Exorcism and Enlightenment: Johann Joseph Gassner and the Demons of Eighteenth-Century Germany (Terry Lectures

by H.C. Erik Midelfort

In the late eighteenth century, Catholic priest Johann Joseph Gassner (1727–1779) discovered that he had extraordinary powers of exorcism. Deciding that demons were responsible for most human ailments, he healed thousands, rich and poor, Protestant and Catholic. In this book H. C. Erik Midelfort delves deeply into records of the time to explore Gassner’s remarkable exorcising campaign, chronicle the official efforts to curb him, and reconstruct the sufferings of the afflicted.

Gassner’s activities triggered a Catholic religious revival as well as a noisy skeptical reaction. In response to those who doubted that he was really casting out demons, Gassner marshaled hundreds of eyewitness reports that seemed to prove his exorcisms really worked. Midelfort describes the enormous public controversy that resulted, and he demonstrates that the Gassner episode yields important insights into the German Enlightenment and Counter-Enlightenment, the limitations of eighteenth-century debate, and the ongoing role of magic and belief in an age of scientific enlightenment.

Genres: Nonfiction

233 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2005

About the author

Hans Christian Erik Midelfort (born 1942), is C. Julian Bishko Professor Emeritus of History and Religious Studies at the University of Virginia. He is a specialist of the German Reformation and the history of Christianity in Early Modern Europe.

Midelfort was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and attended Yale University where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in History in 1964. He remained at Yale for graduate studies in History under the supervision of Jaroslav Pelikan and other noted scholars such as Hajo Holborn, J. H. Hexter, and Edmund S. Morgan. Midelfort graduated from Yale University in 1970. His first published work Witch Hunting in Southwestern Germany, 1562–1684: The Social and Intellectual Foundations was published by Stanford University Press, and was awarded the 1973 Gustav O. Arlt Award in the Humanities by the Council of Graduate Schools.

Midelfort was a professor at Stanford University between 1968 and 1970, and he has also acted a visiting scholar at University of Bern, Universität Stuttgart, Harvard University, and at Oxford University where he was a visiting scholar at Wolfson College and visiting fellow at All Souls College. Midelfort was member of the Corcoran Department of History at the University of Virginia from 1970 until his retirement in May 2008 when he delivered his final undergraduate lecture on the topic of "Magic and Modernity".

In addition to his early work on witchcraft, Midelfort is best known for "Mad Princes of Renaissance Germany" and A History of Madness in Sixteenth-Century Germany. Both studies on madness were awarded by the Sixteenth Century Society and Conference with the Roland Bainton Prize for the best book of the year in History and Theology. Midelfort is one of the two scholars to win the award a second time. Phi Beta Kappa gave its Ralph Waldo Emerson Award to A History of Madness in Sixteenth-Century Germany. More recently, Midelfort published Exorcism and Enlightenment: Johann Joseph Gassner and the Demons of 18th-Century Germany which emerged from his time as lecturer-in-residence as the Terry Lecturer in Yale University.

Because of his extensive work in translation of secondary sources, Midelfort is also well known for strengthening connections between his German and American colleagues. Among the seminal works Midelfort translated from German on German Reformation are Peter Blickle’s The Revolution of 1525: The German Peasants’ War from a New Perspective, and Bernd Moeller’s Imperial Cities and the Reformation, Three Essays.

During his tenure as scholar Midelfort has been awarded grants from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Furthermore, in 2004, Midelfort was recipient of a festschrift, or commemorative volume, presented by German colleagues: Wider alle Hexerei und Teufelswerk: Die europäische Hexenverfolgung und ihre Auswirkungen auf Südwestdeutschland, eds. Sönke Lorenz and Jürgen Michael Schmidt. In 2008, Midelfort received second festschrift, Ideas and Cultural Margins in Early Modern Germany (eds. Marjorie Elizabeth Plummer and Robin Barnes). In the Spring of 2011, Midelfort was also awarded the Ellen Maria Gorrissen Prize from the American Academy in Berlin.

Most recently, a collection of Midelfort articles and other writings has been published as Witchcraft, Madness, Society, and Religion in Early Modern Germany: A Ship of Fools.

H. C. Erik Midelfort is married to Anne McKeithen. They live in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Reviews

[Sud Alogu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exorcism and Enlightenment: Johann Joseph Gassner and the Demons of Eighteenth-Century Germany by H.C. Erik Midelfort is an in-depth exploration into the life and work of one of the most renowned exorcists in eighteenth century Europe—Johann Joseph Gassner. It examines how the Church, society, and science reacted to his unique brand of faith healing during a period when scientific advances clashed with religious beliefs.

At its core, Exorcism and Enlightenment is an examination of the complex relationship between religion, science, and superstition in late eighteenth century Europe. Midelfort focuses on Johann Joseph Gassner, who gained fame as a faith healer with a penchant for curing patients through exorcisms. While some viewed him as a miracle worker, others saw him as a dangerous charlatan whose methods threatened to undermine organized religion’s authority over spiritual matters.

Midelfort delves into both sides of this debate by examining Gassner’s life in detail. He reveals how Gassner was able to build up such an impressive reputation through his skillful use of rhetoric, which combined traditional religious beliefs with modern scientific ideas. This enabled him to appeal to both religious adherents and rational thinkers alike. Midelfort also describes how Gassner’s methods were embraced by some members of the Catholic Church while being condemned by others, leading to a variety of conflicting opinions about his practice within religious circles.

Exorcism and Enlightenment takes readers on a journey back in time to explore one man’s attempt to reconcile faith with reason during a period when science was rapidly advancing but religious beliefs remained largely unchanged. Through careful analysis of historical documents and firsthand accounts, H.C. Erik Midelfort sheds light on how one man attempted—albeit unsuccessfully—to bridge this gap between two seemingly incompatible worlds. By doing so, he offers valuable insight into how faith continues to exist alongside modern scientific thought even today.

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[Steve Wiggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great little book about an obscure man who had a tremendous impact in the early modern world. Johann Gassner was a name I hadn't encountered, but Midelfort demonstrates how he illustrates the fact that the Enlightenment didn't spell the end to magical worldviews. It likely never will. More remarks on this book may be found here: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World.