Open main menu

Wikipedia
Christian demonology
Article Talk

Language
Watch
Edit

Learn more
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on
the talk page.

Christian demonology is the study of demons from a Christian point of view. It is

primarily based on the Bible (Old and New Testaments), the interpretation of these
scriptures, the writings of early Christianity philosophers, hermits and the
associated traditions and legends incorporated from other beliefs.
The Torment of Saint Anthony (1488) by Michelangelo, depicting Saint Anthony being
assailed by demons
OriginsEdit
See also: Demonology, Fallen angel, and Nephilim

In some Christian traditions, the deities of other religions are interpreted as

demons.[1] Paul states this explicitly in 1 Corinthians 10, forbidding idolatrous
libations. The evolution of the Devil in Christianity is such an example of early
ritual and imagery that showcase evil qualities, as seen by the Christian churches.

Since Early Christianity, demonology has developed from a simple acceptance of the
existence of demons to a complex study that has grown from the original ideas taken
from Jewish demonology and Christian scriptures. Christian demonology is studied in
depth within the Roman Catholic Church,[2] although many other Christian churches
affirm and discuss the existence of demons.[3][4]

Albertus Magnus, aware of the many false beliefs and erroneous teachings on the
subject,[5] said of demonology, "A daemonibus docetur, de daemonibus docet, et ad
daemones ducit" ("It is taught by the demons, it teaches about the demons, and it
leads to the demons").[6]

According to the Book of Enoch (which is currently only canonical in the Eritrean
and Ethiopian Orthodox Churches but was referred to by the early Church fathers),
the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim are demons. Enoch explains:

And now, the giants, who are produced from the spirits (Angels) and flesh,
shall be called evil spirits upon the earth, and on the earth shall be their
dwelling. Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies; because they are born from
men and from the holy Watchers is their beginning and primal origin; they shall be
evil spirits on earth, and evil spirits shall they be called. [As for the spirits
of heaven, in heaven shall be their dwelling, but as for the spirits of the earth
which were born upon the earth, on the earth shall be their dwelling.] And the
spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work
destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, but nevertheless
hunger and thirst, and cause offences. And these spirits shall rise up against the
children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from them. From
the days of the slaughter and destruction and death of the giants, from the souls
of whose flesh the spirits, having gone forth, shall destroy without incurring
judgement.
 —I Enoch 15:8–12, 16:1 R.H. Charles

NumberEdit

In 1467, Alfonso de Spina asserted that the number of demons was 133,316,666. This
idea that one third of the angels turned into demons seems to be due to an exegesis
of the Book of Revelation 12:3–9.[citation needed]

Johann Weyer, in his Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1583), after a complicated system of

hierarchies and calculations, estimated the number of demons as 4,439,622, divided
into 666 legions, each legion composed of 6,666 demons, and all of them ruled by 66
hellish dukes, princes, kings, etc. The Lesser Key of Solomon (17th century) copied
the division into legions from Pseudomonarchia Daemonum but added more demons, and
so more legions. It is suggestive that both Spina and Weyer used 666 and other
numbers composed by more than one 6 to calculate the number of demons (133,316,666
demons, 666 legions, 6,666 demons in each legion, 66 rulers).[citation needed]
Therefore, the demonic number was 666.

Gregory of Nyssa, in the 4th century, believed in the existence of male and female
demons and supported the idea that demons procreated with other demons and with
human women. Other scholars supported the idea that they could not procreate and
that the number of demons was constant.[citation needed]
CharacteristicsEdit
Man being attacked by the 7 deadly devils

In Christian tradition, demons are fallen angels[7] and have the same
characteristics as their good angel counterparts: spirituality, immutability and
immortality.[citation needed] Demons are not omniscient, but each one has a
specific knowledge (sometimes on more than one subject). Their power is limited to
that which God allows, so they are not omnipotent. No reference has been made about
omnipresence, so it is unclear if they can be in different places at the same time,
but according to the tradition of the medieval witches' Sabbath, two conclusions
can be reached: either the Devil can be in different places at the same time,[8] or
he sends an emissary in his name.[9]

Christian demonology states that the mission of the demons is to induce humans to
sin.[10] Demons are also believed to try to tempt people into abandoning the faith,
committing heresy or apostasy, remaining or turning into Pagans, or venerating
idols (the Christian term for cult images).[citation needed] It is also believed
that demons torment people during their life or through demonic possession[11] or
simply by showing themselves before persons to frighten them or by provoking
visions that could induce people to sin or to be afraid.

In the Gospel of Luke, it is stated that demons walk "arid places", and finding no
rest return to their previous home.

When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places
seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I
left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it
goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live
there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.[12]

AppearanceEdit

Demons can take any desired appearance, even that of an "angel of light".

And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is

not strange if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of
righteousness. Their end will match their deeds.
 — 2 Corinthians, 11:14-15[13]

Nevertheless, they were generally described as ugly and monstrous beings by

Christian demonologists. Many of these descriptions have inspired famous painters
like Luca Signorelli, Hieronymus Bosch, Francisco Goya, the artist that made the
drawings for the Dictionnaire Infernal, and others.[citation needed] Incubi and
succubi are described as looking attractive in order to accomplish their mission of
seduction.[citation needed] The Devil in particular has been popularly symbolized
as various animals, including the serpent, the goat and the dragon.[citation
needed]

The idea that demons have horns seems to have been taken from chapter 13 of the
Book of Revelation.[14][need quotation to verify] This idea has also been
associated with the depiction of certain ancient gods like Moloch and the shedu,
etc., which were portrayed as bulls, as men with the head of a bull, or wearing
bull horns as a crown.[citation needed]

In Malleus Maleficarum, Heinrich Kramer wrote that demons can take the form of
children, and that in this form, they are very heavy, constantly ill and do not
grow.[15]

Poets such as Geoffrey Chaucer associated the color green with the Devil, although
in modern times the color is red.[16]

Henry Boguet and some English demonologists of the same epoch asserted that witches
and warlocks confessed (under torture) that demons' bodies were icy.[17] During the
17th century, this belief prevailed.
SexualityEdit
Further information: Sexuality in Christian demonology

Demons are generally considered sexless as they have no physical bodies, but
different kinds are generally associated with one sex or another. Many theologians
agreed that demons acted first as succubi to collect sperm from men and then as
incubi to put it into a woman's vagina.[18]

Albertus Magnus and Thomas Aquinas wrote that demons and the hierarchy of angels
are created by God with the same non–material substance.[citation needed] Because
they have no bodies they have no sexual identity and can not generate human beings
or other angels.[citation needed] The incorporeality is related to their nature,
eternal and unchangeable across the centuries.

Ulrich Molitor and Nicholas Remy disagreed whether women could be impregnated by
demons. Remy thought that a woman could never be fecundated by any being other than
a man. Heinrich Kramer (author of the Malleus Maleficarum) adopted an intermediate
position; he wrote that demons acted first as succubi and then as incubi,[19] but
added the possibility that incubi could receive semen from succubi, but he
considered that this sperm could not fecundate women.

Peter of Paluda and Martin of Arles among others supported the idea that demons
could take sperm from dead men and impregnate women. Some demonologists thought
that demons could take semen from dying or recently deceased men, and thus dead men
should be buried as soon as possible to avoid it.[citation needed]
PossessionEdit
Further information: Exorcism in Christianity
Painting of Saint Francis Borgia performing an exorcism, as depicted by Goya

The incarnation of the demons has been a problem in Christian demonology and
theology since early times. A very early form of the incarnation of demons was the
idea of demonic possession, trying to explain that a demon entered the body of a
person with some purpose or simply to punish that one for some allegedly committed
sin.[citation needed] This soon acquired greater proportions, trying to explain how
demons could seduce people to have sexual relationships with them or induce them to
commit other sins. To Christian scholars, demons didn't always have to manifest
themselves in a visible and possible tangible form, sometimes it was through
possession.[citation needed]

According to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke demons could be seen and heard,
as well as banished.

That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he
cast out the spirits with a word, and cured all who were sick.
— Matthew 8:16[20]

Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he
cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to
destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him,
saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And the unclean spirit, convulsing him
and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept
on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands
even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."
— Mark 1:23–27[21]

When he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs
coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that
way. Suddenly they shouted, "What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come
here to torment us before the time?" Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some
distance from them. The demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us into the
herd of swine." And he said to them, "Go!" So they came out and entered the swine;
and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished
in the water.
— Matthew 8:28–33[22]

Basil of Caesarea also wrote on this subject. He believed that demons, to

materialize, had to condense vapors and with them form the body of a person or
animal, then entering that body as if it were a puppet to which they gave life.
Henry More supported this idea, saying that their bodies were cold due to the
solidification of water vapor to form them. Many authors believed that demons could
assume the shape of an animal.[citation needed]

Raoul Glaber, a monk of Saint-Léger, Belgium, seems to have been the first in
writing about the visit of a demon of horrible aspect in his Historiarum sui
temporis, Libri quinque (History of his Time in Five Books).[citation needed]

Augustine thought that demons often were imaginary, but sometimes could enter human
bodies, but later accepted the idea of the materialization of demons. Thomas
Aquinas followed Augustine's idea, but added that demonic materialization had
sexual connotations because demons tried to seduce people to commit sexual sins.
[citation needed]

Ambrogio de Vignati, disagreeing with other authors, asserted that demons, besides
not having a material body, could not create one, and all what they seemed to do
was a mere hallucination provoked by them in the mind of those who had made a
diabolical pact or were "victims" of a succubus or incubus, including the sexual
act.[citation needed]
Diabolical symbolsEdit
Learn more
This section does not cite any sources. (December 2021)
The inverted pentagram circumscribed by a circle (also known as a pentacle)
Inspired by the Revelation 13:18, the number 666 (the number of the second beast)
was attributed to the Antichrist and to the Devil.

According to medieval grimoires, demons each have a diabolical signature or seal

with which they sign diabolical pacts. These seals can also be used by a conjurer
to summon and control the demons. The seals of a variety of demons are given in
grimoires such as The Great Book of Saint Cyprian, Le Dragon Rouge and The Lesser
Key of Solomon.

The pentagram, which has been used with various meanings in many cultures
(including Christianity, in which it denoted the five wounds of Christ), is usually
considered a diabolical sign when inverted (one point downwards, two points up).
Such a symbol may appear with or without a surrounding circle, and sometimes
contains the head of a male goat, with the horns fitting into the upper points of
the star, the ears into the side points, the beard into the lowest one, and the
face into the central pentagon.

An inverted (upside-down) cross (particularly the crucifix) has also been

considered a symbol of both the Devil and the Antichrist, although in Catholic
tradition a plain inverted cross (without the corpus or figure of Christ) is a
symbol of Saint Peter.
Other viewsEdit

Not all Christians believe that demons exist in the literal sense. There is the
view that the New Testament language of exorcism is an example of the language of
the day being employed to describe the healings of what today would be classified
as epilepsy, mental illness etc.[23][unreliable source?]
See also
Literature
References
External links
Last edited 29 days ago by RileyXeon
Wikipedia

Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless otherwise noted.

Privacy policy
Terms of Use
Desktop