The Church and Exorcism?

Question

I have an aquantaince who feared that they had a Poltergeist in their house and eventually got the local priest into exorcise the place.

I met the priest at the time and he told me that the church does not believe in ghosts or evil spirits and that he is does not carry out exorcisms with a view to ridding a building of spirits but is giving a blessing to the building. I couldn't get much more out of him than that.

Is it me or does anyone else spot a flaw in that logic? Isn't that slightly contradictory to what the church is supposed to believe (i.e the Holy Spirit) and why perform them when they are aware that the occupant fears ghosts?

Very interested if anyone has a logical explanation.

(I'm UK by the way and the priest was Church of England)

Answer 1

I am not familiar with all of the doctrine of the Church of England so I can't say for sure.

The Catholic church certainly believes in and has priest trained in the rite of exorcism. However, this is for people (not homes) that meet the criteria of the church for being possessed by an evil spirit.

Are Catholics allowed in England these days?

The closest American offshoot the Episcopal church also has a rite of exorcism (though rarely talked about in public)

It sound as if the priest blessed the home. I also think he probably thought (but I'm not a mind reader) that it was in their heads and if they believed the blessing would end the activity then the activity would stop (via they wouldn't imagine it anymore).

Please remember that priest are human beings and have all the biases, prejudices, and faults of any other human being.

Psi

Answer 2

He was probably afraid to do an exorcism ..or didn't know how. There are usually priests who are specially trained for doing exorcisms. I don't know about the Church of England..but the Catholic Church says the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel...for protections against evil spirits.

Answer 3

Well being a person that does paranormal investigations, part of my check list is to get as much background on the family due to Drugs etc.. Family problems , bipolar, because you will be so surprised on how many times I have heard my house is haunted, and no it was not. There are other ways other then using the church that pretty much to be honest, spirits don't have a Religious denomination.

You can do this your self, using a Native American traditional way. IF your friend does have a ghost. I am always a skeptic and I work from there. Look in to getting smug sticks, and cleaning the house. you need to do research in Native American. If not find a Wicca group in your area. They can help you as well.

Answer 4

The last sentence of your question is your answer.  To the best of my knowledge, only the Catholic church actually performs exorcisms and then the Priest has to be part of a special order sanctioned to perform them.  Even then each exorcism must be approved

Answer 5

A blessing and an exorcism are not the same thing.  Do not misunderstand, you can never go wrong with a blessing.  But a blessing is a prayer for good things in the dwelling and those in it basically.  An exorcism on the other hand is a ritual conducted to rid a property or person of an inhuman.(demon) It is very hard to obtain an exorcism for the reason that you mentioned and others as well.  There must be "proof positive"  to the satisfaction of the Church in order to have the rite performed.  Then, they still will not readily admit that it ever happened.  That I am afraid is one of the short comings of the modern Church.

Answer 6

It truly depends on the religion itself.

The Catholic religion does believe in exorcism's.  However, there is a lot of red tape that one must go thru to have one performed.

The service of exorcism consists of prayers banishing evil spirits from the catechumen and from persons suffering physical and mental illnesses. The service of exorcism for candidates in baptism is read during the service of catechumens preceding baptism. During the blessing of the water of baptism certain phrases banishing evil are used also.  To banish the demons who tempt people, the Church instituted and uses a special service called exorcism. The verb exorcism comes from the Greek word, exorkizein; ex means "out," and horkizein means "to bind by an oath" from horkos, "oath"; to expel or drive off (an evil spirit) by adjuration, especially by use of a holy name; to deliver (a person, place, etc.) from evil spirits. Consequently exorcism means an act or process of exorcising; conjuration of evil spirits.

Answer 7

Exorcisms, like funerals and other rites, are rituals designed to benefit those who take part in them.  If motions of burning sage, sprinkling special water, making hand gestures convinces a disturbed person that the source of their trauma is being eliminated, then of course they will conduct the ceremony.  It doesn't mean they believe anything outside of the afflicted person is actually taking place.

P.S. Since when was religion ever concerned with logic?

Answer 8

very freaky

Answer 9

First, I believe in Ghosts.  I also believe in Poltergeist.

Asto your question about the priest's statement, I agree with you.  There's nolgic at all.  For all I know and believe, church do believe in spirits and ghosts.  I know these because I use to be a Priest's assistant and I have been to a few exorcism rituals with the priest.