ATf/LXXXIII:l

A Fresh Look at a Remarkable Document:

Exorcism: The Report of a Commission
Convened by the Bishop of Exeter
LINDA MALIA*

The much-publicized rerelease of the movie The Exorcist, com-

plete with eleven minutes of previously unseen footage, reflects a
resurgence of interest within both the Church and popular culture in
the topic of exorcism. Within the Roman Catholic Church it is strik-
ingly evident in the Vatican's newly revised eighty-four page Latin rit-
ual for exorcism, "De Exorcismus et Supplicationibus Quibusdam"
("Of All Kinds of Exorcisms and Supplications"), which replaces
Chapter XII of the Roman Ritual, and which will eventually be pub-
lished in vernacular editions for use throughout the world.
Within the Anglican tradition the Church of England s inquiry
into an increasing number of requests for exorcisms has forced the
Church to contend also with the problem of a corresponding increase
in unauthorized exorcisms by clergy. The result has been the assign-
ment of a twelve-member working party, the Christian Deliverance
Study Group, cochaired by the Rt. Rev. Dominic Walker, the Bishop
of Reading, to consider the issue of the growing demand placed upon
clergy by individuals seeking exorcisms or relief from phenomena of
an apparently paranormal nature. It is not altogether surprising,
therefore, that the latest report by the Church of England on the
Church's ministry of healing, A Time to Heal,1 contains a chapter on
the subject of deliverance.
Surprisingly, despite the amount of attention given to the subject
of exorcism by the Church of England, and in light of the wealth of
material dating back to the 1960s from Church of England sources on
the topics of deliverance and exorcism, the only official direction on

* Linda Malia is an aspirant for the priesthood in the diocese of Western New York
and a Ph.D. student at St. Michaels College in the Toronto School of Theology.
1
Report chaired by the Rt. Rev. John Perry, Bishop of Chelmsford. London:
Church House Publishing, 2000.

65
66 Anglican Theological Review
the part of the Episcopal Church on this subject consists of the rather
brief rubrics on page 170 of The Book of Occasional Services. One
can't help but wonder at the reason for the disparity between this
clearly documented ongoing interest and involvement in the subject
of exorcism on the part of the Church of England and the contrasting
silence regarding the subject on the other side of the Adantic. How-
ever, closer examination will reveal that the answer lies in a complex
sequence of events which include the aftermath of two World Wars
and a cultural revolution, as well as a horrifying and bizarre murder in
a quiet Yorkshire town which would bring the subject of exorcism in
Great Britain to the attention not only of the media, but eventually of
Parliament itself.
Within the Church of England canon law had, until 1969, allowed
for the use of exorcism, provided that permission was obtained from
the diocesan bishop. In reality, however, the unofficial policy appears
to have been one of "Don't askdon't tell." Such permission was
hardly ever requested, and for the Church of England, as well as for
the Roman Catholic Church, exorcism remained something of an
embarrassment. There had been no attempt to formulate new laws
for its use. This whole area was something which the Church of Eng-
land was reluctant to tackle officially, although certain parties such as
Prebendary Henry Cooper2 had, as far back as 1958, urged the Church
to consider the place of exorcism within its healing ministry.
Unofficially, however, since the early sixties it had been the sub-
ject of considerable discussion. This was due in part to an explosion of
interest in the occult and the paranormal in Great Britain, as else-
where, fueled by reports of a disturbing number of cemetery desecra-
tions throughout the country, which themselves were accompanied in
the media by sensationalistic stories of Black Masses and witches'
covens.The Rev. Elijah White's Exorcism as a Christian Ministry
quotes Dom Robert Petitpierre, the Exeter Report's editor, as saying
that "incidents of demonic interference, particularly with individuai
personalities, were sporadic from the 1920s and since 1960 have be-
come 'virtually an explosion.'"3
The doctrine of "deliverance"roughly equivalent to what the
Roman Catholic Church would term "minor" or "private" exorcism

2
Rector of St. George s, Bloomsbury, London.
3
New York: Morehouse-Barlow, 1975, p. 39.
 A FRESH LOOK AT A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT 67

had been gaining a growing acceptance within the religious main-

stream.4 This was partly the result of a growing interest in the topic of
spiritual healing among Roman Catholic charismatics and Protestant
neo-Pentecostalists, a concern which was itself due largely to the im-
pact of the many Pentecostal and quasi-Pentecostal groups working
within the charismatic renewal movement in the mainline churches.
In addition, the subject of spiritual warfare had come to the fore-
front. This doctrine, which in its more extreme forms borders on the
dualistic, holds that because of their fallenness, human beings through-
out their lives find themselves engaged in a constant struggle, not just
against human evil, but with the very real supernatural forces of evil,
and that the magnitude of this struggle requires the power of God's
Holy Spirit. This concept of spiritual warfarethe world as one big bat-
tle zonecontinued to gain in popularity, in some cases to the point of
obsession.
The result was an increasing number of requests for advice about
the exorcism of persons and places. It was in response to such a de-
mand that the Bishop of Exeter's Commission was created. In 1963,
the Bishop of Exeter, Dr. Robert Mortimer, "much disturbed by the
unhealthy and near-hysterical publicity given by the national press to
the question of exorcisms in the Church of England,"5 felt it necessary
to convene a small commission of theologians and clergy to study the
subject of exorcism.6 There was a popular perception, he said, of exor-
cism as a medieval superstition or some sort of quasi-magical rite

4
The traditional distinction in Roman Catholic theology between pnvate, or
minor, exorcism and public, or solemn, exorcism is this: Pnvate, or minor, exorcism,
which may be practiced by any Christian, is performed for the benefit of those who
are afflicted or "infested" or "under attack" by, yet not totally under the control of, evil
spirits, for the purpose of curbing the demonic influence. Public, or solemn, exorcism
is performed only in the name of and by the authority of the Church, by ordained min-
isters under the jurisdiction of their bishop, for the purpose of driving out the influ-
ence over a victim which has deprived that individual almost entirely of free choice. It
is the former understanding of exorcism which had been gainingand continues to
gainpopularity within the Roman Catholic charismatic movement. (Deliverance
Prayer, Dennis and Matthew Linn, S.J., editors. Ramsey, N.J.: Paulist Press, 1981)
5
Exorcism: The Report of a Commission Convened by the Bishop of Exeter, ed. by
Dom Robert Petitpierre (London: SPCK, 1972, p. 9).
6
Dr. Mortimer had himself participated that year in a service of exorcism in a
country house in Devon, near Newton Abbott: "Exorcism in Devon Village," The
Times, Nov. 14,1963.
68 Anglican Theological Review
rather than "a demonstration of the power of the Resurrection to
overcome evil and replace it with good."
Accordingly, Dr. Mortimer decided to form a small commission
consisting of seven clergy, including two Roman Catholic priests.7 The
resulting report was originally published as a confidential document.
There was an attempt at first to keep the study out of the general pub-
lic s eye. This was a decision, says the Rev. John Richards,8 which had
failed to anticipate the increasing interest in the subject of deliverance
among Roman Catholic and Protestant charismatics and neo-Pente-
costalists, both clergy and laity alike.
Two years later, however, the Exeter Report, newly edited and re-
vised by Dom Robert Petitpierre and entitled Exorcism: The Report of
a Commission Convened by the Bishop of Exeter, was available to the
general public, and sold briskly both in Great Britain and abroad. Not
surprisingly, considering the nature of its subject, the Exeter Report
received mixed reviews. Some theologians and academics scoffed at it
and dismissed the idea of exorcism as the relic of an outdated world-
view. The feeling among some of its more vocal critics was that hand-
ing such a manual to the average clergyperson was akin to asking a
general practitioner to perform surgery armed only with the latest sur-
gical text. Many of the Exeter Reports critics feared that such a study
would result in an unhealthy fixation on the subject of spiritual com-
bat. The result, they felt, would certainly be a heretical and unbal-
anced view of exorcism as a form of "white magic," rather than "the
triumph of Christ Jesus, through the application of the power demon-
strated by that triumph, in and by his Church."9 However, the result of
the study by the Bishop of Exeter's Commission is remarkably well
balanced, and scripturally and liturgically sound in its findings, as a
brief examination will show.

7
The members of the Bishop of Exeter s Study Group on Exorcism were: The
Rev. T. Corbishley, S.J.; The Rev. J. Crehan, S.J.; The Rev. Sir Patrick Ferguson-
Davie, Bt. Secretary to the Commission; The Rev. Dr. M. H. B. Joyce, Consultant
Psychiatrist; The Rev. Dr. E. L. Mascall, Professor of Systematic Theology, Kings Col-
lege, London; The Rev. Dr. W. D. Omand, formerly rector of Chideoke, Dorset; The
Rev. Dom Robert Petitpierre, of the Order of St. Benedict.
8
Richards, whose But Deliver Us From Evil remains one of the most highly re-
spected works on the subject written from an Anglican perspective, was the secretary
for the Bishop of Exeter s Study Group on Exorcism from 1964-1974.
9
Exorcism: The Report of a Commission Convened by the Bishop of Exeter, Fore-
word, p. 16.
 A FRESH LOOK AT A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT 69

The Exeter Report: A Brief Examination

The purpose of the Exeter Report, according to the Foreword by
Dr. Mortimer, was "to consider the theology, techniques, and place in
the life of the Church of exorcism" (p. 9). Its contents are as follows:

Exorcism in the New Testament

Exeter Report on Christian Exorcism
1. Definition
2. New Testament Evidence.
3. Early Liturgical Practice in the Christian Church.
4. The Forms of Exorcism.
5. The Exorcism of Places.
6. The Exorcism of Persons.
7. Safeguards.
8. Recommendations.
Appendix I: A Note on the Occurrence of Exorcism Prayers in the
Book of Common Prayer.
Appendix II: The Exorcism and Blessing of a Place.
Appendix III: The Exorcism and Blessing of a Person.
Appendix IV: A Form for Blessing Holy Water.
Appendix V: Suitable Forms of Prayer and Exorcism.
Appendix VI: Forms of Service for the Ministry of the Laying on
of Hands and for the Anointing with Oil of the Sick.

The New Testament Basis of Christian Exorcism

The Exeter Report takes as a given that the New Testament "not
only assumes the existence of non-human powers of evil, it asserts re-
peatedly the fact of the triumph of Jesus over them" (p. 16). It is this
aspect of exorcism, its "positive aspect as an extension of the frontiers
of Christ's kingdom and a demonstration of the power of the Resur-
rection to overcome evil and replace it with good" (p. 9) which Dr.
Mortimer felt had traditionally been understated, and which the Ex-
eter Report seeks to emphasize.
The chapter on exorcism in the New Testament by Fr. J. H. Cre-
han begins by stating: "It was expected that the Messiah when he
came would show that he possessed the power of an exorcist" (p. 11).
The report on exorcism in the New Testament which follows includes
many well-known examples from Jesus' life and ministry, as well as ex-
70 Anglican Theological Review
amples from the Acts of the Apostles, and notes the importance of ex-
orcism in the New Testament as a powerful means of evangelization.
Should we dismiss such accounts as the product of a primitive under-
standing of the world, asks Crehan, or as metaphorical language?
Should we gloss over them as proof of the power of suggestion to treat
psychosomatic illness? If the answer to any of the above is "yes," he
says, then we are left in serious doubt as to the reliability of the witness
of the gospels.
In that case, we are forced to conclude either that Jesus was de-
liberately deluding the masses about the nature of evil, or that he him-
self was uninformed about such matters, in which case one can only
wonder why God would have left him in error. Such accounts may be
chalked up to ignorance on the part of the authors of the gospels.
However, says Crehan, one should note that the gospel writers them-
selves distinguished between ailments of physical and of spiritual ori-
gin and concluded that ones illness might be the result of one or the
other cause or even a combination of both. Therefore, "One cannot
dismiss the New Testament exorcisms as so much hysteria" (p. 15).
Says Crehan, "One cannot get away from the fact that the New Testa-
ment is teaching a personal origin for evil; it simply will not do to dis-
miss this language as metaphor" (p. 12).

Christian Exorcism: Definition and Theology

The word "exorcism," says the Exeter Report, is associated with
the Greek word exousia, from which it derives its meaning, to "com-
mand and bind" (p. 16). It is the demonic force affecting a person or
place which is exorcised. One does not, strictly speaking, exorcise a
human being. This deserves more explanation than it receives in the
Exeter Report, which is of necessity a very compact document. It is
the demon exorcised, or cast out.10 While it may be possible to speak
in a careless way about exorcising persons or places, it is not people or
places which are exorcised, but rather the demonic forces of evil in
those persons or places. It is the sufferer who is delivered, and it is the
demon which is exorcised. This seems like a minor point, but it needs

10
In the words of John Richards: " It will be realised that exorcism, the binding and
expelling of evil powers by the triumph of Christ, is the ministry only to states which
are demonic. Only Satan binds people, neither God nor his Church will do so, how-
ever great a temporary nuisance people exercising their free will may create" (But
Deliver Us From Evil, p. 212).
 A FRESH LOOK AT A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT 71

to be emphasized. "Exorcism" is a term which is often loosely and mis-

leadingly used, much like the term "many." Consider how often one
hears a couple speak of the clergy person who married them: in fact,
the celebrant did not actually enter into wedlock with them. It is this
type of confusion which often arises in connection with exorcism.
What exactly is it that is cast out in the course of an exorcism? The
Exeter Report refers to "evil forces,"11 "evil spirits, "demonic forces,"
or simply "evil," all under the command of Satan, whose dominion ex-
tends over this world.12 The Report seems to suggest by the way in
which they are compared to the "good angels" (p. 16) that they are fall-
en angels. They are spiritual beings, incorporeal intelligences, and
they may "have their origins in personalities" (p. 17, c). What exactly
is meant by this last statement is not clear. One can only surmise that
the authors are alluding to an earlier reference which speaks of evil
as originating in "created, intelligent will, either human or demonic"
(p. 17).
In light of the claim of the first chapter of Genesis that God pro-
claimed the finished creation as "very good," why are these beings
evil? The Exeter Report does not attempt to answer why.13 It does,
however, state that they have elected to rebel against God s right order
of their own free will. Their nonrational, quasi-personal state is the re-
sult of their having chosen to turn away from Godnot from their
having been created evil. Their aim is to disrupt God s divine order,
which at first makes them sound rather like entropie forces, except
that we are told that there are intelligences guiding them.
Evil, which the Exeter Report describes as "a distortion of right

11
Apparently not all members of the committee are agreed on this term. John
Richards, in But Deliver Us From Evil, states: "Demons are spirit-beings with intelli-
gence and malevolence. They are not mere forces or urges" (pp. 134^135). Indeed,
the Exeter Report does describe demons in such a way as to suggest that they are
guided by an intelligence of sorts.
12
Again, Richards, in But Deliver Us From Evil, quotes Cullmann (Christ and
Time, Oscar/London: SCM Press, 1951), who states: "Their power is only an apparent
power. The Church has so much more the duty to stand against them, in view of the
fact that it knows that their power is only apparent, and that in reality Christ has con-
quered all demons" (p. 148).
13
As a matter of interest, I would refer the reader to Mortimer Adler s The Angels
and Us (New York: Macmillan, 1982). "According to Aquinas, the angels were not
created in a state of bliss, which consists in being confirmed in goodness by the gift
of Gods grace; for if that were the case, no angel could have turned away from God"
(pp. 86-87).
72 Anglican Theological Review
orderliness," can only proceed from "created intelligent wills, either
human or demonic" (p. 17), or through a collaboration of both. Such
collaboration may be voluntary or coerced.14 Unlike God and the good
angels, who "never invade or attempt to dominate human wills"
(p. 16), demonic forces seek to influence and manipulate human will.
Human beings, in turn, may succumb to evil influences through weak-
ness of will or may actually seek out evil, as in the case of those who
dabble in the occult arts.
According to the Exeter Report, evil "may result from specific
acts of human sin and from the non-specific effects of man s fallen
state" (p. 17). The latter would appear to be an allusion to Original Sin,
but no further reference to it is made. What does appear to be clear
from the context of the Exeter Report is that human beings are both
sinners and victims, free to choose sin or embrace goodness, but at the
same time constantly beset by evil forces which seek to deceive and
manipulate human beings for evil ends.
As well as invading and distorting the natural orderwhich is the
limit of their domaindemons, says the Exeter Report, attempt to ex-
ercise their influence over human beings in various ways, but chiefly
through "falsity and lack of faith in God" (p. 17). The destruction, so-
cial disintegration, hatred and confusion, and even illnesssince we
possess both physical and spiritual natureswhich result from the ef-
fects of evil are chiefly the consequence of these two particular means
of influence.
What can we infer about the nature of God from all this? Firstly,
that God is Creator of all things visible and invisible, physical and spir-
itual, for the Exeter Report makes reference to "[Gods] creation"
(p. 17). Second, we can conclude that God is Redeemer, for "the mis-
sion of our Lord is primarily the triumph of God (salvation)" (p. 17).
There is no hint of dualism here. We are told that the Lord re-
bukes and commands these evil beings, and the Exeter Report further
speaks of the triumph of the Lord "in his creation" (p. 17). For what-
ever reason, God has apparently chosen to allow Satan to exercise
temporary dominion over the natural world. However, that dominion

14
A helpful way to consider it is to think about someone who spends his time hang-
ing around the wrong side of town, and finds himself in the company of some rather
shady companions. He invites them home with him, and all is fine until one day he re-
alizes that his house is in complete disarray and his "friends," who have revealed their
true character, refuse to leave. What is he to do? He must seek out the proper Au-
thority to force these squatters to leave.
 A FRESH LOOK AT A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT 73

is gradually being eroded and challenged by the inbreaking of the

Kingdom of God as manifested in "our Lord s authority over things,"
in "his cleansing of creation by his exousia and his releasing it from the
bonds of Satan," and in "his redemption of men and his incorporating
them into himself by sacramental initiation . . . and so the sharing with
them of his triumphant life and work" (p. 18). It would appear, there-
fore, that the work in which we participate with Christ must be the
restoration of order to God s creation, the undoing of the work of
Satan, and the healing and cleansing of God s creation.15
The implication of the Exeter Report is that the ministry of the
Church today isor ought to bemodeled on the ministry of Christ
and of the early Church. If Jesus is the pattern for Christian ministry,
then it may be argued that exorcism, which figures so prominently in
Jesus' ministry (in the Synoptic Gospels, at least), ought to be given
greater prominence in the Church's healing ministry. However, our
focus ought not to be so much on Christ's actions in casting out the
demons as much as the ends to which they were performed. The em-
phasis on Christ's "triumph" in the definition of exorcism at the begin-
ning of the Exeter Report serves to shift the emphasis in exorcism
from the defeat of evil and the overthrow of Satan to the liberation of
individuals by the power of the Holy Spirit in order that God's Holy
Spirit may dwell in them. The accent, accordingly, is not on the evil
forces to be cast out, but on the positive work and the indwelling
power of the Holy Spirit.

A Question of Terms
All forms of exorcism, says the Exeter Report, whether in the
form "either of a prayer to Almighty God, or of a command in the
name of Christ to the powers of evil," require the demon to (1) depart,
(2) to harm no one, and (3) to go to wherever God intends it to be,
there to remain. The older forms of exorcism, says the Report, were
generally in the forms of prayers invoking the power of God. Later
forms, from the seventh century on, combine a command with a "rich
use of the names of God" (p. 20). In this sense, the Lord's Prayer may

15
The editor of the Exeter Report, Dom Robert Petitpierre, describes it thus:
"Christian exorcism is no more and no less than a miracle performed by Jesus to clean
up 'the mess' in the world around us An exorcism, in fact, is no more than surren-
dering to God and saying, Tlease, Lord, clean up the mess/" Exorcising Devils, Lon-
don: Hale, 1976, p. 35.
74 Anglican Theological Review
be considered to be a form of exorcism, since it begins by invoking the
Lord's name and concludes by asking for deliverance from the Evil
One. 16
"Exorcism is an exercise of exousia: it commands and binds"
(p. 16). Today the very word "exorcism" conjures up dramatic and per-
haps even frightening pictures of clergy battling the forces of evil.
However, says the Exeter Report, it is important to recall that a gener-
al form of exorcism of (over) candidates for Christian initiation was a
routine practice, at least from the end of the second century. "Realiza-
tion of this fact," says the Report, "helps to reduce the present unfor-
tunate emphasis on exorcism as an action concerned exclusively with
so-called demonic 'possession'" (p. 23).17
However, while the Exeter Report speaks frequently of exorcism,
it is evident from the references to "so-called demonic 'possession'"
(p. 23) in the section entitled "The Exorcism of Persons," that the Re-
port considers the very term "possession" to be inaccurate, whether
one is speaking of places or persons.18 In place of the word "posses-
sion," the Exeter Report employs terms like "demonic interference."
This is a particularly apt description, which conjures up the image of a
radio whose reception is disrupted by some outside source of interfer-
ence. In this case, one might say that an individual's reception of the

16
For a more comprehensive treatment of the Lords Prayer as a means of deliver-
ance, see "Deliverance in the Tradition of Our Father: A Case Study," by Matt and
Dennis Linn, S.J., in Deliverance Prayer, edited by Matthew and Dennis Linn, S.J.
(New York: Paulist Press, 1981).
17
The Roman Catholic Rite of Christian Initiation, newly revised since Vatican II,
makes use of exorcism in this sense. For example, in the Rite of Becoming Catechu-
mens, "There follows a brief rite o exorcism in which the celebrant lightly breathes
toward the face of the candidate and says: 'Breathe your Spirit.'" (Richard P. McBrien,
Catholicism: Study Edition, Minneapolis: Winston, 1981, pp. 548-549).
18
John Richards, in the chapter of But Deliver Us From Evil dealing with the exor-
cism of places, is cautious to advise the reader that, "While it is a convenient distinc-
tion to divide the Church's Ministry [sic] into 'People* and 'Places,' in practice they are
complementary aspects o one ministry to the situation. In recent years there has been
a drawing together of ministers who in the past had a particular ministry either to peo-
ple or to places, and it has been found in learning from each other that it is a both . . .
and ministry" (p. 208). In other words, one should always keep in mind that whether
one is dealing with the exorcism of a person or a place, it is the redemptive aspect of
exorcism which is important. It is the healing and reconciling aspect of such an action
which needs to be emphasized, lest the exorcism degenerate into the sort of produc-
tion one often sees in certain highly publicized healing services, where the exorcist
and his battle with the forces of evil become the focus of attention.
 A FRESH LOOK AT A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT 75

guidance of the Holy Spirit is disrupted by outside demonic interfer-

ence in the form of temptation.
It might be helpful to think of what is commonly termed "posses-
sion" as the domination of one will, a human will, by anotherin this
case, a non-human or demonic will.19 The underlying theology that
"The world is indeed a wicked place but that is because it lies in the
power of the devil" (p. 12) finds its validation in passages such as: "We
know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under
the control of the evil one" (1 John 5:19).
In an interview in The Times a week after the Exeter Report s
publication, its editor, Dom Robert Petitpierre, dismissed the notion
of "possession":

The word possession is not really right because people are not
possessed. The language of this kind ofthing is mostly fourteenth
century and it was invented by the Dominicans who forced the
facts to fit their needs rather than the other way round. But you
can't be owned by a demon. I prefer to use the word attack. The
demon tries to dominate the human will.20

A more accurate term like "demonized" or "demon-afflicted" empha-

sizes that demonization is a gradual process in which demons attempt
to invade and dominate human wills, a process which involves the col-
laboration, knowingly or otherwise, of the human victim.21

19
The Greek daimonizomai found in the New Testament would more accurately
be translated as "demonized," in the sense of "demon-afflicted," rather than "demon-
possessed."
20
April 26,1972. While Dom Robert does not elaborate, in all likelihood he is re-
ferring to the role of the Dominicans as inquisitores hereticae pravitatis. Historian
Jeffrey Burton Russell points out in Witchcraft in the Middle Ages (Ithaca: Cornell
University Press, 1972) that possession was thought to occur both involuntarily and
voluntarily, the latter resulting from engaging in pacts, either implicit or explicit, with
the powers of evil for various favors, such as the power to foresee the future. These
pacts might require on the part of the beneficiary "sacrifice, homage, or other rever-
ence, and finally worship" (p. 19). In other words, trafficking with demons involved
the concept o pact: the promise of obedience and service, of binding oneself over as
a possession. However, says Russell, "The terms obsessio and possessio were not in-
vented in the 14th century, but were used at least as early as Athanasius and Augus-
tine" (Letter to the author).
21
It would not be amiss to compare the process of demonization to that of addic-
tion, in which simple temptation is gradually allowed to overcome the individual will
until eventually one day the addict finds himself in a situation from which he cannot
76 Anglican Theological Review
The Early Church
Next, the Exeter Report touches briefly on the role of exorcism in
the early Church. Exorcism, as the Report has made clear, takes two
basic forms. The first of these is that of a prayer to God on behalf of
the afflicted individual or place for deliverance from the power of evil
spirits. The second is a command to the evil spirits which afflict the in-
dividual or place, in which the evil spirit is ordered to depart from this
particular place or person, harming no one, and to go to that place
where it belongs, or to that place in which God intends it to dwell.
These two basic forms of exorcism played an important part in the
liturgical practice of the early Church. Exorcism, says the Report, re-
ferring to the early liturgical practice of the Church, was used espe-
cially in four connections:
Upon all candidates for Christian initiation: The Exeter Report
makes reference to the instances of exorcism in various baptismal rites,
e.g., the Roman Catholic rite (which has retained the use of minor exor-
cisms in the catechumenate process and in the baptismal rite). Such
exorcisms, says the Report, became less relevant as infant baptism
became the norm. Following the first Prayer Book of Edward VI, in the
1552 edition and later editions the exorcism of candidates for Christian
initiation was dropped from the rites of the Church of England.
Upon things: Exorcisms were performed particularly on those
items employed in unction and on holy water, as well as food and
drink.
Upon places: In particular, says the Report, it was thought neces-
sary in the Early Church to exorcise the sites of churches to be conse-
crated or reconsecrated.
Upon persons other than candidates for initiation: In this respect,
the Exeter Report makes reference not only to exorcism rites but to

extricate himself without assistance. The process of demonization begins with the de-
cision to sin and involves an additional element, namely a demonic force which exer-
cises a partial control or influence over the individual.
According to Jeffrey Burton Russell, "here are the three general ways in which the
Devil can attack: temptation; obsession: a primarily physical attack from without
(throwing people against walls, for example); possession: an attack by the Devil from
within the soul, mind, spirit (these terms are notoriously polysmie). Here the Devil
can cause the possessed person to say or do evil things. But this does not affect the
person's free will. Once the person is freed from the possession, they (usually) have no
memory of it. They are not responsible for any actions they take while possessed"
(Letter to the author).
 A FRESH LOOK AT A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT 77

prayers such as "St. Patricks Breastplate" and the Lord s Prayer, with
its phrase "deliver us from [the] evil [one]/' as well as prayers accom-
panying penance which may contain supplications for protection from
the powers of evil.
At this point, the Exeter Report addresses the question of who
can perform an exorcism. "It should be noted," says the Report, "that
exorcism can be and has been carried out by any Christian" (p. 21),
and adds that in some cases even a non-Christian may carry out an ex-
orcism in the name of Christ.22 However, since it is important always
to follow an exorcism with a blessing,23 it is advisable at least to have a
priest, if not a bishop, present.
Finally, there is a brief discussion of "external" technique, which
consists of
the recital of the formula, accompanied by some appropriate
action at the operative clause in the formula. The most usual
action is the sprinkling of holy water (prepared with the appropri-
ate prayers): the sign of the cross: or a deep exhalation (an ancient
form of invoking the Holy Spirit) over the affected person (p. 21).
Appendices II and III of this thesis contain more detailed guidelines
for the actual performance of exorcisms of places and persons.

The Exorcism of Places

The Exeter Report provides guidelines for two forms of exorcism:
the exorcism o places, and the exorcism o persons. As far as places
are concerned, it stands to reason that places cannot become "pos-
sessed," since they have no intelligent will of their own and are not
susceptible to temptation. However, while places or things have no
will to corrupt or influence, evil non-human powers, or demons, are
still capable of invading and distorting the natural order.24
22
Mark 9:38-40.
23
Matt. 12:44-45.
24
Interestingly enough, while one s first instinct may be to dismiss such notions as
so much superstition, the relatively new field of quantum mechanics is beginning to
provide proof that consciousness may actually affect matter in ways we cannot under-
stand: "For decades parapsychologists have been conducting experiments that
demonstrate that consciousness can directly affect physical reality. Hundreds of care-
fully conducted experiments reveal observers to be influencingselecting, if you
willthe observed states in probabilistic systems. For about the same time physicists
have been wrestling with the problem of consciousness. Working from the basic prin-
ciple of quantum mechanics, they have added consciousness as a variable in their
78 Anglican Theological Review
The Exeter Report identifies four types of circumstances which
might result in a place requiring an exorcism.
Hauntings, by the spirits of the long-departed or of the recently
deceased. Also included in this category are "impersonal" hauntings of
the type which might be described as "place memories," in which an
event or action which took place some time in the past is replayed re-
peatedly, a phenomenon referred to by parapsychologists as a "recur-
rent localized apparition." The latter does not involve supernatural
agents. However, family dynamics may serve to stir up such place
memories, hence the advisability of the blessing of a new home.
Places which have been contaminated by human sin, whether in
the form of "sexual misbehavior" or other sinful conduct, such as
greed or cruelty. This category also includes sites on which crimes,
particularly those of a violent nature, have been committed.
Sites of poltergeist-type activity, which may be of human origin or
may be the result of interference by nonhuman forces.25
Buildings and places which have been the site of pagan worship,
spiritualist or sotante activity, desecration or magical rituals. These
are most susceptible to demonic interference. This sort of activity en-
acted on ancient sites of Celtic worship, for example, "and that of ma-
gicians . . . frequently revivifies ancient Celtic [sic] sites such as tu-
muli,26 circles, and snake-path shrines, and . . . causes a general sense
of'buzz' or strain which can be disturbing, if rarely dangerous" (p. 22).
Only in situations in which the phenomena are thought to be of
demonic origin is exorcism necessarily the proper course of action.
However, while other phenomena may be attributable to either
"purely human" or "impersonal" forces, it would not be inappropriate
to conduct an exorcism of the site in order to rule out demonic inter-
ference as a factor. The Exeter Report advises a general exorcism, fol-

equations. It is not just a passive consciousness but a consciousness capable of bring-

ing about the selection of the observed state of physical reality" (Richard Broughton,
Parapsychology: The Controversial Science, New York: Ballantine, 1991, pp. 356-
357).
25
The Exeter Report takes as a given that some supernatural-type phenomena,
such as lvitation, are actually attributable to paranormal phenomena. Poltergeist ac-
tivity is a prime example of this. Recent studies by parapsychology researchers such as
Richard Broughton, Ph.D., Director of Research at the Institute for Parapsychology
in Durham, North Carolina, reveal that poltergeist-type phenomena tend to center
around living persons, usually young people around the age of puberty who are un-
dergoing a period of stress.
26
Artificial mounds (as over graves).
 A FRESH LOOK AT A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT 79

lowed by other prayers and a blessing, and adds "In all cases the most
'satisfactory' action is the celebration on the site of the holy [sic] Eu-
charist" (p. 22).27
In any exorcism of a place, the Exeter Report advises, it is desir-
able to have one or two "committed and instructed Christians" (p. 31)
to assist the exorcist, a recommendation which emphasizes the fact
that this is an act not just of the exorcist but of the Church as a whole.
When the site to be exorcised is outside, the exorcist and his
assistants should take care to avoid drawing attention to themselves,
in order not to attract undesirable and potentially harmful publicity.
When it is the interior of the building which is to be exorcised, the
assistants should accompany the exorcist from room to room. If the
building is a house, then the family or other household members
should be gathered together in one room which is to be exorcised and
blessed at the start, and in which they are to remain until the rest of the
house has been completely exorcised.
The exorcism should begin with a brief service:
When all is ready, the official will lead in prayers. These should
include the Lords Prayer, a confession and absolution, a short
reading from the Gospels with a request to our Lord for his help,
and an invocation of the Holy Spirit (p. 31).
Appendix II of the Exeter Report proposes "specimen prayers and
forms of service" (p. 10) for the exorcism and blessing of a place.
Following the exorcism, all those present, including the exorcist,
assistants, and family and household members, should be gathered to-
gether in one placethe Report suggests the main hall or the main
roomwhile 1 of the doors are left open. At this point the officiant
recites either one or both of two prayers included in the Report, and
pronounces a blessing. After this die officiant will sprinkle the congre-

27
From the time of the early Church onward, the tradition of the Church has ac-
knowledged the importance of invoking Gods divine name in a liturgical context or in
the context of daily living over things or places. This is not only for the purpose of
blessing, but also for the purpose of protection, against afflictions not only of body but
of spirit. In addition, there is an affirmation of the need in some cases to invoke Gods
divine power over things or places in order to hold in check the powers of evil. One
need only refer to the service in The Book of Occasional Services for the Celebration
for a Home to find such an example: "Let the mighty power of the Holy Spirit be pres-
ent in this place to banish from it every unclean spirit, to cleanse it from every residue
of evil, and to make it a secure habitation for those who dwell in it; in the Name of
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen" (p. 143).
80 Anglican Theological Review
gation with holy water, and then, with his assistants, proceed to go
through each room, pronouncing a blessing and sprinkling each room
with holy water.
Those present should gather afterwards for a short act of thanks-
giving, which may be an informal prayer, or a recitation of the Te
Deum or the Gloria in Excekis. The Exeter Report further suggests
the laying on of hands for inhabitants of the house who may have been
badly frightened or traumatized by the events which necessitated the
exorcism.

The Exorcism of Persons

Far from being an extraordinary occurrence, in some traditions
(such as the Eastern Orthodox Church) from the end of the second
century and up until the present, exorcism over human beings has
been a routine liturgical action for those individuals undergoing
Christian initiation. It has not always been reserved for those who
were considered to be demonically possessed, a fact of which the Ex-
eter Report feels the public needs to be reminded.
The emphasis on the partnership of the resources of faith and
medicine is characteristic of the Exeter Report. The modern division
between faith and medicine, according to the Exeter Report, is an ar-
tificial one, largely the product of our contemporary post-Christian so-
ciety. This view is clearly evident in the guidelines entitled "The Exor-
cism of Persons" (pp. 23-24), which states that only in the most
extreme emergency should one perform an exorcism of a person with-
out first ruling out physical or mental illness as a cause of the affliction.
Under normal circumstances, the Exeter Report advises, until
one has reason to believe otherwise, one should assume that there is
some physical or psychological reason for the patient s illness. The in-
dividual should be referred to a "competent physician in psychological
medicine" (p. 23). Even in those cases where medical treatment fails
to alleviate the problem, one should not be too quick to suspect para-
normal disturbances, since psychiatry "is still limited in scope, empiri-
cal in form, and rapidly changing" (p. 24). Conversely, a marked im-
provement following medical treatment does not necessarily mean
that the trouble is solely of organic origin. The patients problem may
be such that it requires the resources of medicine and the Church. It
is not necessarily an either/or situation. Only after the patient has un-
dergone a thorough physical and psychological examination, and has
 A FRESH LOOK AT A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT 81

then been examined by a licensed exorcist, should an exorcism be per-

formed, if it is then deemed necessary.
The examining exorcist should be experienced in such matters,
acting under the authority of the bishop, by whom he 28 is licensed for
this task. One should not assume that any and every parish priest is
qualified to make the necessary determination. This is not, as some
theologians have suggested, because the exorcist necessarily possesses
special spiritual gifts, but because, in the words of John Richards, "Ex-
orcism is definitely spiritual surgery, and, like medical surgery, it can-
not be righdy comprehended except by those working within the same
healing discipline, and with an understanding of it."29
All in all, the emphasis here is not so much on the exorcist, but on
the efforts of the Christian community as a whole as it strives for the
healing of its afflicted member. By his or her baptism into the Body of
Christ, the Christian is made a part of a community in which the mem-
bers acknowledge a responsibility to God and to one another. It is not
just the exorcist but the Church in its entirety through which the Holy
Spirit works.
If the afflicted individual is not a Christian, then, if possible,
preparation for Christian initiation should be an integral part of the
subjects preparation for exorcism, in order to form a more united
front against the forces of evil. If the subject is already baptized, but
has not been committed in his or her faith, he or she should undergo
similar preparation, excluding the baptism.
The importance of aftercare cannot be overemphasized. No re-
sponsible surgeon would omit the vital "post-op" care. What happens
after the exorcism is equally significant. What is important is not so
much the fact that the afflicted is delivered/rom the powers of dark-
ness, but that he or she is restored to new life in Christ.
Deliverance and healing: it is very obvious that this is a right
sequence of thought. To be delivered is one thing: to be made
whole, set right, rehabilitated, set in a proper context of society,
related to fellow men and to God, and so on is to be healed.30

28
Or she. Because the Exeter Report was written in 1963, before women could be
ordained in the Church of England, all clergy are referred to as he. I have chosen to
follow the style of the Exeter Report and employ the male pronoun for consistency's
sake, not out of any personal bias.
29
But Deliver Us From Evil, p. 17.
30
Henry Cooper, Deliverance and Healing: The Place of Exorcism in the Healing
Ministry, London: Guild of Health and Guild of St. Raphael, 1972, p. 1.
82 Anglican Theological Review
Exorcism is not an end, but a beginning. According to the Exeter
Report, this aftercare "will also devolve upon the parish priest, under
the guidance of the bishop or his deputy" (p. 24. Italics mine). The Re
port quotes Matthew 12:43^5:

When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid

places seeking rest and does notfindit. Then it says, "I will return
to the house I left." When it arrives, it finds the house unoccu
pied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it
seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live
there. And thefinalcondition ofthat man is worse than the first.

In addition, the Exeter Report expresses a notion common in

contemporary deliverance literature, particularly that from Church of
England sources, namely, that the expelling of the demon leaves a void
which must immediately be filled with the Holy Spirit-
Since it is always advisable to follow every exorcism with a bless
ing, on the principle of not leaving the house empty, it is best to
have a priest present, and therefore it is logical that the priest
shall himself be chief exorcist where there is not a bishop so act
ing (p. 21).31
31
Author Graham Twelftree, writing on the subject of the biblical basis of deliver
ance, disagrees with the notion that an in-filling prayer should follow. Twelftree points
out that no such precaution is voiced by Jesus in the case of the strange exorcist who is
reported by the disciples to be driving out demons in Jesus' name (Mark 9:38; Luke
9:49-50), nor is such a notion voiced anywhere else in the New Testament. He chal
lenges "this section of the Bishop of Exeter s Report [which suggests] that on a priest s
direction the evil spirit can be replaced with the Good Holy Spirit" (Christ -
umphant: Exorcism Then and Now, London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1985, p. 189).
One cannot command the Holy Spirit to fill up this void created by the expelling of
demons, says Twelftree: 'While the exorcist may call upon Jesus to remove the
demons, the coming of the Holy Spirit does not take place on command. It is God who
gives his Spirit to those who turn to him. The parable of the restless spirits should not
be taken as suggesting that a priest can cause an individual to be filled with the Holy
Spirit. Rather... [it] implies an important understanding on the part of Jesus and the
Evangelists. That is, the coming of the Kingdom of God involves two integrated as
pects of a whole. The coming of the Kingdom involves both the destruction of evil as
well as the coming of the Holy Spirit. Exorcism is, in microcosm, one aspect of that
coming. Thus exorcism is only part of a whole ministry. On exorcising an evil spirit
from a person there needs to follow such counseling that, if at all possible, the person
can respond to the coming of the Kingdom of God and receive the Holy Spirit (p.
190). On the other hand, there are those, such as the Rev. Russell A. Newbert, of Buf
falo, New York, who are of the opinion that it is entirely appropriate to follow an exor
cism with a prayer invoking the presence of the Holy Spirit. Firsdy, says Newbert,
while Jesus never followed an exorcism with such a prayer, Jesus' very presence was
 A FRESH LOOK AT A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT 83

Precautions
In the section "The Exorcism and Blessing of a Person," the Ex-
eter Report emphasizes the importance of preparation on the part of
the officiant, by means of confession, prayer and fasting, and of main-
taining a state of confidence in the power of the Lord to triumph over
the most formidable powers of evil.
In addition, the other members of the exorcism team should con-
sist only of "mature Christian people who are sympathetic to this min-
istry" (p. 35). There should be individuals present capable of restrain-
ing the subject if in the course of the exorcism it should become
necessary. Furthermore, if the individual to be exorcised is a woman,
for propriety's sake there ought to be at least one other woman present
in the event that restraint is required.
Other safeguards of a practical nature are included, such as the
need to remove animals and children from the house beforehand,
after first giving them a blessing. In addition, the service should
preferably be held in a church or in some other setting of the exorcist s
choosing. Preferably, a deep armchair should be provided for the sub-
ject during the service in order to minimize the risk of injury. It is rec-
ommended that a physician and/or psychiatrist be present, if possible.
In addition, the exorcist must be ready to dismiss at any time any indi-
vidual whose presence proves inappropriate, including himself,
should he discover that he is unprepared for or incapable of dealing
with the demands of the exorcism. For this reason, it is advisable to
have another priest present. Finally, the Report suggests that "The ex-
orcist should be open to the possibility that after the exorcism other
sacramental means of grace would be appropriate: e.g. Holy Commu-
nion, Holy Unction, and perhaps even Baptism" (p. 37), and that the
priest make the preparations ahead of time to administer these.
One particular safeguard which the Exeter Report emphasizes is
the necessity of obtaining the express permission of the diocesan bish-
op for all exorcisms o persons, for "Every exorcist represents the bish-
op of his diocese, as being the center of unity of the Church in that dio-
cese. . ." (p. 25). Exorcism is indeed a spiritual battle between Christ
and the Devil. It is not simply the priest, the official representative of

assurance of the presence of the Holy Spirit. In addition, he says, exorcism is not an
end in itself, but a means by which an individual is delivered from the bondage of evil
and sin into new life in Christ as part of a worshiping community. It is appropriate to
celebrate this by asking God s blessing on this new chapter in the life of this individual.
84 Anglican Theological Review
the Church standing in the front lines, so to speak, who is engaged in
this battle of good and evil, but the whole community of the faithful,
whose prayers not only for the sufferer but for the entire exorcism
team are especially important. The Exeter Report reminds the reader
that "exorcism is an act of the Church and not simply of an individual"
(p. 31). In such dangerous circumstances as those which necessitate an
exorcism, a unified front is absolutely essentialhence the necessity
for the bishop, the guardian "of the faith, unity and discipline" of the
Church (to quote The Book of Common Prayer) to oversee such a rite.
This is not to say that the parish priest may not draw upon the re-
sources of prayer and pastoral counseling in initially dealing with a
parishioner whose problems may involve a paranormal element, but at
the point at which he determines that the individual s troubles contain
a more serious supernatural element, it behooves the priest to lay the
facts before the bishop.
The Exeter Report makes two important recommendations: the
appointment of a diocesan exorcist for each diocese; and, the estab-
lishment of centers of training for each diocese and the establishing of
training programs for selected clergy, "if possible with our Roman
Catholic brethren" (p. 26).
Regretfully, the Exeter Report says nothing more about these
training centers, although since the 1980s, the majority of Church of
England dioceses possess not only a diocesan exorcist or advisor, but
actual deliverance ministry teams operating under the guidance of the
diocesan bishop.32
Appendix I of the Exeter Report contains notes on the occur-
rence of references to exorcism in The Book of Common Prayer,
which take the form of "a prayer to Almighty God, or of a command in
the name of Christ to the powers of evil" (p. 20). For example, from
The Litany: "from the crafts and assaults of the devil. . . from all the
deceits of the world, the flesh and the devil."
As well as providing formats and suggested procedures and
prayers for the exorcism of persons and places, the Exeter Report also
provides forms of services for the laying on of hands and the anointing
with oil of the sick.
32
A recent edition of The Times (February 6,1995) featured an article on The Rev.
Tom Willis, who at the time was stepping down as one of the Church of England s
leading exorcists and a former advisor on the supernatural to the Archbishop of York.
The article discussed the fact that Willis was preparing to hold a seminar for about
thirty clergy "to instruct others how to continue the fight against the devil."
 A FRESH LOOK AT A REMARKARLE DOCUMENT 85

Exorcism: The Report of A Commission Convened by the Bishop

of Exeter can be said to have set the standard for the many reports and
guidelinesincluding guidelines set by Archbishop Coggan in 1975
concerning exorcism which have emerged since the 1960s. Its influ-
ence is clearly discernible in the more notable of these studies, such as
the Memorandum on ExorcismFor the Guidance of All the Clergy,
by Dr. Norman Autton, which was commissioned by the Archbishop of
Wales in 1974, and The Christian Ministry of Deliverance and Heal-
ing, which was commissioned by the Archbishop of York, also in 1974.
All in all, the Exeter Reportnow out of printruns to no more
than fifty-eight pages, yet the effect which it has had on the theology
and place of deliverance and exorcism today is impressive. It has
served to bring the subject out into the open in a style accessible to the
average clergyperson or layperson. Most important, however, it man-
aged to emphasize the positive aspects of exorcism and deliverance,
rather than dwelling on the more negative features. In addition, its rec-
ommendation that each diocese appoint a specially appointed com-
mission to investigate possible psychic disturbances is one which has
been widely accepted not only by the Church of England, but by other
denominations as well, including the Methodist Church in England.33
An impressive number of books and journals dealing with deliver-
ance and its various aspects have been published and continue to
emerge from Great Britain. A not insignificant number of them are
the work of individuals connected in some way with the Bishop of Ex-
eter's Study Group on Exorcism, which since Dr. Mortimers retire-
ment has been called the Christian Deliverance Study Group.
It was, and remains, a remarkable document, brief, highly infor-
mative, though at times somewhat unclear in its theology. All in all,
however, it has proved to be the model and the standard for the many
works which have followed.

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33
The Methodist Church s guidelines for exorcism are contained in the Methodist
Conference Statement on Exorcism1976.
86 Anglican Theological Review
Barbour, Ian C. Issues in Science and Religion. New York: Prentice-Hall,
1966.
Cavendish, Richard, ed. Man, Myth and Magic: An Illustrated Encyclopedia
of the Supernatural, vol. 12. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 1970.
Christian Ministry of Deliverance and Healing: A Report from the York
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Conaty, The Rev. Sean. "Exorcism in Catholic Moral Theology," The Chris-
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Cooper, Preb. Henry. Deliverance and Healing: The Place of Exorcism in the
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Freedland, Nat. The Occult Explosion. London: Michael Joseph, 1972.
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Grimsley, Brent and Elliot Miller. "Can a Christian Be 'Demonized'?" Chris-
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York: Pinnacle, 1974.
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 A F R E S H L O O K AT A R E M A R K A B L E D O C U M E N T 87

. Psychic Studies: A Christian's View. Wellingborough, Northamp-

tonshire: Aquarian Press, 1984.
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ment. London: SPCK, 1987.
Petitpierre, Dom Robert. Exorcising Devils. London: Robert Hale, 1976.
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vened by the Bishop of Exeter. London: SPCK, 1972.
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 ^ s
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