammond founded the Children's Bread Ministry with his wife Ida Mae Hammond. Hammond was an alumnus of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
The Spirit of Jesus Church was registered in 1941 in Japan by Murai Jun. The church was named in accordance with a heavenly vision he reportedly received in 1941. The core mission of the Spirit of Jesus Church is defined in the Gospel of Mark 16:15-18. There he instructed his disciples to preach the gospel and baptize the believers, and promised the power to perform miracles, cast out demons, speaking in tongues, and heal the sick. It is one of the fastest-growing Christian bodies in Japan, having increased its membership from 34,477 in 1970 to 433,108 at the end of the 1980s. Taken at face value, the Spirit of Jesus Church is one of the largest new religious movements in Japan. They also reject the Trinitarian doctrine and claims to be the only true Christian church in the world.
In English translations of the Bible, unclean spirit is a common rendering of Greek pneuma akatharton, which in its single occurrence in the Septuagint translates Hebrew ruaḥ tum'ah.
Buda, in Ethiopian and Eritrean folk religion, is the power of the evil eye and the ability to change into a hyena. Buda is generally believed by the wider society to be a power held and wielded by those in a different social group, for example among the Beta Israel or metalworkers. The belief is also present in Sudan, Tanzania, and among the Berber people in Morocco.
The Rite is a 2011 supernatural horror film directed by Mikael Håfström and written by Michael Petroni. It is loosely based on Matt Baglio's book The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist, which itself is based on actual events as witnessed and recounted by American then-exorcist-in-training Father Gary Thomas and his experiences of being sent to Rome to be trained and work daily with veteran clergy of the practice.
Clara Germana Cele was a South African Christian girl, who in 1906, was said to be possessed by a demon.
In the late 1940s, in the United States, priests of the Catholic Church performed a series of exorcisms on an anonymous boy, documented under the pseudonym "Roland Doe" or "Robbie Mannheim". The 14-year-old boy was said to be a victim of demonic possession, and the events were recorded by the attending priest, Raymond J. Bishop. Subsequent supernatural claims surrounding the events were used as elements in William Peter Blatty's 1971 novel The Exorcist. In December 2021, The Skeptical Inquirer reported the purported true identity of Roland Doe/Robbie Mannheim as Ronald Edwin Hunkeler.
Michael Taylor became notable in England in 1974 as a result of the Ossett murder case and his alleged demonic possession.
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.
The Catholic Church authorizes the use of exorcism for those who are believed to be the victims of demonic possession. Initial guidelines were issue in 1614. In Roman Catholicism, exorcism is a sacramental but not a sacrament, unlike baptism or confession. Unlike a sacrament, exorcism's "integrity and efficacy do not depend ... on the rigid use of an unchanging formula or on the ordered sequence of prescribed actions. Its efficacy depends on two elements: authorization from valid and licit Church authorities, and the faith of the exorcist." The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "When the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism."
In Islam, the belief that spiritual entities—particularly, jinn—can possess a person,, is widespread; as is the belief that the jinn and devils can be expelled from the possessed person through exorcism. This practice is called al-'azm or ruqya, and exorcists are called raqi.
The expression minor exorcism can be used in a technical sense or a general sense. The general sense indicates any exorcism which is not a solemn exorcism of a person believed to be possessed, including various forms of deliverance ministry. This article deals only with the technical sense which specifically refers to certain prayers used with persons preparing to become baptised members of the churches which makes use of such rites. These prayers request God's assistance so that the person to be baptised will be kept safe from the power of Satan or protected in a more general way from temptation.
{{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)K. P. Yohannan [founder of the Believers Eastern Church] says, "Have you considered why there is so much tension and fighting over placing a small piece of cloth on one's head? When a woman wears the symbol of God's government, a head covering, she is essentially a rebuke to all the fallen angels. Her actions tell them, 'You have rebelled against the Holy God, but I submit to Him and His headship. I choose not to follow your example of rebellion and pride.'"