Demonic Exegesis: The Role of Biblical Interpretation and Exegetical Encounter in the shaping of Jewish and Christian Demonologies

PROJECT AIMS
By the end of the rabbinic period (70CE-c.500CE) Judaism had developed an extensive set of beliefs about demons. Jewish literature from this period connects these beliefs to specific texts from the Hebrew Bible. Most of these texts had nothing to do with demons in their original historical contexts. How and why did texts that originally had nothing to do with demons come to be understood as texts that spoke of demons? This project will examine this phenomenon, which we term 'demonic exegesis', by asking:

- Which biblical texts did Jews in the rabbinic period connect with demons?
- When were these biblical texts first associated with demons?
- How do these traditions relate to Christian biblical interpretation connected to demons?

This project brings together the study of demonology, biblical interpretation, and Jewish-Christian interaction in the period 70CE-c.500CE. It considers how and why the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament came to play such a significant role in Jewish demonologies and asks what relationship this has to developments in Christian thought.

RESEARCH CONTEXT
The project will make an important contribution to on-going scholarly debates about the origins, development, and influence of Jewish ideas about demonic forces in the rabbinic period. The study of Jewish demonology has received considerable attention in recent decades. Jewish demonology in the rabbinic period has been approached in two ways: through cross-cultural analyses and diachronic studies.

The prevalence of beliefs in demons in Babylonian sources in particular has led scholars to evaluate the extent to which beliefs prevalent in Sassanian culture have been integrated into rabbinic sources. Diachronic studies have focused on tracing the roots of concepts, such as the Evil Inclination, or individual demonic figures, such as Samael, back to earlier stages of Jewish history. Extensive studies of demonology in the Dead Sea Scrolls has made this type of diachronic analysis possible and enabled scholars to understand better the extent of continuity and change across these decisive and transformative periods in Jewish history.

The study of early Christianity has also witnessed a renewed interest in the demonic realm. Several 'biographies' of Satan have appeared and important studies have considered the connection between Satan, developments in angelology in the Hellenistic period, and traditions of fallen angels. Practices of exorcism in the New Testament and the early Church and the notion of spiritual combat have also been the focus of scholarly studies in recent years.

The proposed project will build on these developments, bringing a fresh perspective to the discussion by considering the development of demonologies as a phenomenon of biblical interpretation. As such it will yield not only new and exciting results that will deepen our understanding of Jewish demonology in the period, but it will also make a significant contribution to advancing our understanding of the extent and nature of the 'Exegetical Encounter' between Jews and Christians in a formative period for both traditions.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS
This project will enhance our understanding of the dynamics of biblical interpretation in the 1st-6th centuries CE, its role in Jewish-Christian interaction and identity formation, and in the development of demonologies. Its results will be disseminated to academic beneficiaries through presentations at academic conferences and publications (journal articles, book).

Because beliefs that emerged in this period continue to shape patterns of contemporary thought and practice, the results of this project will be of interest to wider society. The project will ensure it has societal impact by working with Project Partners to deliver a public educational event that will be recorded and edited into an audio podcast.

WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS RESEARCH?

There has been a huge growth in interest outside the academic research community in the topics of possession, exorcism, and spiritual healing in recent decades, with which this project aims to engage.

The growth of Christian Charismatic movements encouraged an expectation that spiritual gifts of healing would be manifest, while Evangelical Fundamentalists - suspicious of Charismatic emotionalism - have developed their own interest in deliverance focused on Christ's power to overcome Satan (Collins 2009). A revival of sacramentalism in other sections of the Church has also reignited interest in rites of healing, including deliverance (The Archbishops' Council 2000: 1-15). The growing popularity of the occult and New Age movements, the rapid growth of immigrant communities from cultures in which demons were regarded as a hazard of everyday life, and media portrayals (e.g. The Exorcist, 1974) stimulated interest outside the churches, requiring a response from the major denominations (e.g. Petitpierre 1972). Psychiatry has also taken an interest in the therapeutic value of deliverance ministries (McNamara 2011: I, 1-11; II, 1-44).

Cases such as the notorious 1974 Barnsley murder and the tragic death of Victoria Climbié (2000) - both connected to accusations of demonic possession - prompted the major Christian denominations to implement new safeguarding policies (e.g. Archbishops' Council 2010, 2011). The government reacted too by amending the 1989 Children Act (2004) to incorporate specific provision for abuse connected to beliefs in spirit possession (Stobart 2006); further non-statutory guidance was issued in 2007 and a National Action Plan to Tackle Child Abuse Linked to Faith was launched in 2012.

Working with two Project Partners this project will engage this growing public interest in order to affect the climate of public opinion; it will also initiate discussions with key stakeholders with a view to generating future collaborations outside the academy and across disciplines within the academy.

Outside the academic research community the following groups will therefore benefit directly from the research:

The media:
- International radio and audio-podcast audiences interested in important ethical and moral issues connected to faith.

'Third sector' organisations:
- The Bethlem Museum of the Mind, the museum of the Bethlem Royal Hospital, the first institution in the UK to specialise in the care of the mentally ill.

HOW WILL THEY BENEFIT FROM THIS RESEARCH?

The Bethlem Museum of the Mind aims to support learning about the history of mental healthcare and treatment. The museum's interest in the project arises from a recognition that the Bible has provided - and continues to provide - a symbolic language that individuals have used to understand and articulate their mental health experiences.

There is huge popular interest in the topics of possession, exorcism, and spiritual healing in wider society. The project will therefore be of benefit to the wider public in general by contributing to the shaping of public understanding of religious beliefs and practices past and present. Specifically, it will achieve this by disseminating its results to radio and audio-podcast audiences.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Archbishops' Council, Responding Well to Those Who Have Been Sexually Abused (London: 2011). | Idem, Protecting All God's Children (London: 4th ed. 2010). | Idem, A Time to Heal: A Contribution Towards the Ministry of Healing (London: 2000). | J.M. Collins, Exorcism and Deliverance Ministry in the Twentieth Century (Milton Keynes: 2009). | P. McNamara, Spirit Possession and Exorcism (Santa Barbara: 2011). | D.R. Petitpierre (ed.), Exorcism (London: 1972). | E. Stobart, 'Research Report 750: Child Abuse Linked to Accusations of "Possession" and "Witchcraft"'. (Department for Education and Skills, 2006).