The History of Exorcism

by Adam Blai

Due to the advancement of observable evil in our society, the topic of exorcism has increasingly come to the forefront in the West in this century. In Hollywood movies, exorcism has often been sensationalized and misconstrued. Although volumes have been written about demons and exorcism, little has been explained about what solemn exorcism really is within the larger context of deliverance ministry. But now, Church-decreed expert on demonology and exorcism Adam Blai thoroughly explores the roots of exorcism and breaks open its significance for you. You will find answers to wide-ranging questions such Is possession an exclusively Christian phenomenon, or is it a universal problem? Did exorcism exist before Jesus, or did He introduce it? If it predated Christianity, how did other cultures see it and deal with it? How do other world religions view the phenomenon of possession and exorcism? Are there other methods of confronting it besides the Catholic rite? Blai lays out how exorcisms were performed in the earliest days of the Church. Over time, a liturgical rite was developed and teachings were provided to safeguard the faithful in the practice of exorcisms. In these pages, Blai
You will learn about how a harpist helped deliver King Saul of an evil spirit and how the spirits of giants tormented people. As you read about the evolution of exorcism, you will observe how strange practices sometimes occurred through the use of magic and superstition. You will also find five exorcism guidelines from the Middle Ages and four signs of genuine possession today. Additionally, you will see how the 1614 rite of exorcism differs from the 1998 rite. You will also find a helpful appendix about how to determine whether a disturbance is spiritual, mental, or medical. Extensive references are included throughout the book.

Genres: History, Catholic

240 pages, Paperback

Published August 15, 2023

About the author

Adam Blai is a Peritus of religious demonology and exorcism for the Pittsburgh diocese. He has been an auxiliary member of the International Association of Exorcists in Rome for a number of years. A regular instructor for the Te Deum Institute of Sacred Liturgy in the Tulsa diocese, Blai provides training for exorcists nationally. He has a Master's in Psychology and has done most of his professional psychological work in forensic settings. Blai is currently working full-time for the Pittsburgh diocese and providing assistance to a number of other dioceses.

Reviews

[Samantha Jungers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, but brief. He really seemed to be going somewhere with the section about the Freemasons leading up to the St. Michael prayer, but then spent less than a page on it, and didn’t make the connection.

[Mason Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Feels very unfinished.