With five Ghostbusters movies and the seventh Exorcist movie in the works, clearly the world has a fascination with expelling demons from the human body. Whether it be a single priest or a rag-tag team of former SNL stars, we love to watch them take on demonic forces in an epic battle for good vs. evil. While Hollywood largely depicts exorcists as Catholic priests, you may be surprised to know that many major religions still practice this head spinning ritual.
Let's dive into the ectoplasm to uncover the religions that continue to perform exorcisms to this day.
Christianity:
Exorcisms can be found in the Bible and are still performed to cast out demons believed to possess people. Like Catholics, most other Christian sects recognize the practice of exorcism to some degree.
Pentecostal - Spontaneous and at times "highly theatrical" exorcisms are performed by both priests and laypeople. Think: "The power of Christ compels you!"
Episcopalian - Following a more traditional route, a special request is submitted to a bishop who assigns a priest to perform the rite using prayer and scripture.
Anglican - In 2019, priests joined the annual exorcism training by the Catholic church for the first time. Anglican priests, like many other Christian faiths, support a multidisciplinary approach with medical assessments prior to the use of holy water and prayers.
Methodist - Amusingly, one of the theological schools call their exorcists "The X-Team." A team of 2- 3 priests follow an administratively-heavy guide that outlines safeguards including age requirements, informed consent, multidisciplinary support, and continued care for the possessed.
Eastern Orthodoxy - Every priest is authorized to perform exorcisms which include prayer, scripture, hymns, and anointings with oil. Exorcism is usually automatically included with the baptismal rite.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Rare recorded incidents describe evil spirits departing when a Melchizedek Priesthood holder (most male church members) performs a healing blessing in the name of Jesus Christ. The first miracle conducted in the restored church was an exorcism.
Lutheran - Once part of the baptismal rite, exorcisms are now conducted on an as-needed basis with little fanfare by reciting liturgical scriptures and prayers.
Exorcisms, or ruqya, are considered one of the greatest forms of jihad. All Muslims are duty-bound to come to the rescue of someone possessed by commanding the jinn to leave, cursing it, and reciting scripture. If all else fails, the acting exorcist may beat the possessed to injure the jinn while it is believed the possessed feels no pain.
Within the Jewish mystical tradition of Kabbalah, rabbis take a merciful approach with dybbuks (similar to ghosts with unfinished business). Scripture is recited, a shofar blown, followed by a bit of a therapy session between the rabbi and dybbuk. The spirit works through it's affliction and continues on it's journey to the afterlife.
Deities, ghosts, and demons are cast out through the use of mantras, holy water, sacred symbols, and reciting the names of deities. Thousands of Hindus make pilgrimages to the Mehandipur Balaji temple in India, a site famous for regularly performing large-scale exorcisms. It is not a place for the faint of heart and tourists should do their research before choosing to visit this sacred site.
During katsune-tsuki, a person is possessed by an evil fox spirit. Rather than chanting or anointing, Shinto priests use methods that make for an arguably better story to later tell. The spirit chooses to leave the possessed after a thorough talking-to by the priest, is tricked into investigating tasty food that has been set out, or is repulsed by a dog's licking.
Varying by each particular tradition, Buddhist exorcists are generally temple priests who read scripture, burn incense, or scare the spirit away. The spirits are commonly scared off by haunting sounds, fasting, immersion in frigid water, or by slapping the possessed person.
Healers or medicine people (usually men) often induce a shamanistic trance through the use of sweat lodges, medicinal herbs, chanting, drumming, dancing, or isolation. These practices vary by tribe but ultimately focus on peacefully communicating with the spirit and restoring harmony.
Conclusion:
Though it can feel like the modern world scoffs at a sincere belief in the supernatural, most world religions practice exorcisms to this day. Who knew? The practice of exorcism has persisted through millennia and proves that movies may be closer to reality than we think.
So, who YOU gonna call when the supernatural finds you?
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