Dr. Francis Young recently posted a fascinating essay on the relationship between the practice of exorcism and ritual magic, based on his full length book, History of Exorcism in Catholic Christianity which was published earlier this year by Palgrave MacMillan as part of its Historical Studies in Witchcraft and Magic series. His essay begins:
“It is difficult to overstate the significance of the liturgical development of exorcism to the history of western magic, especially ritual magic. Anyone who has ever looked at a medieval or early modern text of ritual magic will know that the word exorcismus or exorcizo occurs frequently, signalling the magician’s banishment of unwanted spirits once they have been summoned and have performed the magician’s bidding.”
Read the entire essay here: https://francisyoung.wordpress.com/2016/08/12/exorcism-and-the-history-of-magic/
Read an excerpt here: https://www.palgrave.com/de/book/9783319291116
