When Discernment Fails: The Case for Outcome Studies on Exorcism

Abstract

Prompted by the author's own encounter with six patients who had previously undergone exorcism or deliverance prayer, this article critically examines the modern criteria for possession and demonization found in the evangelical Christian literature and reviews contemporary empirical research on exorcism. Some suggestions for future research are also presented. The increasing awareness of dissociation and the preliminary findings of negative sequelae for some exorcisms argue for the necessity of outcome studies in this area. Empirical research should be viewed as a valuable adjunctive resource rather than a threat to the spiritual discernment process.

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