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Spirit Possession Perspectives on Pastoral Assessment and Care

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Theology ︱ Dr Marta Illueca Spirit possession Perspectives on pastoral assessment and care Most of us are familiar with hroughout the past two decades, symptoms that are characteristic of both demonic possession as depicted and despite widespread demonic possession, and mental health in popular culture, for example in T scepticism, there has been an disorders. Practitioners often fail to horror films such as The Exorcist. increase in interest from the academic discern what a patient needs, i.e., medical While these representations community on the phenomenon of attention and psychiatric diagnosis, or are usually exaggerated, they spiritual distress related to spirit or spiritual intervention. The consequences are frequently based on real-life demonic possession. In her graduate of misdiagnosis can compromise well- accounts of the phenomenon. work at Yale Divinity School, Dr Marta being, and lead to social stigma. Evolution of the knowledge about demonic possession. Despite widespread academic Illueca researches the topic of demonic Graphic design by Cynde A. Bimbi, CAB Graphics & Design, USA. scepticism, pastoral care and possession: spirit possession by an evil Dr Illueca notes that formal research mental health practitioners are entity. Her background in both medicine and empirical data are sparse, which possession, and how it differs from or microbial contamination. In the worst of demonic possession is described becoming increasingly aware and theology makes her ideally placed has led to a misrepresentation of those the mental health disorders with which cases the evil spirit controls and uses worldwide across cultures and continents. of the affliction, and the need to inform and advise on this topic. with genuine problems, based on it is commonly confused. Demonic the body as if it were its own. It takes An early study by Bourguignon (1973) for adequate care provision. She states that there is no intention depiction in popular culture such as possession is a real phenomenon and it deliverance prayers, or in extreme cases, suggested North and South America In her recent paper, Dr Marta to prove or disprove the existence of horror films. For this reason, academic should not be ascribed to a psychiatric exorcism, to relieve a victim from this state to be most prominent in their belief Illueca collates the empirical spirits, the aim is to apply academic work such as hers is desperately needed condition any more than mental illness of possession. in spirit possession. Knowledge and data on spirit possession from rigor as far as possible in reviewing so that those with spiritual afflictions can should not be treated as demonic- understanding of local ritual practices is the medical and humanities belief in spirits, and their potential role be protected from social marginalisation induced. Hence, professional evaluation Dr Illueca’s scholarly paper tabulates the important for discerning whether spiritual literature, and aims to provide in causing disturbing conditions requiring and receive the professional care they and diagnosis is an essential step. key empirical data on the demographics, or psycho-social assistance is needed. a point of reference to benefit professional attention. need. In cases suspected of demonic those working in pastoral and healthcare settings. possession, individuals should be referred One classical characterisation of spirit DEMONIC POSSESSION AND for pastoral care, which may include the possession appears to lie in the scriptures Spirit possession should not be seen DELIVERANCE MINISTRIES use of deliverance ministries. This is a of the Judeo-Christian Bible where spirits Regardless of medical beliefs related to collective term used to describe prayer- are described as benign e.g., the Holy as an isolated rare spiritual condition spiritual afflictions (or lack thereof), the based interventions that act to cleanse Spirit, or malignant e.g., Satan/the devil. phenomena related to spiritual oppression a person of demons and evil spirits, While it is commonly believed that the but rather as a spectrum of and demonic possession are real for the and aid, in multi-disciplinary fashion with devil is mainly a by-product of the New manifestations of increasing complexity. affected person. People suffering from the physical, psychological, emotional, Testament (the Christian portion of the demonic possession often experience and spiritual problems that are attributed Bible), in the Old Testament’s Book of natural history and use of exorcism Mainstream Christian religion is extreme physical, emotional, and spiritual to them. The interventions can range from the Law called “Deuteronomy” the in cases of spirit or demonic possession. becoming more organised around pain, which calls for attention, careful specific deliverance prayers, to ritual- existence of demons as antagonistic Acknowledgment of spirit possession the practice of deliverance ministries evaluation, and professional assistance. based exorcism reserved for the extreme, to God is cited. For believers, there is in the pastoral and psychology literature with formal training and credentialing This could be pastoral care, mental rare cases of possession. The deliverance potential for influence from either type is increasing, and the phenomenon of exorcists. One of the fundamental healthcare, or a combination of both team is a multi-disciplinary group that of spirits, for example in the Gospel of depending on the individual needs. often includes ministers, social workers, Mark, Jesus was “driven” to the desert Determining the kind of care a person and psychologists. by the Spirit of God where he was requires can be difficult tempted by a malignant spirit, the devil. because they may LITERATURE ON Although empirical literature is limited, present with DEMONIC POSSESSION, a spiritual syndrome appears to manifest AND DIFFERENTIATION FROM along a spectrum ranging from spiritual MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES vexation, obsession, oppression, and There are two main parts to Dr Illueca’s finally demonic possession. These various paper; first describing and defining manifestations all affect the victim’s demonic possession using primary behaviour and in extreme cases dominate sources and the available literature, the person’s overall being. The term Mainstream Christian religion is becoming One of the fundamental roles of deliverance more organised around the practice of ministers is to ascertain whether the and secondly presenting a review of spiritual infestation is used by Dr Illueca deliverance ministries. affliction observed has a spiritual basis. the defining characteristics of demonic as a description comparable to a parasitic www.researchoutreach.org www.researchoutreach.org Dr Illueca’s four-step approach for management. roles of deliverance ministers is to ascertain whether the affliction observed Clinical Spectrum Risk Factors Behind the Research has a spiritual basis. The Roman Ritual • Vexation • Psychosocial / (the original official ritual work of the • Obsession life history • Oppression • Childhood or Dr Marta Illueca Catholic Church compiled in 1614) • Possession recent trauma explains traditional signs of demonic • Occult practices, Aware Anticipate cultic rituals, Ouija possession based on early Christian E: [email protected] sources and practitioners’ observations. 1 2 Although the supportive scientific proof 3 4 is limited, there is consensus within Clinical History Consider Detail References deliverance ministry circles around • Mental illness • Medical exam • Hallucinations, Assess Refer • Psychological the distinct characteristics of these behavioural patterns evaluation The Episcopal Church in Delaware Illueca, M. (2019). Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Spirit signs, and they are still used today as • Spirit possession signs • Prayerful support 913 Wilson Road Possession and Deliverance Ministries. Journal of Pastoral criteria for diagnosis. The four criteria • Deliverance ministry Wilmington, Delaware 19803 Care and Counselling, 72 (4), 269-277. are: newly developed fluency by the USA patient in a foreign tongue; knowledge American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and of hidden things such as identifying Graphic design by Cynde A. Bimbi, CAB Graphics & Design, USA. Bio statistical manual of mental disorders (5th edition). Arlington, hidden objects or private details related Marta Illueca, MD, MDiv, MSc is a physician and an ordained VA: American Psychiatric Association. to those present; supernatural strength diagnosis in order to tailor treatment for those afflicted. Having reviewed Episcopal priest who holds master’s degrees from Yale that is disproportionate to the size of and avoid the potentially dangerous the available medical data and spiritual Divinity School and Tufts University School of Medicine. Bourguignon, E. (1973). Religion, altered states of the person; and an aversion to sacred consequences misdiagnosis can lead literature, Dr Illueca recommends Her career spans three decades including Pediatric consciousness and social change. Columbus, OH: The Ohio objects such as the Christian cross, Holy to. In contrast to spiritual afflictions, a four-step approach to the assessment Digestive Diseases at Weill-Cornell Medical College, State University Press. Water or the Bible. When all four of psychiatric disorders are diagnosed by and management of spiritual distress New York, pharmaceutical research and she is a Fellow of these are present, they are considered medical professionals who use a specific for people
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