Possession and Exorcism in Roman Catholic Charismatic Groups

Abstract

Abstract There is an increase in the demand for liberation and exorcism rituals in Western countries. Exorcist priests are interviewed in the mass media, and church services are set up to care for people with complaints of a supernatural origin. Satan is reappearing not only as a principle of evil, but also as an entity capable of intervening in people’s lives, harassing them and leading them down the path of evil. Representations of possession seem to have moved in certain social groups from the metaphorical—something encouraged for years by the highest authorities of the church—to the concreteness of physical facts: groups of believers are convinced that diabolical possession is possible in certain circumstances and that it can only be combatted with specific ritual performances. This chapter focuses on representations of possession among Catholic revivalist collectives (associated with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and other emotional groups). I have studied these from a social scientific perspective using qualitative research methods (ethnography, in-depth interviews, document analysis) in France and Argentina. Among the results of my research is that the contemporary idea of possession is an articulation between theological principles, intercultural dialogues and images from the world of entertainment. The idea of demonic influence shapes the modern imagination, even though modern exorcists consider possession to be an extremely rare condition. Demonic possession is the extreme that frightens believers and keeps them in a constant state of vigilance. In this way, possession is a factor in shaping social relations.