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added sections on orthodoxy, lutheranism, and methodism
Opponents of Jesus accused him of casting out demons "by the power of Beelzebub",<ref>And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons." [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 3:22 ([[NIV]])</ref> a charge generally dismissed by Christians.
Opponents of Jesus accused him of casting out demons "by the power of Beelzebub",<ref>And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons." [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 3:22 ([[NIV]])</ref> a charge generally dismissed by Christians.
==The modern era==
==Practice in the Christian Church==
==== Eastern Orthodoxy ====
{{rquote|right|Receive the exorcisms with devotion...Divine exorcisms, borrowed from the Scripture, purify the soul.<ref name="Moine de l'Eglise d'Orient - Exorcism">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=J7abX63aB4IC&pg=PA44&dq=orthodox+exorcism&lr=&cd=16#v=onepage&q=orthodox%20exorcism&f=false|title=Orthodox Spirituality: An Outline of the Orthodox Ascetical and Mystical Tradition|quote=St. Cyril of Jerusalem writes: "Receive the exorcisms with devotion...Divine exorcisms, borrowed from the Scripture, purify the soul."|publisher =[[St Vladimir's Seminary Press]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref>|[[St. Cyril of Jerusalem]]}}
In modern times, exorcism is largely a [[Catholic]] rite.
In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], [[demon possession|demonic activity]] is inextricably associated with [[disease]] and [[blight]].<ref name="John Anthony McGuckin">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=u4i8jv0b7IkC&pg=PA138&dq=orthodox+exorcism&lr=&cd=20#v=onepage&q=orthodox%20exorcism&f=false|quote= In the Orthodox service books the prayers of exorcism attributed to '''''Basil the Great''''' are still in use, for common as well as particular cases of need. In the Latin church the rite of exorcism is now very rarely used, and then only with episcopal permission. The exorcism prayers continue the ancient association of sickness and blight with demonic activity, and the blessings of beasts and fields in the Orthodox service books to this day make a regular pairing of the ideas.|title= The Westminster handbook to patristic theology|publisher =[[Westminster John Knox Press]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> As a result, exorcisms are quite common, even finding their way in rituals involving the blessing of [[Field (agriculture)|fields]].<ref name="John Anthony McGuckin">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=u4i8jv0b7IkC&pg=PA138&dq=orthodox+exorcism&lr=&cd=20#v=onepage&q=orthodox%20exorcism&f=false|quote= In the Orthodox service books the prayers of exorcism attributed to '''''Basil the Great''''' are still in use, for common as well as particular cases of need. In the Latin church the rite of exorcism is now very rarely used, and then only with episcopal permission. The exorcism prayers continue the ancient association of sickness and blight with demonic activity, and the blessings of beasts and fields in the Orthodox service books to this day make a regular pairing of the ideas.|title= The Westminster handbook to patristic theology|publisher =[[Westminster John Knox Press]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> The exorcism ritual, found in the ''[[Euchologion]]'', is that of [[Basil of Caesarea|St. Basil the Great]].<ref name="John Anthony McGuckin">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=u4i8jv0b7IkC&pg=PA138&dq=orthodox+exorcism&lr=&cd=20#v=onepage&q=orthodox%20exorcism&f=false|quote= In the Orthodox service books the prayers of exorcism attributed to '''''Basil the Great''''' are still in use, for common as well as particular cases of need. In the Latin church the rite of exorcism is now very rarely used, and then only with episcopal permission. The exorcism prayers continue the ancient association of sickness and blight with demonic activity, and the blessings of beasts and fields in the Orthodox service books to this day make a regular pairing of the ideas.|title= The Westminster handbook to patristic theology|publisher =[[Westminster John Knox Press]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> The [[baptism]] liturgy in Eastern Orthodoxy also contains an exorcism ritual.<ref name="Irving Hexham">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=79uJxu1TMFYC&pg=PA49&dq=orthodox+exorcism&lr=&cd=14#v=onepage&q=orthodox%20exorcism&f=false|quote=In the Orthodox Church exorcism is practiced prior to baptism.|title= Pocket Dictionary of New Religious Movements |publisher =[[InterVarsity Press]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref><ref name="Moine de l'Eglise d'Orient - Baptism">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=J7abX63aB4IC&pg=PA44&dq=orthodox+exorcism&lr=&cd=16#v=onepage&q=orthodox%20exorcism&f=false|title=Orthodox Spirituality: An Outline of the Orthodox Ascetical and Mystical Tradition|quote=In the Orthodox rites of Baptism, this liberating action of Christ is expressed in the denial of Satan by the catechumens and in the exorcisms of the priest.|publisher =[[St Vladimir's Seminary Press]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref>
[[Martin Malachi]] wrote a book about this in the 1970s, and a movie (''[[The Exorcist]]'' (1973)) dramatized the topic.
see [[Jeremy Davies]] and [[Gabriele Amorth]] for contemporary practitioners.
==== Lutheranism ====
The [[Lutheran Church]] traces the practice of exorcism to the Scriptural claim that [[Jesus Christ]] expelled demons with a simple command (Mark 1:23–26; 9:14–29; Luke 11:14–26).<ref name="LCMS-Exorcism">{{cite web|url = http://www.lcms.org/ca/www/cyclopedia/02/display.asp?t1=E&word=EXORCISM| title = Exorcism|publisher = Lutheran Church Missouri Synod|accessdate = 2009–05–27}}</ref> The [[Apostle (Christian)|apostles]] continued the practice with the power and in the name of Jesus (Matthew 10:1; Acts 19:11–16).<ref name="LCMS-Exorcism"/> Contrary to some [[Christian denomination|denominations]] of [[Christianity]], Lutheranism affirms that the individual, both the believer and the non-believer, can be plagued by demons, based on several arguments, including the one that "just as a believer, whom Jesus Christ has delivered from sin (Romans 6:18), can still be bound by sin in his life, so he can still be bound by a demon in his life."<ref name="Kaohsiung Lutheran Mission-Exorcism">{{cite web|url = http://johnsmith.asia/can_christians.htm| title = Can a Christian Have a Demon?|publisher = Kaohsiung Lutheran Mission|accessdate = 2009–05–27}}</ref>
After the [[Protestant Reformation]], [[Martin Luther]] abbreviated the Roman ritual used for exorcism.<ref name="Christian Classics Ethereal Library-Exorcism">{{cite web|url = http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/encyc/encyc04/htm/ii.vii.htm| title = Exorcism|publisher = Christian Classics Ethereal Library|accessdate = 2009–05–27}}</ref> In 1526, the ritual was further abbreviated and the [[Insufflation|exsufflation]] was omitted. This form of the ''Lutheran Ritual for Exorcism'' was incorporated into the majority of the Lutheran service-books and implemented.<ref name="Christian Classics Ethereal Library-Exorcism"/><ref name="Ferber-Lutheran Exorcism">{{cite book |last=Ferber|first=Sarah|title=Demonic possession and exorcism in early modern France|year=2004 |publisher=Routledge|page=38|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=DNS5oatndpUC&pg=PA38&lpg=PA38&dq=exorcism+lutheran&source=bl&ots=Fu9K0BClts&sig=2VDybAx064WNAL03kxu5jm1tr_E&hl=en&ei=NdMcSo7VMZGMNeejtJUP&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10#PPA38,M1|accessdate=2009-05-25|isbn=0415212650}}</ref> According to a Pastoral Handbook of the [[Lutheran Church]], {{cquote|In general, satanic possession is nothing other than an action of the devil by which, from God's permission, men are urged to sin, and he occupies their bodies, in order that they might lose eternal salvation. Thus bodily possession is an action by which the devil, from divine permission, possesses both pious and impious men in such a way that he inhabits their bodies not only according to activity, but also according to essence, and torments them, either for the punishment or for the discipline and testing of men, and for the glory of divine justice, mercy, power, and wisdom.<ref name="Christian Classics Ethereal Library-Exorcism"/><ref name="Mayes-Lutheran Exorcism"/>}} These pastoral manuals warn that oftentimes, symptoms such as ecstasy, epileptic seizures, lethargy, insanity, and a frantic state of mind, are the results of natural causes and should not be mistaken for [[demon possession]].<ref name="Mayes-Lutheran Exorcism">{{cite web|url = http://www.angelfire.com/ny4/djw/lutherantheology.demonpossession.html| title = Quotes and Paraphrases from Lutheran Pastoral Handbooks of the 16th and 17th Centuries on the Topic of Demon Possession|publisher = David Jay Webber|accessdate = 2009–05–27}} </ref> According to the Lutheran Church, primary symptoms that may indicate demon possession and the need of an exorcism include:
#The knowledge of secret things, for example, being able to predict the future (Acts 16:16), find lost people or things, or know complex things that one has never learned (e.g., medicine). It is said that fortune-tellers often ask a spirit for help and that this spirit gives them certain powers. In that case, the evil spirit is assisting, not necessarily possessing the person bodily.<ref name="Mayes-Lutheran Exorcism"/>
#The knowledge of languages one has never learned. Just as the devil can bind one's tongue (Luke 11:14), it is reported from the early church as well as the time of the Reformation that certain demon-possessed people could speak languages they had never learned.<ref name="Mayes-Lutheran Exorcism"/>
#Supernatural strength (Mark 5:2-3), far beyond what they previously had or should have considering their sex and size. Much caution in judging demon possession is required. All of the circumstances and symptoms must be taken into consideration. Insanity should not be confused with possession. On the other hand, possession may be taking place even where these symptoms are absent.<ref name="Mayes-Lutheran Exorcism"/>
The Church lists the secondary symptoms of horrible shouting (Mark 5:5), [[blasphemy]] of [[Holy Trinity|God]] and jeering at one's neighbor, deformation of movements (e.g. ferocious movements, facial contortion, immodest laughing, gnashing of teeth, spitting, removing clothes, lacerating self, Mk. 9:20; Lk. 8:26f.), inhuman revelry (e.g. when they take food beyond the capability of nature), torment of bodies, unusual injuries of the body and of those nearby, extraordinary motion of bodies (e.g., an elderly man who, being demon-possessed, was able to run as fast as a horse), and forgetfulness of things done.<ref name="Mayes-Lutheran Exorcism"/> Other symptoms include the corruption of reason in man, which make him like an animal, melancholy, the acceleration of death (Mark 9:18 [suicide attempts]), and the presence of other supernatural occurrences.<ref name="Mayes-Lutheran Exorcism"/>
After these determinations have been made, the Church recommends experienced physicians to determine whether there is a medical explanation for the behaviour of the individual.<ref name="Mayes-Lutheran Exorcism"/> When a true possession is recognized, the poor one is to be committed to the care of a [[Minister (Christianity)|minister of the Church]] who teaches sound doctrine, is of a blameless life, who does nothing for the sake of filthy lucre, but does everything from the soul.<ref name="Mayes-Lutheran Exorcism"/> The pastor is then to diligently inquire what kind of life the possessed one led up to this point and lead him or her through the law to the recognition of his [[sins]].<ref name="Mayes-Lutheran Exorcism"/> After this admonition or consolation has taken place, the works of a natural physician are to be used, who will cleanse the possessed one from malicious fluids with the appropriate medicines.<ref name="Mayes-Lutheran Exorcism"/> The Pastoral Handbook then states:{{cquote|
*Let the confession of the Christian faith be once required of Him, let him be taught concerning the works of the devil destroyed by Christ, let him be sent back faithfully to this Destroyer of Satan, Jesus Christ, let an exhortation be set up to faith in Christ, to prayers, to [[penitence]].
*Let ardent prayers be poured forth to God, not only by the ministers of the Church, but also by the whole Church. Let these prayers be conditioned, if the liberation should happen for God's glory and the salvation of the possessed person, for this is an evil of the body.
*With the prayers let [[fasting]] be joined, see Matthew 17:21.
*[[Alms]] by friends of the possessed person, Tobit 12:8-9.
*Let the [[Confession of faith|confession of the Christian faith]] be once required of Him, let him be taught concerning the works of the devil destroyed by Christ, let him be sent back faithfully to this Destroyer of Satan, Jesus Christ, let an exhortation be set up to faith in Christ, to prayers, to penitence.<ref name="Mayes-Lutheran Exorcism"/>}}
====Methodism====
The [[United Methodist Church]] holds that the ritual of exorcism involves "the casting out of an objective power of evil which has gained possession of a person."<ref name="The Methodist Church-Exorcism (1)">{{cite book|title=The Methodist Conference - Friday 25th June, 1976 (Preston)|quote=...the casting out of an objective power of evil which has gained possession of a person.|publisher = The Methodist Church of Great Britain|accessdate = 2008–05–23}}</ref> Moreover, the Methodist Church teaches that "the authority to exorcise has been given to the Church as one of the ways in which Christ's Ministry is continued in the world."<ref name="The Methodist Church-Exorcism (2)">{{cite book|title=The Methodist Conference - Friday 25th June, 1976 (Preston)|quote=...the authority to exorcise has been given to the Church as one of the ways in which Christ's Ministry is continued in the world.|publisher = The Methodist Church of Great Britain|accessdate = 2008–05–23}}</ref> [[Elder (Methodism)|Ordained clergy]] must first consult the [[District Superintendent (United Methodist Church)|district superintendent]] in order to perform an exorcism.<ref name="The Methodist Church-Exorcism (3)">{{cite book|title=The Methodist Conference - Friday 25th June, 1976 (Preston)|quote=The form of any service of healing for those believed to be possessed should be considered in consultation with the ministerial staff of the circuit (or in one-minister circuits with those whom the Chairman of the District suggests).|publisher = The Methodist Church of Great Britain|accessdate = 2008–05–23}}</ref> The Methodist Church holds that it is of great importance to ensure that the presence and love of Christ is assured to the individual(s) seeking help.<ref name="The Methodist Church-Exorcism (4)">{{cite book|title=The Methodist Conference - Friday 25th June, 1976 (Preston)|quote=Since pastoral guidance is first and foremost concerned to assure the presence and love of Christ, it is important to follow this practice in these cases also.|publisher = The Methodist Church of Great Britain|accessdate = 2008–05–23}}</ref> In addition, the ministry of the "bible, prayer and sacraments" should be extended to these individuals as well.<ref name="The Methodist Church-Exorcism (5)">{{cite book|title=The Methodist Conference - Friday 25th June, 1976 (Preston)|quote=The ministry of bible, prayer and sacraments should be extended to those seeking help. |publisher = The Methodist Church of Great Britain|accessdate = 2008–05–23}}</ref> A combination of these things has been proven to be effective.<ref name="Westminster Methodist Central Hall-Exorcism">{{cite web|url = http://www.methodist-central-hall.org.uk/sermons/MartinTurnerSermons/ExorcismIn2006.pdf| title = Exorcism in 2006|publisher = Westminster Methodist Central Hall (Rev. Martin Turner)|accessdate = 2009–05–25}}</ref> For example, in one particular situation, a Roman Catholic woman believed that her house was haunted, and therefore consulted her [[Priesthood (Catholic Church)|priest]] for assistance. Since he was not available to drive the [[demons]] from the woman's home, she contacted a Methodist pastor, who exorcised the evil spirits from a room, which was believed to be the source of distress in the house, and celebrated [[Holy Communion]] in the same place;<ref name="Westminster Methodist Central Hall-Exorcism"/> following these actions, there was no longer any problem in the house.<ref name="Westminster Methodist Central Hall-Exorcism"/>
==Notable exorcists==
*[[Martin Malachi]]
*[[Jeremy Davies]]
*[[Gabriele Amorth]]
==Notable cases==
==Notable cases==