ABSTRACT
Exorcism–the casting out of evil forces, or devils–has been a part of human history ever since man first personified the forces of nature, and divided the powers around him into good and evil. Every society which recognizes possession, recognizes, and makes provision for, some form of exorcism in which a superior power or skill is brought in to combat the evil. Essentially, exorcism refers to people, but it can also refer to the casting out of evil influences from places. Christian exorcism, although working on the basis of a different world view, employs traditionally the same procedures. Exorcism works on the basis of a belief in the existence of various powers in the universe, possessing varying degrees of strength, and engaged in a struggle for existence in this world, through the agency of man, who is thus caught in the midst of a cosmic battle.
