Demonic possession and deliverance in the diaspora: phenomenological descriptions from Pentecostal deliverees

Accounting for the demonic: Helpful and unhelpful factors associated with belief in demonic etiologies of mental illness among evangelical christians.

“…Participants taking an integrationist etiological framework of mental illness often prioritized secular mental health services as a first line intervention, but sought support through their church communities and personal relationship with God. Such coping strategies have been identified to support religious individuals experiencing mental distress in facilitating meaning around mental illness and allowing individuals to understand and confront demonic etiologies (Exline et al, 2021; Lloyd et al, 2023; Rowan & Dwyer, 2015).…”

“…These studies, however, are limited in that the descriptions of the experiences of spiritual therapy lack detail. Rowan and Dwyer (2015) observed demonic deliverance among Pentecostal participants, noting feelings of gratefulness, freedom, and rebirth.…”

Mental illness, normal psychological processes, or attacks by the devil? Three lenses to frame demonic struggles in therapy.

“…The lack of regulation around practices such as deliverance, combined with a lack of clinical training, could lead well-intentioned ministry team members to miss serious psychological or medical conditions, instead attributing them to demonic activity. Some people might feel pressured to embrace demonic attributions for their problems and to go through deliverance, perhaps publicly (see Rowan & Dwyer, 2015). And what if the intervention brings no relief?…”

“…Deliverance refers to a broad set of strategies with the aim of freeing people from the influence of evil spirits (Driscoll, 2015; Eckhardt, 2010; Rowan & Dwyer, 2015). Although deliverance is often framed in terms of spiritual healing and freedom (Anderson, 2000/2019; Sandford & Sandford, 2018), it can turn confrontational when people focus directly on evil spirits presumed to be present.…”