Posted on 11/16/2010 7:17:47 AM PST by marshmallow
With renewed attention on the rite of exorcism, one theologian has chosen to articulate the evangelical stance on the ritual that few practice today.
The existence of the devil and demons are real but a rite of exorcism is unnecessary, said Dr. Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, in his popular blog Monday.
The only weapon Christians need is the name of Jesus, he stressed.
"Evangelicals do not need a rite of exorcism, because to adopt such an invention would be to surrender the high ground of the Gospel," Mohler wrote.
This past weekend, a group of Catholic bishops held a closed-door conference in Baltimore to discuss the theological foundations of the rite of exorcism and to present, in detail, the practice and use of the rites associated with exorcism.
Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki of Springfield, Ill., who organized the conference, said that demon possession is rare but that they have to be prepared.
"The real hope here and the purpose is to provide some training so that really every diocese could have its own resources to handle such inquires," he told ABC News.
Not all Catholic priests are on board with Paprocki's efforts.
One priest who sent the National Catholic Reporter a copy of the invitation letter by Paprocki back in May wrote: "CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS? IN 2010."
Mohler does not deny accounts in the New Testament that show clear and real cases of demonic possession. Jesus and the Apostle Paul liberated afflicted individuals, he noted.
But the evangelical leader pointed out that no rite of exorcism was performed in those cases and there was no notion of a priestly ministry of ordained exorcists. The only thing involved in casting out demons from an individual was "the name of Jesus and the proclamation of the......."
(Excerpt) Read more at christianpost.com ...
Duh. The leather seats, stereo, and A/C come with a car -- they're just accoutrements of a very nice, "tricked-out" car, in fact.
Exactly what part of the rite of exorcism is objectionable? Holy water (I suppose we could reach down and mix spit with the dust), the prayers? The sign of the cross?
No Romany Catholic would deny that God can work through His saints in less formal ways. But why do Evangelicals think God won’t work through formal means?
BTW I’m not RC
I like this thread. I agree with the rite. It is the practice of 2000 years of doing it right as opposed to 500 years of doing whatever.
Of course a Southern Baptist is gonna downplay Roman Catholic rites...Duh? but do you ever watch those ghost shows on TV? I’ve noticed when the “Baptist” can’t clear an evil haunting they always refer to a priest.
just an observation.
Peace
Bro Joe
Funny how all that stuff is in the Bible but so many miss it because it doesn’t fit with what they already believe.
Do I know what the Christ is?
He became human, but He also never gave up His diety completely, so I would hazard a guess that I have a better understanding of what the Christ is than you give me credit for. If He wasn’t a “human person” then He couldn’t qualify as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
He is fully God and fully Man at the same time.
Certain types of Baptist denominations do. Free Will Baptists, for example.
He was a practicing Jew.
Agreed, but what we are saying is that those things are powerless unless used in conjunction with the authority granted to all believers by Christ. Are the extras nice? I guess, but the extras don’t do anything without the power behind them active.
I see you read the article very carefully before commenting....
In one respect, yes, but it’s hard not to practice the very laws that you yourself handed down to Moses.
Sorry for sounding dense, but what’s that supposed to mean?
I was wondering if someone would mention that. It’s very interesting, to say the least.
Yes ... but He is one person, not two, and that Person is Divine. Because He is a Divine Person, His sacrifice is perfect ... therefore His sacrifice, carried out in His human nature, could atone for our sins.
in Luke 9:49-50
“Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”
“Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”
Thought you 2 might be interested in these verses.
Agreed. He is one portion of the three-in-one nature of God. He’s fully human as well as fully divine, at the same time, and I’ll leave it at that. I don’t really feel like getting into a debate on the theology behind this.
At the last opening on the eighteenth of January, 1562, all hesitation was set aside: [Gaspar de Fosso] the Archbishop of Reggio made a speech in which he openly declared that tradition stood above Scripture. The authority of the church could therefore not be bound to the authority of the Scriptures, because the church had changed circumcision into baptism, Sabbath into Sunday, not by the command of Christ, but by its own authority. With this, to be sure, the last illusion was destroyed, and it was declared that tradition does not signify antiquity, but continual inspiration.
Source: Heinrich Julius Holtzmann, Kanon und Tradition ("Canon and Tradition") (Ludwigsburg: Druck and Verlag von Ferd. Riehm, 1859), p. 263. German.
It subsequently declared the ascension of Mary which is outside of Biblical truth.
If the Church does not revert to the total authority of Scripture I'm afraid they will continue down a wrong path.
I must agree, to take on all these other ministries is below the high calling of the Gospel.
For “The Gospel power is the power of God unto salvation! For therein is the righteousness of God revealed.” (Romans 1;16b-17a)
And our God hath chosen preaching: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us that are saved it the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)
“God hath chosen the foolishness things of the world to confound the wise; God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty; “ (1 corinthians 1:27)
May we pray: “Dear Lord and God, help us to chose those things that you have chosen, and serve you in all righteousness,holiness and in truth.”
May we not forget: “For He (God) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
“Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above ever name.” (Philippians 2:9)
Saint Dominic had them all say the Rosary very slowly and with great devotion, and a wonderful thing happened; at each Hail Mary that he and the people said together a large group of devils issued forth from the wretched man's body under the guise of red-hot coals [this particular man had 15,000 demons because he had attacked the fifteen mysteries (this was prior to the Luminous Mysteries) of the Rosary].The devils went on to scream at St. Dominic that the Rosary was like a chain that beat them and whipped them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.