Mastering the devil : a sociological analysis of the practice of a Catholic exorcist (2024)

Giordan, G. (2018). Mastering the devil : a sociological analysis of the practice of a Catholic exorcist. Current Sociology, 66(1), 74-91. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011392116686817

Giordan, Giuseppe ; Possamai, Adam. / Mastering the devil : a sociological analysis of the practice of a Catholic exorcist. In: Current Sociology. 2018 ; Vol. 66, No. 1. pp. 74-91.

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title = "Mastering the devil : a sociological analysis of the practice of a Catholic exorcist",

abstract = "This study takes the documented growth in the ministry of exorcism within the Catholic Church as a significant challenge to some accounts of secularization. After clarifying how, according to Catholic doctrine, the devil can operate in people{\textquoteright}s lives, this study offers a sociological interpretation of exorcism. This interpretation is illustrated and tested by a sociological analysis of data collected, over a period of 10 years, by a well-established Catholic priest in Italy who himself was well trained and well grounded in philosophical analysis. This sociological case study offers fresh insights into the contemporary social significance of exorcism and provides challenges for future research. In the analysis of the data, it was discovered that only 5% of the initial consultations lead to a ritual of exorcism and that a rapprochement with rituals of deliverance is found for the large majority of the cases.",

keywords = "exorcism, devil, secularization, sociology, Catholic Church",

author = "Giuseppe Giordan and Adam Possamai",

year = "2018",

doi = "10.1177/0011392116686817",

language = "English",

volume = "66",

pages = "74--91",

journal = "Current Sociology",

issn = "0011-3921",

publisher = "Sage Publications",

number = "1",

}

Giordan, G 2018, 'Mastering the devil : a sociological analysis of the practice of a Catholic exorcist', Current Sociology, vol. 66, no. 1, pp. 74-91. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011392116686817

Mastering the devil : a sociological analysis of the practice of a Catholic exorcist. / Giordan, Giuseppe; Possamai, Adam.
In: Current Sociology, Vol. 66, No. 1, 2018, p. 74-91.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mastering the devil : a sociological analysis of the practice of a Catholic exorcist

AU - Giordan, Giuseppe

AU - Possamai, Adam

PY - 2018

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N2 - This study takes the documented growth in the ministry of exorcism within the Catholic Church as a significant challenge to some accounts of secularization. After clarifying how, according to Catholic doctrine, the devil can operate in people’s lives, this study offers a sociological interpretation of exorcism. This interpretation is illustrated and tested by a sociological analysis of data collected, over a period of 10 years, by a well-established Catholic priest in Italy who himself was well trained and well grounded in philosophical analysis. This sociological case study offers fresh insights into the contemporary social significance of exorcism and provides challenges for future research. In the analysis of the data, it was discovered that only 5% of the initial consultations lead to a ritual of exorcism and that a rapprochement with rituals of deliverance is found for the large majority of the cases.

AB - This study takes the documented growth in the ministry of exorcism within the Catholic Church as a significant challenge to some accounts of secularization. After clarifying how, according to Catholic doctrine, the devil can operate in people’s lives, this study offers a sociological interpretation of exorcism. This interpretation is illustrated and tested by a sociological analysis of data collected, over a period of 10 years, by a well-established Catholic priest in Italy who himself was well trained and well grounded in philosophical analysis. This sociological case study offers fresh insights into the contemporary social significance of exorcism and provides challenges for future research. In the analysis of the data, it was discovered that only 5% of the initial consultations lead to a ritual of exorcism and that a rapprochement with rituals of deliverance is found for the large majority of the cases.

KW - exorcism

KW - devil

KW - secularization

KW - sociology

KW - Catholic Church

UR - http://handle.westernsydney.edu.au:8081/1959.7/uws:38900

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DO - 10.1177/0011392116686817

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JO - Current Sociology

JF - Current Sociology

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Giordan G, Possamai A. Mastering the devil : a sociological analysis of the practice of a Catholic exorcist. Current Sociology. 2018;66(1):74-91. doi: 10.1177/0011392116686817