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Demonology: Difference between revisions
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===Christianity=== | ===Christianity=== | ||
'''Christian demonology''' is the study of [[demon]]s from a Christian point of view. It is primarily based on the Bible (Old Testament and New Testament), the exegesis of these scriptures, the scriptures of early Christian philosophers and hermits, tradition, and legends incorporated from other beliefs. | |||
A number of authors throughout Christian history have written about demons for a variety of purposes. Theologians like Thomas Aquinas wrote concerning the behaviors Christians should be aware of,<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/summa/1114.htm Thomas Acquinas's Summa Theologica], Question 114, hosted on New Advent</ref> while witchhunters like Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger wrote about how to find and what to do with people they believed were involved with demons.<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/mm/index.htm Malleus Maleficarum], hosted on the Internet Sacred Text Archive</ref> Some texts are written with instructions on how to summon demons in the name of God and often were claimed to have been written by individuals respected within the Church, such as the Lesser Key of Solomon<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/grim/lks/lks17.htm Lesser Key of Solomon, The Conjuration To Call Forth Any of the Aforesaid Spirits], hosted on Internet Sacred Text Archive</ref> or The Grimoire of Pope Honorius (although these the earliest manuscripts were from well after these individuals had died).<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/grim/bcm/bcm14.htm Arthur Edward Waite, Book of Ceremonial Magic, page 64] [http://www.sacred-texts.com/grim/bcm/bcm23.htm#page_106 and page 106]</ref> These latter texts were usually more detailed, giving names, ranks, and descriptions of demons individually and categorically.<ref name=sacred>http://www.sacred-texts.com/grim/bcm/bcm14.htm</ref> Most Christians commonly reject these texts as either diabolical or fictitious.<ref name=sacred/> | |||
In modern times, some demonological texts have been written by Christians, usually in a similar vein of Thomas Aquinas, explaining their effects in the world and how faith may lessen or eliminate damage by them.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=SFmrx7s7OtIC&dq=Jessie+Penn-Lewis+war+on+the+saints&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=TCR4AVdC-L&sig=N8TVdhBcTt1ev3YCFR-DvOwm9NY&hl=en&ei=QbnsSvbRCMqztgeM9fA6&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CBwQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=&f=false Jessie Penn-Lewis, War on the Saints on Google Books], introductory chapter</ref> A few Christian authors, such as Jack Chick and John Todd, write with intentions similar to Kramer and Sprenger, proclaiming that demons and their human agents are active in the world.<ref name="broken">http://www.chick.com/catalog/comics/0102.asp</ref> These claims are usually far from mainstream, and often include such beliefs as that Christian rock is a means through which demons influence people. | |||
Not all Christians believe that demons exist in the literal sense. There is the view that the New Testament language of exorcism is an example of the language of the day being employed to describe the healings of what today would be classified as epilepsy, mental illness etc.<ref>http://www.realdevil.info/4-1.htm</ref> | |||
Not all Christians believe that demons exist in the literal sense. There is the view that the New Testament language of exorcism is an example of the language of the day being employed to describe the healings of what today would be classified as epilepsy, mental illness etc.<ref> | |||
===Islam=== | ===Islam=== | ||