Possession & Exorcism in the New Testament & Early Christianity

by Eric Sorensen, Martin Hengel (Editor), Jörg Frey (Editor)

The author studies the origins & early development of exorcism in Christianity as well as the importance of demonic & divine spiritual possession in early Christian self-definition. Contents the ancient Near east-affliction & conjuration in ancient Mesopotamia, pollution & purification in Zoroastrianism. Ancient Israel & Early Judaism-possession & exorcism in the Hebrew Bible & Septuagint, Pseudepigrapha, Dead Sea Scrolls. Early Greece-the Gods, the Greek Daimon, avenging spirits, the Erinyes, possession & prophetic inspiration, illness, madness, binding the possessed, medicine & possession, cultic healing. The New Testament-Demons, the significance, terminology & authority of exorcism, Deity & divine possession. Early Christianity-transferal of cult, magic & exorcism, wisdom, visual rhetoric, possession & ethics, heresy, exorcism & initiation, charismatic exorcism. Bibliography. Reference index. Author Index. Subject Index.

306 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002