Christian demonology is the study of
demonIn religion, folklore, and mythology a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as a malevolent spirit. In Christian terms demons are generally understood as fallen angels, formerly of God. A demon is frequently depicted as a force that may be conjured and insecurely controlled...
s from a
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
point of view. It is primarily based on the
BibleThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
(
Old TestamentIn Christianity, the Old Testament is the collection of books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. These works correspond to the Hebrew Bible , with some variations and additions. In the Eastern Orthodox Church the comparable texts are known as the Septuagint, from the...
and
New TestamentThe New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament, both terms being associated with Supersessionism...
), the
exegesisExegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text.Biblical exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of the Bible. The goal of Biblical exegesis is to find the meaning of the text which then leads to discovering its significance or relevance.Traditionally the term exegesis...
of these scriptures, the scriptures of early Christian philosophers and
hermitA hermit is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion from society....
s,
traditionThe word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem, acc. of traditio which means "handing over, passing on", and is used in a number of ways in the English language:...
, and
legendA legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
s incorporated from other beliefs.
One relatively recent example of Christian demonology is the book
War On The Saints, written by
Jessie Penn-LewisJessie Penn-Lewis was a Welsh evangelical speaker and author of a number of Christian evangelical works. Her father was a Calvinist Methodist minister. She was married to William Penn-Lewis...
in the early 20th Century, which purports to reveal what demons are, how they work at gaining possession, how to recognize their workings, how to oppose them, and how to free oneself and others from demon possession.
Development
In
monotheisticIn theology, monotheism is the belief that only one god exists. The concept of "monotheism" tends to be dominated by the concept of God in the Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the Platonic concept of God as put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite...
religions, the deities of other religions are sometimes interpreted or created as demons. The evolution of the
Christian DevilIn mainstream Christianity, the Devil is named Satan, sometimes Lucifer. He is a fallen angel who rebelled against God. He is often identified as the serpent in the Garden of Eden, whose persuasions led to original sin and the need for Jesus Christ's redemption...
and
pentagramA pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
are examples of early rituals and images that showcase evil qualities, as seen by the Christian churches.
Since early
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
, demonology has developed from a simple acceptance 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, although many other Christian churches affirm and discuss the existence of demons.
St.
Albertus MagnusSaint Albertus Magnus, O.P. , also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, was a Dominican friar and bishop who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful coexistence of science and religion. He is considered to be the greatest German philosopher...
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").
Origins
According to the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
(Rev 12:9), demons are the angels that fell from heaven (
fallen angelIn most Christian denominations, a fallen angel is an angel who has been exiled or banished from Heaven.Often such banishment is a punishment for disobeying or rebelling against God . The best-known fallen angel is Lucifer. Lucifer is a name frequently given to Satan in Christian belief...
s) with Satan when he chose to rebel against God.
According to the apocryphal
Book of EnochThe Book of Enoch is a pseudepigraphic work ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah and son of Jared .While this book today is non-canonical in most Christian churches, it was explicitly quoted in the New Testament and by many of the early Church Fathers...
, the disembodied spirits of the
NephilimNephilim are beings who appear in the Hebrew Bible; specifically mentioned in the Book of Genesis and the Book of Numbers; they are also mentioned in other Biblical texts and in some non-canonical Jewish writings.- Etymology :...
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’. (Enoch15v8-12, 16v1. C.H.Charles.)
In
JohnThe Gospel of John , is the last of the four canonical gospels. This non synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
8:44
JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
calls the Devil "the first homicide" ("he was a murderer from the beginning" in the
King James VersionThe Authorized King James Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible begun in 1604 and completed in 1611 by the Church of England. Printed by the King's Printer, Robert Barker, the first edition included schedules unique to the Church of England; for example, a lectionary for morning...
), perhaps referring to the murdering of Abel by Cain, a liar, and father of all lies.
Number of demons
The number of demons, at least according to Christian demonology, is high. Much was added to the growth of the number of demons when some Christian theology concluded that all
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
deities were demons.
In early times of Christianity it was accepted an unknown number of demons, but later, during the
Late Middle AgesThe Late Middle Ages is a term used by historians to describe European history in the period of the 14th and 15th centuries . The Late Middle Ages were preceded by the High Middle Ages, and followed by the Early Modern era ....
, some demonologists tried to evaluate this number.
Some scholars did not accept a unique number of demons.
Gregory of NyssaGregory of Nyssa was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity...
, in the 4th century, supported the idea that demons procreated with other demons and with women, believing in the existence of male and female demons.
Other scholars supported the idea that the number of demons was unique and they could not procreate.
As it had been said by Christian theology that there were 400 million angels, Alfonso de Spina calculated that about one third of them were demons, and in 1467 he asserted that the number of demons was 133,316,666 demons. This idea of one third of the angels turned into demons seems to be due to an exegesis of the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
12:3-9.
Johann WeyerJohannes Wier a.k.a. Johann Weyer, in Latin Ioannes Wierus and Piscinarius, was a Dutch physician, occultist and demonologist, disciple and follower of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. He was among the first to publish against the persecution of witches...
, in his
Pseudomonarchia DaemonumPseudomonarchia Daemonum, or Hierarchy of Demons first appears as an Appendix to Johann Weyer's De praestigiis daemonum . The title of the book translates roughly to "false monarchy of demons"....
(1583) after a complicated system of hierarchies and calculations, estimated the number of demons in 44,435,622, divided in 666 legions, each legion composed by 6,666 demons, and all of them ruled by 66 hellish dukes, princes, kings, etc. He forgot to add the rulers of these rulers to the total, but not to mention them in his book. Besides, the number of legions mentioned by Weyer varies in different editions of his book.
The Lesser Key of SolomonThe Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis , is an anonymous 17th-century grimoire, and one of the most popular books of demonology...
(17th century) copied the division in legions from
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum but added more demons, and so more legions; anyhow, its anonymous author did not calculate the number of demons cited in this work. According to the editions of this book, the number also varies.
It is suggestive that both Spina and Weyer used the
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).
Characteristics
In Christian tradition, demons are like
angelAngels are spiritual beings found in many religious traditions. They are broadly viewed as messengers of God, sent to do God's tasks. Traditions vary as to the precise nature and role of these messages and tasks...
s, are
spiritualSpirituality is relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material. Synonyms include immaterialism, dualism, incorporeality and eternity....
,
immutableImmutability is the quality of being unable to change. It may also refer to the following:* Immutable object, in computer science* Immutability , the belief that God cannot change...
, and
immortalImmortality is the concept of living in a physical or spiritual form for an infinite or inconceivably vast length of time....
. Demons are not omniscient, but each one has a specific knowledge (sometimes on only one subject, sometimes on more than one). Their power is limited to that which
GodGod is a deity in theistic and deistic religions and other belief systems, representing either the sole deity in monotheism, or a principal deity in polytheism....
allows, so they are not omnipotent. No reference has been made about
omnipresence"Omnipresence" is the property of being present everywhere. According to eastern theism, God is present everywhere. Divine omnipresence is thus one of the divine attributes, although in western theism it has attracted less philosophical attention than such attributes as omnipotence, omniscience, or...
, so it is as yet unclear if they can be in different places at the same time, but according to the tradition of the medieval witches'
SabbathThe Witches' Sabbath or Sabbat is a supposed meeting of those who practice Paganism, Wicca, or other rites.European records tell of innumerable cases of persons being accused or tried for taking part in Sabbat gatherings, from the Middle Ages to the 17th century or later...
, two conclusions can be reached: either the Devil can be in different places at the same time, or he sends an emissary in his name.
Christian demonology states that the mission of the demons is to induce humans to
sinSin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. Commonly, the moral code of conduct is decreed by a divine entity, i.e...
, often by testing their faith in God. Christian tradition holds that temptations come from three sources: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
It is also believed that demons torment people during their life, like the case of Job or through possession, causing disgraces or simply showing themselves before persons to frighten them, or by provoking visions that could induce people to sin or to be afraid. (
MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
17:15-16)
Demons are also believed to try to make people abandon the faith, commit
heresyHeresy is proposing some unorthodox change to an established system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established opinion of scholars of that belief such as canon. It is sometimes confused with apostasy which is disaffiliation from orthodoxy and blasphemy which is...
or
apostasyApostasy is the formal religious disaffiliation or abandonment or renunciation of one's religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. In a technical sense, as used sometimes by sociologists without the pejorative connotations of the word, the term refers to renunciation and criticism of,...
, remain or turn themselves
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
or venerate "
idolsIdolatry is usually defined as worship of any cult image, idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a monotheistic God. It is considered a major sin in the Abrahamic religions whereas in religions where such activity is not considered a sin, the term "idolatry" itself is absent...
" (the Christian term for
cult imageIn the practice of religion, a cult image is a man-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents. Cultus, the outward religious formulas of "cult", often centers upon the treatment of cult images, which may be dressed, fed or paraded, etc...
s), and gain the highest number of "
SatanSatan is an embodiment of antagonism that originates from the Abrahamic religions, being traditionally considered an angel in Judeo-Christian belief, and a Jinn in Islamic belief...
s" or adversaries of God. (Ephesians 6:12)
In the Book of Luke, it is stated that demons walk "waterless places", and finding no rest return to their previous home.
Appearance
Referring to their appearance, demons can take any desired appearance, even that of an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). Nevertheless, they were generally described as ugly and monstrous beings by Christian demonologists. Many of these descriptions have inspired famous painters like
Luca SignorelliLuca Signorelli was an Italian Renaissance painter who was noted in particular for his ability as a draughtsman and his use of foreshortening...
,
Hieronymus BoschHieronymus Bosch was an Early Netherlandish painter of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries...
,
GoyaFrancisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and as the first of the moderns. Goya was a court painter to the Spanish Crown and a chronicler of history...
, the artist that made the drawings for the
Dictionnaire InfernalThe Dictionnaire Infernal is a book on demonology, organised in hellish hierarchies. It was written by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy and first published in 1818. There were several editions of the book, but perhaps the most famous is the...
, and others.
The Devil in particular has been popularly symbolised as various animals, including the
serpentSerpent is a word of Latin origin that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or religious context, signifying a snake that is to be regarded not as a mundane natural phenomenon nor as an object of scientific zoology, but as the bearer of some potent symbolic value.-Cross-cultural symbolic...
, the
goatThe domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep: both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
and the
dragonEuropean dragons are legendary creatures in folklore and mythology among the overlapping cultures of Europe.In European folklore, a dragon is a serpentine legendary creature. The Latin word draco, as in constellation Draco, comes directly from Greek δράκων,...
.
IncubiAn incubus is a demon in male form supposed to lie upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them, according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions. Its female counterpart is the succubus. An incubus may pursue sexual relations with a woman in order...
and
succubiIn folklore that stems from medieval legend, a succubus is a demon who takes the form of a woman to seduce men in dreams to have sexual intercourse. In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as highly attractive, while in the past succubi were frightening...
are described as being beautiful in order to accomplish their mission of
seductionIn sociology, seduction is the process of deliberately enticing a person to engage in some sort of human sexual behavior. The word seduction stems from Latin and means literally "to lead astray." As a result, the term may have a positive or negative connotation...
.
The idea that demons have horns seems to have been taken from the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
13:1 (here it seems that
JohnSaint John the Evangelist , or the Beloved Disciple, is traditionally the name used to refer to the author of the Gospel of John and the First Epistle of John. Traditionally he has been identified with John the Apostle...
was inspired by
LeviathanLeviathan , is a sea monster referred to in the Hebrew Bible .The word leviathan has become synonymous with any large sea monster or creature...
) and 13:11. The book of Revelation seems to have also inspired some depictions of demons (Revelation 13:1-2). This idea has also been associated with the depiction of certain ancient gods like
MolochMoloch, Molech, Molekh, Molek, or Moloc, representing semitic מולך m-l-k, is either the name of a god or the name of a particular kind of sacrifice associated with fire...
and the
sheduThe Sumerian word lama, which is rendered in Akkadian as lamassu, refers to a beneficient protective female deity. The corresponding male deity was called alad, in Akkadian, šêdu .. Also known as an urmahlullu....
, etc, which were portrayed as bulls, as men with the head of a bull, or wearing bull horns as a crown.
Concerning the weight of the demons, since the 17th century people affirmed that they were heavier than common humans.
About the colour of the demons' skin, since early times it was associated with black, thinking that they assumed the appearance of a black man, although not all descriptions agreed, giving demons very different aspects. Satan and other demons were also often depicted as black-dressed men, often riding a black horse. When demons appeared in the shape of animals, often they were black. Poets such as
Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer was an English author, poet, philosopher, bureaucrat, courtier and diplomat. Although he wrote many works, he is best remembered for his unfinished frame narrative The Canterbury Tales...
associated the color
greenGreen is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
with the Devil, although in modern times the color is
redRed is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked human eye...
.
Christian demonology is the study of
demonIn religion, folklore, and mythology a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as a malevolent spirit. In Christian terms demons are generally understood as fallen angels, formerly of God. A demon is frequently depicted as a force that may be conjured and insecurely controlled...
s from a
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
point of view. It is primarily based on the
BibleThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
(
Old TestamentIn Christianity, the Old Testament is the collection of books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. These works correspond to the Hebrew Bible , with some variations and additions. In the Eastern Orthodox Church the comparable texts are known as the Septuagint, from the...
and
New TestamentThe New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament, both terms being associated with Supersessionism...
), the
exegesisExegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text.Biblical exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of the Bible. The goal of Biblical exegesis is to find the meaning of the text which then leads to discovering its significance or relevance.Traditionally the term exegesis...
of these scriptures, the scriptures of early Christian philosophers and
hermitA hermit is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion from society....
s,
traditionThe word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem, acc. of traditio which means "handing over, passing on", and is used in a number of ways in the English language:...
, and
legendA legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
s incorporated from other beliefs.
One relatively recent example of Christian demonology is the book
War On The Saints, written by
Jessie Penn-LewisJessie Penn-Lewis was a Welsh evangelical speaker and author of a number of Christian evangelical works. Her father was a Calvinist Methodist minister. She was married to William Penn-Lewis...
in the early 20th Century, which purports to reveal what demons are, how they work at gaining possession, how to recognize their workings, how to oppose them, and how to free oneself and others from demon possession.
Development
In
monotheisticIn theology, monotheism is the belief that only one god exists. The concept of "monotheism" tends to be dominated by the concept of God in the Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the Platonic concept of God as put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite...
religions, the deities of other religions are sometimes interpreted or created as demons. The evolution of the
Christian DevilIn mainstream Christianity, the Devil is named Satan, sometimes Lucifer. He is a fallen angel who rebelled against God. He is often identified as the serpent in the Garden of Eden, whose persuasions led to original sin and the need for Jesus Christ's redemption...
and
pentagramA pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
are examples of early rituals and images that showcase evil qualities, as seen by the Christian churches.
Since early
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
, demonology has developed from a simple acceptance 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, although many other Christian churches affirm and discuss the existence of demons.
St.
Albertus MagnusSaint Albertus Magnus, O.P. , also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, was a Dominican friar and bishop who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful coexistence of science and religion. He is considered to be the greatest German philosopher...
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").
Origins
According to the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
(Rev 12:9), demons are the angels that fell from heaven (
fallen angelIn most Christian denominations, a fallen angel is an angel who has been exiled or banished from Heaven.Often such banishment is a punishment for disobeying or rebelling against God . The best-known fallen angel is Lucifer. Lucifer is a name frequently given to Satan in Christian belief...
s) with Satan when he chose to rebel against God.
According to the apocryphal
Book of EnochThe Book of Enoch is a pseudepigraphic work ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah and son of Jared .While this book today is non-canonical in most Christian churches, it was explicitly quoted in the New Testament and by many of the early Church Fathers...
, the disembodied spirits of the
NephilimNephilim are beings who appear in the Hebrew Bible; specifically mentioned in the Book of Genesis and the Book of Numbers; they are also mentioned in other Biblical texts and in some non-canonical Jewish writings.- Etymology :...
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’. (Enoch15v8-12, 16v1. C.H.Charles.)
In
JohnThe Gospel of John , is the last of the four canonical gospels. This non synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
8:44
JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
calls the Devil "the first homicide" ("he was a murderer from the beginning" in the
King James VersionThe Authorized King James Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible begun in 1604 and completed in 1611 by the Church of England. Printed by the King's Printer, Robert Barker, the first edition included schedules unique to the Church of England; for example, a lectionary for morning...
), perhaps referring to the murdering of Abel by Cain, a liar, and father of all lies.
Number of demons
The number of demons, at least according to Christian demonology, is high. Much was added to the growth of the number of demons when some Christian theology concluded that all
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
deities were demons.
In early times of Christianity it was accepted an unknown number of demons, but later, during the
Late Middle AgesThe Late Middle Ages is a term used by historians to describe European history in the period of the 14th and 15th centuries . The Late Middle Ages were preceded by the High Middle Ages, and followed by the Early Modern era ....
, some demonologists tried to evaluate this number.
Some scholars did not accept a unique number of demons.
Gregory of NyssaGregory of Nyssa was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity...
, in the 4th century, supported the idea that demons procreated with other demons and with women, believing in the existence of male and female demons.
Other scholars supported the idea that the number of demons was unique and they could not procreate.
As it had been said by Christian theology that there were 400 million angels, Alfonso de Spina calculated that about one third of them were demons, and in 1467 he asserted that the number of demons was 133,316,666 demons. This idea of one third of the angels turned into demons seems to be due to an exegesis of the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
12:3-9.
Johann WeyerJohannes Wier a.k.a. Johann Weyer, in Latin Ioannes Wierus and Piscinarius, was a Dutch physician, occultist and demonologist, disciple and follower of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. He was among the first to publish against the persecution of witches...
, in his
Pseudomonarchia DaemonumPseudomonarchia Daemonum, or Hierarchy of Demons first appears as an Appendix to Johann Weyer's De praestigiis daemonum . The title of the book translates roughly to "false monarchy of demons"....
(1583) after a complicated system of hierarchies and calculations, estimated the number of demons in 44,435,622, divided in 666 legions, each legion composed by 6,666 demons, and all of them ruled by 66 hellish dukes, princes, kings, etc. He forgot to add the rulers of these rulers to the total, but not to mention them in his book. Besides, the number of legions mentioned by Weyer varies in different editions of his book.
The Lesser Key of SolomonThe Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis , is an anonymous 17th-century grimoire, and one of the most popular books of demonology...
(17th century) copied the division in legions from
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum but added more demons, and so more legions; anyhow, its anonymous author did not calculate the number of demons cited in this work. According to the editions of this book, the number also varies.
It is suggestive that both Spina and Weyer used the
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).
Characteristics
In Christian tradition, demons are like
angelAngels are spiritual beings found in many religious traditions. They are broadly viewed as messengers of God, sent to do God's tasks. Traditions vary as to the precise nature and role of these messages and tasks...
s, are
spiritualSpirituality is relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material. Synonyms include immaterialism, dualism, incorporeality and eternity....
,
immutableImmutability is the quality of being unable to change. It may also refer to the following:* Immutable object, in computer science* Immutability , the belief that God cannot change...
, and
immortalImmortality is the concept of living in a physical or spiritual form for an infinite or inconceivably vast length of time....
. Demons are not omniscient, but each one has a specific knowledge (sometimes on only one subject, sometimes on more than one). Their power is limited to that which
GodGod is a deity in theistic and deistic religions and other belief systems, representing either the sole deity in monotheism, or a principal deity in polytheism....
allows, so they are not omnipotent. No reference has been made about
omnipresence"Omnipresence" is the property of being present everywhere. According to eastern theism, God is present everywhere. Divine omnipresence is thus one of the divine attributes, although in western theism it has attracted less philosophical attention than such attributes as omnipotence, omniscience, or...
, so it is as yet unclear if they can be in different places at the same time, but according to the tradition of the medieval witches'
SabbathThe Witches' Sabbath or Sabbat is a supposed meeting of those who practice Paganism, Wicca, or other rites.European records tell of innumerable cases of persons being accused or tried for taking part in Sabbat gatherings, from the Middle Ages to the 17th century or later...
, two conclusions can be reached: either the Devil can be in different places at the same time, or he sends an emissary in his name.
Christian demonology states that the mission of the demons is to induce humans to
sinSin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. Commonly, the moral code of conduct is decreed by a divine entity, i.e...
, often by testing their faith in God. Christian tradition holds that temptations come from three sources: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
It is also believed that demons torment people during their life, like the case of Job or through possession, causing disgraces or simply showing themselves before persons to frighten them, or by provoking visions that could induce people to sin or to be afraid. (
MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
17:15-16)
Demons are also believed to try to make people abandon the faith, commit
heresyHeresy is proposing some unorthodox change to an established system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established opinion of scholars of that belief such as canon. It is sometimes confused with apostasy which is disaffiliation from orthodoxy and blasphemy which is...
or
apostasyApostasy is the formal religious disaffiliation or abandonment or renunciation of one's religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. In a technical sense, as used sometimes by sociologists without the pejorative connotations of the word, the term refers to renunciation and criticism of,...
, remain or turn themselves
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
or venerate "
idolsIdolatry is usually defined as worship of any cult image, idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a monotheistic God. It is considered a major sin in the Abrahamic religions whereas in religions where such activity is not considered a sin, the term "idolatry" itself is absent...
" (the Christian term for
cult imageIn the practice of religion, a cult image is a man-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents. Cultus, the outward religious formulas of "cult", often centers upon the treatment of cult images, which may be dressed, fed or paraded, etc...
s), and gain the highest number of "
SatanSatan is an embodiment of antagonism that originates from the Abrahamic religions, being traditionally considered an angel in Judeo-Christian belief, and a Jinn in Islamic belief...
s" or adversaries of God. (Ephesians 6:12)
In the Book of Luke, it is stated that demons walk "waterless places", and finding no rest return to their previous home.
Appearance
Referring to their appearance, demons can take any desired appearance, even that of an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). Nevertheless, they were generally described as ugly and monstrous beings by Christian demonologists. Many of these descriptions have inspired famous painters like
Luca SignorelliLuca Signorelli was an Italian Renaissance painter who was noted in particular for his ability as a draughtsman and his use of foreshortening...
,
Hieronymus BoschHieronymus Bosch was an Early Netherlandish painter of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries...
,
GoyaFrancisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and as the first of the moderns. Goya was a court painter to the Spanish Crown and a chronicler of history...
, the artist that made the drawings for the
Dictionnaire InfernalThe Dictionnaire Infernal is a book on demonology, organised in hellish hierarchies. It was written by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy and first published in 1818. There were several editions of the book, but perhaps the most famous is the...
, and others.
The Devil in particular has been popularly symbolised as various animals, including the
serpentSerpent is a word of Latin origin that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or religious context, signifying a snake that is to be regarded not as a mundane natural phenomenon nor as an object of scientific zoology, but as the bearer of some potent symbolic value.-Cross-cultural symbolic...
, the
goatThe domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep: both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
and the
dragonEuropean dragons are legendary creatures in folklore and mythology among the overlapping cultures of Europe.In European folklore, a dragon is a serpentine legendary creature. The Latin word draco, as in constellation Draco, comes directly from Greek δράκων,...
.
IncubiAn incubus is a demon in male form supposed to lie upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them, according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions. Its female counterpart is the succubus. An incubus may pursue sexual relations with a woman in order...
and
succubiIn folklore that stems from medieval legend, a succubus is a demon who takes the form of a woman to seduce men in dreams to have sexual intercourse. In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as highly attractive, while in the past succubi were frightening...
are described as being beautiful in order to accomplish their mission of
seductionIn sociology, seduction is the process of deliberately enticing a person to engage in some sort of human sexual behavior. The word seduction stems from Latin and means literally "to lead astray." As a result, the term may have a positive or negative connotation...
.
The idea that demons have horns seems to have been taken from the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
13:1 (here it seems that
JohnSaint John the Evangelist , or the Beloved Disciple, is traditionally the name used to refer to the author of the Gospel of John and the First Epistle of John. Traditionally he has been identified with John the Apostle...
was inspired by
LeviathanLeviathan , is a sea monster referred to in the Hebrew Bible .The word leviathan has become synonymous with any large sea monster or creature...
) and 13:11. The book of Revelation seems to have also inspired some depictions of demons (Revelation 13:1-2). This idea has also been associated with the depiction of certain ancient gods like
MolochMoloch, Molech, Molekh, Molek, or Moloc, representing semitic מולך m-l-k, is either the name of a god or the name of a particular kind of sacrifice associated with fire...
and the
sheduThe Sumerian word lama, which is rendered in Akkadian as lamassu, refers to a beneficient protective female deity. The corresponding male deity was called alad, in Akkadian, šêdu .. Also known as an urmahlullu....
, etc, which were portrayed as bulls, as men with the head of a bull, or wearing bull horns as a crown.
Concerning the weight of the demons, since the 17th century people affirmed that they were heavier than common humans.
About the colour of the demons' skin, since early times it was associated with black, thinking that they assumed the appearance of a black man, although not all descriptions agreed, giving demons very different aspects. Satan and other demons were also often depicted as black-dressed men, often riding a black horse. When demons appeared in the shape of animals, often they were black. Poets such as
Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer was an English author, poet, philosopher, bureaucrat, courtier and diplomat. Although he wrote many works, he is best remembered for his unfinished frame narrative The Canterbury Tales...
associated the color
greenGreen is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
with the Devil, although in modern times the color is
redRed is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked human eye...
.
Christian demonology is the study of
demonIn religion, folklore, and mythology a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as a malevolent spirit. In Christian terms demons are generally understood as fallen angels, formerly of God. A demon is frequently depicted as a force that may be conjured and insecurely controlled...
s from a
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
point of view. It is primarily based on the
BibleThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
(
Old TestamentIn Christianity, the Old Testament is the collection of books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. These works correspond to the Hebrew Bible , with some variations and additions. In the Eastern Orthodox Church the comparable texts are known as the Septuagint, from the...
and
New TestamentThe New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament, both terms being associated with Supersessionism...
), the
exegesisExegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text.Biblical exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of the Bible. The goal of Biblical exegesis is to find the meaning of the text which then leads to discovering its significance or relevance.Traditionally the term exegesis...
of these scriptures, the scriptures of early Christian philosophers and
hermitA hermit is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion from society....
s,
traditionThe word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem, acc. of traditio which means "handing over, passing on", and is used in a number of ways in the English language:...
, and
legendA legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
s incorporated from other beliefs.
One relatively recent example of Christian demonology is the book
War On The Saints, written by
Jessie Penn-LewisJessie Penn-Lewis was a Welsh evangelical speaker and author of a number of Christian evangelical works. Her father was a Calvinist Methodist minister. She was married to William Penn-Lewis...
in the early 20th Century, which purports to reveal what demons are, how they work at gaining possession, how to recognize their workings, how to oppose them, and how to free oneself and others from demon possession.
Development
In
monotheisticIn theology, monotheism is the belief that only one god exists. The concept of "monotheism" tends to be dominated by the concept of God in the Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the Platonic concept of God as put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite...
religions, the deities of other religions are sometimes interpreted or created as demons. The evolution of the
Christian DevilIn mainstream Christianity, the Devil is named Satan, sometimes Lucifer. He is a fallen angel who rebelled against God. He is often identified as the serpent in the Garden of Eden, whose persuasions led to original sin and the need for Jesus Christ's redemption...
and
pentagramA pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
are examples of early rituals and images that showcase evil qualities, as seen by the Christian churches.
Since early
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
, demonology has developed from a simple acceptance 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, although many other Christian churches affirm and discuss the existence of demons.
St.
Albertus MagnusSaint Albertus Magnus, O.P. , also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, was a Dominican friar and bishop who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful coexistence of science and religion. He is considered to be the greatest German philosopher...
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").
Origins
According to the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
(Rev 12:9), demons are the angels that fell from heaven (
fallen angelIn most Christian denominations, a fallen angel is an angel who has been exiled or banished from Heaven.Often such banishment is a punishment for disobeying or rebelling against God . The best-known fallen angel is Lucifer. Lucifer is a name frequently given to Satan in Christian belief...
s) with Satan when he chose to rebel against God.
According to the apocryphal
Book of EnochThe Book of Enoch is a pseudepigraphic work ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah and son of Jared .While this book today is non-canonical in most Christian churches, it was explicitly quoted in the New Testament and by many of the early Church Fathers...
, the disembodied spirits of the
NephilimNephilim are beings who appear in the Hebrew Bible; specifically mentioned in the Book of Genesis and the Book of Numbers; they are also mentioned in other Biblical texts and in some non-canonical Jewish writings.- Etymology :...
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’. (Enoch15v8-12, 16v1. C.H.Charles.)
In
JohnThe Gospel of John , is the last of the four canonical gospels. This non synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
8:44
JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
calls the Devil "the first homicide" ("he was a murderer from the beginning" in the
King James VersionThe Authorized King James Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible begun in 1604 and completed in 1611 by the Church of England. Printed by the King's Printer, Robert Barker, the first edition included schedules unique to the Church of England; for example, a lectionary for morning...
), perhaps referring to the murdering of Abel by Cain, a liar, and father of all lies.
Number of demons
The number of demons, at least according to Christian demonology, is high. Much was added to the growth of the number of demons when some Christian theology concluded that all
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
deities were demons.
In early times of Christianity it was accepted an unknown number of demons, but later, during the
Late Middle AgesThe Late Middle Ages is a term used by historians to describe European history in the period of the 14th and 15th centuries . The Late Middle Ages were preceded by the High Middle Ages, and followed by the Early Modern era ....
, some demonologists tried to evaluate this number.
Some scholars did not accept a unique number of demons.
Gregory of NyssaGregory of Nyssa was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity...
, in the 4th century, supported the idea that demons procreated with other demons and with women, believing in the existence of male and female demons.
Other scholars supported the idea that the number of demons was unique and they could not procreate.
As it had been said by Christian theology that there were 400 million angels, Alfonso de Spina calculated that about one third of them were demons, and in 1467 he asserted that the number of demons was 133,316,666 demons. This idea of one third of the angels turned into demons seems to be due to an exegesis of the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
12:3-9.
Johann WeyerJohannes Wier a.k.a. Johann Weyer, in Latin Ioannes Wierus and Piscinarius, was a Dutch physician, occultist and demonologist, disciple and follower of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. He was among the first to publish against the persecution of witches...
, in his
Pseudomonarchia DaemonumPseudomonarchia Daemonum, or Hierarchy of Demons first appears as an Appendix to Johann Weyer's De praestigiis daemonum . The title of the book translates roughly to "false monarchy of demons"....
(1583) after a complicated system of hierarchies and calculations, estimated the number of demons in 44,435,622, divided in 666 legions, each legion composed by 6,666 demons, and all of them ruled by 66 hellish dukes, princes, kings, etc. He forgot to add the rulers of these rulers to the total, but not to mention them in his book. Besides, the number of legions mentioned by Weyer varies in different editions of his book.
The Lesser Key of SolomonThe Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis , is an anonymous 17th-century grimoire, and one of the most popular books of demonology...
(17th century) copied the division in legions from
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum but added more demons, and so more legions; anyhow, its anonymous author did not calculate the number of demons cited in this work. According to the editions of this book, the number also varies.
It is suggestive that both Spina and Weyer used the
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).
Characteristics
In Christian tradition, demons are like
angelAngels are spiritual beings found in many religious traditions. They are broadly viewed as messengers of God, sent to do God's tasks. Traditions vary as to the precise nature and role of these messages and tasks...
s, are
spiritualSpirituality is relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material. Synonyms include immaterialism, dualism, incorporeality and eternity....
,
immutableImmutability is the quality of being unable to change. It may also refer to the following:* Immutable object, in computer science* Immutability , the belief that God cannot change...
, and
immortalImmortality is the concept of living in a physical or spiritual form for an infinite or inconceivably vast length of time....
. Demons are not omniscient, but each one has a specific knowledge (sometimes on only one subject, sometimes on more than one). Their power is limited to that which
GodGod is a deity in theistic and deistic religions and other belief systems, representing either the sole deity in monotheism, or a principal deity in polytheism....
allows, so they are not omnipotent. No reference has been made about
omnipresence"Omnipresence" is the property of being present everywhere. According to eastern theism, God is present everywhere. Divine omnipresence is thus one of the divine attributes, although in western theism it has attracted less philosophical attention than such attributes as omnipotence, omniscience, or...
, so it is as yet unclear if they can be in different places at the same time, but according to the tradition of the medieval witches'
SabbathThe Witches' Sabbath or Sabbat is a supposed meeting of those who practice Paganism, Wicca, or other rites.European records tell of innumerable cases of persons being accused or tried for taking part in Sabbat gatherings, from the Middle Ages to the 17th century or later...
, two conclusions can be reached: either the Devil can be in different places at the same time, or he sends an emissary in his name.
Christian demonology states that the mission of the demons is to induce humans to
sinSin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. Commonly, the moral code of conduct is decreed by a divine entity, i.e...
, often by testing their faith in God. Christian tradition holds that temptations come from three sources: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
It is also believed that demons torment people during their life, like the case of Job or through possession, causing disgraces or simply showing themselves before persons to frighten them, or by provoking visions that could induce people to sin or to be afraid. (
MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
17:15-16)
Demons are also believed to try to make people abandon the faith, commit
heresyHeresy is proposing some unorthodox change to an established system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established opinion of scholars of that belief such as canon. It is sometimes confused with apostasy which is disaffiliation from orthodoxy and blasphemy which is...
or
apostasyApostasy is the formal religious disaffiliation or abandonment or renunciation of one's religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. In a technical sense, as used sometimes by sociologists without the pejorative connotations of the word, the term refers to renunciation and criticism of,...
, remain or turn themselves
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
or venerate "
idolsIdolatry is usually defined as worship of any cult image, idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a monotheistic God. It is considered a major sin in the Abrahamic religions whereas in religions where such activity is not considered a sin, the term "idolatry" itself is absent...
" (the Christian term for
cult imageIn the practice of religion, a cult image is a man-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents. Cultus, the outward religious formulas of "cult", often centers upon the treatment of cult images, which may be dressed, fed or paraded, etc...
s), and gain the highest number of "
SatanSatan is an embodiment of antagonism that originates from the Abrahamic religions, being traditionally considered an angel in Judeo-Christian belief, and a Jinn in Islamic belief...
s" or adversaries of God. (Ephesians 6:12)
In the Book of Luke, it is stated that demons walk "waterless places", and finding no rest return to their previous home.
Appearance
Referring to their appearance, demons can take any desired appearance, even that of an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). Nevertheless, they were generally described as ugly and monstrous beings by Christian demonologists. Many of these descriptions have inspired famous painters like
Luca SignorelliLuca Signorelli was an Italian Renaissance painter who was noted in particular for his ability as a draughtsman and his use of foreshortening...
,
Hieronymus BoschHieronymus Bosch was an Early Netherlandish painter of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries...
,
GoyaFrancisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and as the first of the moderns. Goya was a court painter to the Spanish Crown and a chronicler of history...
, the artist that made the drawings for the
Dictionnaire InfernalThe Dictionnaire Infernal is a book on demonology, organised in hellish hierarchies. It was written by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy and first published in 1818. There were several editions of the book, but perhaps the most famous is the...
, and others.
The Devil in particular has been popularly symbolised as various animals, including the
serpentSerpent is a word of Latin origin that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or religious context, signifying a snake that is to be regarded not as a mundane natural phenomenon nor as an object of scientific zoology, but as the bearer of some potent symbolic value.-Cross-cultural symbolic...
, the
goatThe domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep: both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
and the
dragonEuropean dragons are legendary creatures in folklore and mythology among the overlapping cultures of Europe.In European folklore, a dragon is a serpentine legendary creature. The Latin word draco, as in constellation Draco, comes directly from Greek δράκων,...
.
IncubiAn incubus is a demon in male form supposed to lie upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them, according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions. Its female counterpart is the succubus. An incubus may pursue sexual relations with a woman in order...
and
succubiIn folklore that stems from medieval legend, a succubus is a demon who takes the form of a woman to seduce men in dreams to have sexual intercourse. In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as highly attractive, while in the past succubi were frightening...
are described as being beautiful in order to accomplish their mission of
seductionIn sociology, seduction is the process of deliberately enticing a person to engage in some sort of human sexual behavior. The word seduction stems from Latin and means literally "to lead astray." As a result, the term may have a positive or negative connotation...
.
The idea that demons have horns seems to have been taken from the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
13:1 (here it seems that
JohnSaint John the Evangelist , or the Beloved Disciple, is traditionally the name used to refer to the author of the Gospel of John and the First Epistle of John. Traditionally he has been identified with John the Apostle...
was inspired by
LeviathanLeviathan , is a sea monster referred to in the Hebrew Bible .The word leviathan has become synonymous with any large sea monster or creature...
) and 13:11. The book of Revelation seems to have also inspired some depictions of demons (Revelation 13:1-2). This idea has also been associated with the depiction of certain ancient gods like
MolochMoloch, Molech, Molekh, Molek, or Moloc, representing semitic מולך m-l-k, is either the name of a god or the name of a particular kind of sacrifice associated with fire...
and the
sheduThe Sumerian word lama, which is rendered in Akkadian as lamassu, refers to a beneficient protective female deity. The corresponding male deity was called alad, in Akkadian, šêdu .. Also known as an urmahlullu....
, etc, which were portrayed as bulls, as men with the head of a bull, or wearing bull horns as a crown.
Concerning the weight of the demons, since the 17th century people affirmed that they were heavier than common humans.
About the colour of the demons' skin, since early times it was associated with black, thinking that they assumed the appearance of a black man, although not all descriptions agreed, giving demons very different aspects. Satan and other demons were also often depicted as black-dressed men, often riding a black horse. When demons appeared in the shape of animals, often they were black. Poets such as
Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer was an English author, poet, philosopher, bureaucrat, courtier and diplomat. Although he wrote many works, he is best remembered for his unfinished frame narrative The Canterbury Tales...
associated the color
greenGreen is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
with the Devil, although in modern times the color is
redRed is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked human eye...
.
{{Expert-subject|Christianity|date=November 2008}}
{{Original research|date=September 2007}}
Christian demonology is the study of
demonIn religion, folklore, and mythology a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as a malevolent spirit. In Christian terms demons are generally understood as fallen angels, formerly of God. A demon is frequently depicted as a force that may be conjured and insecurely controlled...
s from a
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
point of view. It is primarily based on the
BibleThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
(
Old TestamentIn Christianity, the Old Testament is the collection of books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. These works correspond to the Hebrew Bible , with some variations and additions. In the Eastern Orthodox Church the comparable texts are known as the Septuagint, from the...
and
New TestamentThe New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament, both terms being associated with Supersessionism...
), the
exegesisExegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text.Biblical exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of the Bible. The goal of Biblical exegesis is to find the meaning of the text which then leads to discovering its significance or relevance.Traditionally the term exegesis...
of these scriptures, the scriptures of early Christian philosophers and
hermitA hermit is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion from society....
s,
traditionThe word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem, acc. of traditio which means "handing over, passing on", and is used in a number of ways in the English language:...
, and
legendA legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
s incorporated from other beliefs.
One relatively recent example of Christian demonology is the book
War On The Saints, written by
Jessie Penn-LewisJessie Penn-Lewis was a Welsh evangelical speaker and author of a number of Christian evangelical works. Her father was a Calvinist Methodist minister. She was married to William Penn-Lewis...
in the early 20th Century, which purports to reveal what demons are, how they work at gaining possession, how to recognize their workings, how to oppose them, and how to free oneself and others from demon possession.
Development
{{See also|Demonology}}
In
monotheisticIn theology, monotheism is the belief that only one god exists. The concept of "monotheism" tends to be dominated by the concept of God in the Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the Platonic concept of God as put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite...
religions, the deities of other religions are sometimes interpreted or created as demons. The evolution of the
Christian DevilIn mainstream Christianity, the Devil is named Satan, sometimes Lucifer. He is a fallen angel who rebelled against God. He is often identified as the serpent in the Garden of Eden, whose persuasions led to original sin and the need for Jesus Christ's redemption...
and
pentagramA pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
are examples of early rituals and images that showcase evil qualities, as seen by the Christian churches.
Since early
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
, demonology has developed from a simple acceptance 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, although many other Christian churches affirm and discuss the existence of demons.
St.
Albertus MagnusSaint Albertus Magnus, O.P. , also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, was a Dominican friar and bishop who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful coexistence of science and religion. He is considered to be the greatest German philosopher...
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").
Origins
According to the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
(Rev 12:9), demons are the angels that fell from heaven (
fallen angelIn most Christian denominations, a fallen angel is an angel who has been exiled or banished from Heaven.Often such banishment is a punishment for disobeying or rebelling against God . The best-known fallen angel is Lucifer. Lucifer is a name frequently given to Satan in Christian belief...
s) with Satan when he chose to rebel against God.
According to the apocryphal
Book of EnochThe Book of Enoch is a pseudepigraphic work ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah and son of Jared .While this book today is non-canonical in most Christian churches, it was explicitly quoted in the New Testament and by many of the early Church Fathers...
, the disembodied spirits of the
NephilimNephilim are beings who appear in the Hebrew Bible; specifically mentioned in the Book of Genesis and the Book of Numbers; they are also mentioned in other Biblical texts and in some non-canonical Jewish writings.- Etymology :...
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’. (Enoch15v8-12, 16v1. C.H.Charles.)
In
JohnThe Gospel of John , is the last of the four canonical gospels. This non synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
8:44
JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
calls the Devil "the first homicide" ("he was a murderer from the beginning" in the
King James VersionThe Authorized King James Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible begun in 1604 and completed in 1611 by the Church of England. Printed by the King's Printer, Robert Barker, the first edition included schedules unique to the Church of England; for example, a lectionary for morning...
), perhaps referring to the murdering of Abel by Cain, a liar, and father of all lies.
Number of demons
The number of demons, at least according to Christian demonology, is high. Much was added to the growth of the number of demons when some Christian theology concluded that all
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
deities were demons.
In early times of Christianity it was accepted an unknown number of demons, but later, during the
Late Middle AgesThe Late Middle Ages is a term used by historians to describe European history in the period of the 14th and 15th centuries . The Late Middle Ages were preceded by the High Middle Ages, and followed by the Early Modern era ....
, some demonologists tried to evaluate this number.
Some scholars did not accept a unique number of demons.
Gregory of NyssaGregory of Nyssa was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity...
, in the 4th century, supported the idea that demons procreated with other demons and with women, believing in the existence of male and female demons.
Other scholars supported the idea that the number of demons was unique and they could not procreate.
As it had been said by Christian theology{{Who|date=October 2009}} that there were 400 million angels, Alfonso de Spina calculated that about one third of them were demons, and in 1467 he asserted that the number of demons was 133,316,666 demons. This idea of one third of the angels turned into demons seems to be due to an exegesis of the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
12:3-9.
Johann WeyerJohannes Wier a.k.a. Johann Weyer, in Latin Ioannes Wierus and Piscinarius, was a Dutch physician, occultist and demonologist, disciple and follower of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. He was among the first to publish against the persecution of witches...
, in his
Pseudomonarchia DaemonumPseudomonarchia Daemonum, or Hierarchy of Demons first appears as an Appendix to Johann Weyer's De praestigiis daemonum . The title of the book translates roughly to "false monarchy of demons"....
(1583) after a complicated system of hierarchies and calculations, estimated the number of demons in 44,435,622, divided in 666 legions, each legion composed by 6,666 demons, and all of them ruled by 66 hellish dukes, princes, kings, etc. He forgot to add the rulers of these rulers to the total, but not to mention them in his book. Besides, the number of legions mentioned by Weyer varies in different editions of his book.
The Lesser Key of SolomonThe Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis , is an anonymous 17th-century grimoire, and one of the most popular books of demonology...
(17th century) copied the division in legions from
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum but added more demons, and so more legions; anyhow, its anonymous author did not calculate the number of demons cited in this work. According to the editions of this book, the number also varies.
It is suggestive that both Spina and Weyer used the
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).
Characteristics
{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2007}}
In Christian tradition, demons are like
angelAngels are spiritual beings found in many religious traditions. They are broadly viewed as messengers of God, sent to do God's tasks. Traditions vary as to the precise nature and role of these messages and tasks...
s, are
spiritualSpirituality is relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material. Synonyms include immaterialism, dualism, incorporeality and eternity....
,
immutableImmutability is the quality of being unable to change. It may also refer to the following:* Immutable object, in computer science* Immutability , the belief that God cannot change...
, and
immortalImmortality is the concept of living in a physical or spiritual form for an infinite or inconceivably vast length of time....
. Demons are not omniscient, but each one has a specific knowledge (sometimes on only one subject, sometimes on more than one). Their power is limited to that which
GodGod is a deity in theistic and deistic religions and other belief systems, representing either the sole deity in monotheism, or a principal deity in polytheism....
allows, so they are not omnipotent. No reference has been made about
omnipresence"Omnipresence" is the property of being present everywhere. According to eastern theism, God is present everywhere. Divine omnipresence is thus one of the divine attributes, although in western theism it has attracted less philosophical attention than such attributes as omnipotence, omniscience, or...
, so it is as yet unclear if they can be in different places at the same time, but according to the tradition of the medieval witches'
SabbathThe Witches' Sabbath or Sabbat is a supposed meeting of those who practice Paganism, Wicca, or other rites.European records tell of innumerable cases of persons being accused or tried for taking part in Sabbat gatherings, from the Middle Ages to the 17th century or later...
, two conclusions can be reached: either the Devil can be in different places at the same time, or he sends an emissary in his name.{{Citation needed|date=April 2007}}
Christian demonology states that the mission of the demons is to induce humans to
sinSin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. Commonly, the moral code of conduct is decreed by a divine entity, i.e...
, often by testing their faith in God. Christian tradition holds that temptations come from three sources: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
It is also believed that demons torment people during their life, like the case of Job or through possession, causing disgraces{{Citation needed|date=March 2007}} or simply showing themselves before persons to frighten them, or by provoking visions that could induce people to sin or to be afraid. (
MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
17:15-16)
Demons are also believed to try to make people abandon the faith, commit
heresyHeresy is proposing some unorthodox change to an established system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established opinion of scholars of that belief such as canon. It is sometimes confused with apostasy which is disaffiliation from orthodoxy and blasphemy which is...
or
apostasyApostasy is the formal religious disaffiliation or abandonment or renunciation of one's religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. In a technical sense, as used sometimes by sociologists without the pejorative connotations of the word, the term refers to renunciation and criticism of,...
, remain or turn themselves
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
or venerate "
idolsIdolatry is usually defined as worship of any cult image, idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a monotheistic God. It is considered a major sin in the Abrahamic religions whereas in religions where such activity is not considered a sin, the term "idolatry" itself is absent...
" (the Christian term for
cult imageIn the practice of religion, a cult image is a man-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents. Cultus, the outward religious formulas of "cult", often centers upon the treatment of cult images, which may be dressed, fed or paraded, etc...
s), and gain the highest number of "
SatanSatan is an embodiment of antagonism that originates from the Abrahamic religions, being traditionally considered an angel in Judeo-Christian belief, and a Jinn in Islamic belief...
s" or adversaries of God. (Ephesians 6:12)
In the Book of Luke, it is stated that demons walk "waterless places", and finding no rest return to their previous home.
Appearance
Referring to their appearance, demons can take any desired appearance, even that of an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). Nevertheless, they were generally described as ugly and monstrous beings by Christian demonologists. Many of these descriptions have inspired famous painters like
Luca SignorelliLuca Signorelli was an Italian Renaissance painter who was noted in particular for his ability as a draughtsman and his use of foreshortening...
,
Hieronymus BoschHieronymus Bosch was an Early Netherlandish painter of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries...
,
GoyaFrancisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and as the first of the moderns. Goya was a court painter to the Spanish Crown and a chronicler of history...
, the artist that made the drawings for the
Dictionnaire InfernalThe Dictionnaire Infernal is a book on demonology, organised in hellish hierarchies. It was written by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy and first published in 1818. There were several editions of the book, but perhaps the most famous is the...
, and others.
The Devil in particular has been popularly symbolised as various animals, including the
serpentSerpent is a word of Latin origin that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or religious context, signifying a snake that is to be regarded not as a mundane natural phenomenon nor as an object of scientific zoology, but as the bearer of some potent symbolic value.-Cross-cultural symbolic...
, the
goatThe domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep: both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
and the
dragonEuropean dragons are legendary creatures in folklore and mythology among the overlapping cultures of Europe.In European folklore, a dragon is a serpentine legendary creature. The Latin word draco, as in constellation Draco, comes directly from Greek δράκων,...
.
IncubiAn incubus is a demon in male form supposed to lie upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them, according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions. Its female counterpart is the succubus. An incubus may pursue sexual relations with a woman in order...
and
succubiIn folklore that stems from medieval legend, a succubus is a demon who takes the form of a woman to seduce men in dreams to have sexual intercourse. In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as highly attractive, while in the past succubi were frightening...
are described as being beautiful in order to accomplish their mission of
seductionIn sociology, seduction is the process of deliberately enticing a person to engage in some sort of human sexual behavior. The word seduction stems from Latin and means literally "to lead astray." As a result, the term may have a positive or negative connotation...
.
The idea that demons have horns seems to have been taken from the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
13:1 (here it seems that
JohnSaint John the Evangelist , or the Beloved Disciple, is traditionally the name used to refer to the author of the Gospel of John and the First Epistle of John. Traditionally he has been identified with John the Apostle...
was inspired by
LeviathanLeviathan , is a sea monster referred to in the Hebrew Bible .The word leviathan has become synonymous with any large sea monster or creature...
) and 13:11. The book of Revelation seems to have also inspired some depictions of demons (Revelation 13:1-2). This idea has also been associated with the depiction of certain ancient gods like
MolochMoloch, Molech, Molekh, Molek, or Moloc, representing semitic מולך m-l-k, is either the name of a god or the name of a particular kind of sacrifice associated with fire...
and the
sheduThe Sumerian word lama, which is rendered in Akkadian as lamassu, refers to a beneficient protective female deity. The corresponding male deity was called alad, in Akkadian, šêdu .. Also known as an urmahlullu....
, etc, which were portrayed as bulls, as men with the head of a bull, or wearing bull horns as a crown.
Concerning the weight of the demons, since the 17th century people affirmed that they were heavier than common humans. {{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
About the colour of the demons' skin, since early times it was associated with black, thinking that they assumed the appearance of a black man, although not all descriptions agreed, giving demons very different aspects. Satan and other demons were also often depicted as black-dressed men, often riding a black horse. When demons appeared in the shape of animals, often they were black. Poets such as
Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer was an English author, poet, philosopher, bureaucrat, courtier and diplomat. Although he wrote many works, he is best remembered for his unfinished frame narrative The Canterbury Tales...
associated the color
greenGreen is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
with the Devil, although in modern times the color is
redRed is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked human eye...
.
{{Expert-subject|Christianity|date=November 2008}}
{{Original research|date=September 2007}}
Christian demonology is the study of
demonIn religion, folklore, and mythology a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as a malevolent spirit. In Christian terms demons are generally understood as fallen angels, formerly of God. A demon is frequently depicted as a force that may be conjured and insecurely controlled...
s from a
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
point of view. It is primarily based on the
BibleThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
(
Old TestamentIn Christianity, the Old Testament is the collection of books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. These works correspond to the Hebrew Bible , with some variations and additions. In the Eastern Orthodox Church the comparable texts are known as the Septuagint, from the...
and
New TestamentThe New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament, both terms being associated with Supersessionism...
), the
exegesisExegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text.Biblical exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of the Bible. The goal of Biblical exegesis is to find the meaning of the text which then leads to discovering its significance or relevance.Traditionally the term exegesis...
of these scriptures, the scriptures of early Christian philosophers and
hermitA hermit is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion from society....
s,
traditionThe word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem, acc. of traditio which means "handing over, passing on", and is used in a number of ways in the English language:...
, and
legendA legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
s incorporated from other beliefs.
One relatively recent example of Christian demonology is the book
War On The Saints, written by
Jessie Penn-LewisJessie Penn-Lewis was a Welsh evangelical speaker and author of a number of Christian evangelical works. Her father was a Calvinist Methodist minister. She was married to William Penn-Lewis...
in the early 20th Century, which purports to reveal what demons are, how they work at gaining possession, how to recognize their workings, how to oppose them, and how to free oneself and others from demon possession.
Development
{{See also|Demonology}}
In
monotheisticIn theology, monotheism is the belief that only one god exists. The concept of "monotheism" tends to be dominated by the concept of God in the Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the Platonic concept of God as put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite...
religions, the deities of other religions are sometimes interpreted or created as demons. The evolution of the
Christian DevilIn mainstream Christianity, the Devil is named Satan, sometimes Lucifer. He is a fallen angel who rebelled against God. He is often identified as the serpent in the Garden of Eden, whose persuasions led to original sin and the need for Jesus Christ's redemption...
and
pentagramA pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
are examples of early rituals and images that showcase evil qualities, as seen by the Christian churches.
Since early
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
, demonology has developed from a simple acceptance 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, although many other Christian churches affirm and discuss the existence of demons.
St.
Albertus MagnusSaint Albertus Magnus, O.P. , also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, was a Dominican friar and bishop who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful coexistence of science and religion. He is considered to be the greatest German philosopher...
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").
Origins
According to the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
(Rev 12:9), demons are the angels that fell from heaven (
fallen angelIn most Christian denominations, a fallen angel is an angel who has been exiled or banished from Heaven.Often such banishment is a punishment for disobeying or rebelling against God . The best-known fallen angel is Lucifer. Lucifer is a name frequently given to Satan in Christian belief...
s) with Satan when he chose to rebel against God.
According to the apocryphal
Book of EnochThe Book of Enoch is a pseudepigraphic work ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah and son of Jared .While this book today is non-canonical in most Christian churches, it was explicitly quoted in the New Testament and by many of the early Church Fathers...
, the disembodied spirits of the
NephilimNephilim are beings who appear in the Hebrew Bible; specifically mentioned in the Book of Genesis and the Book of Numbers; they are also mentioned in other Biblical texts and in some non-canonical Jewish writings.- Etymology :...
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’. (Enoch15v8-12, 16v1. C.H.Charles.)
In
JohnThe Gospel of John , is the last of the four canonical gospels. This non synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
8:44
JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
calls the Devil "the first homicide" ("he was a murderer from the beginning" in the
King James VersionThe Authorized King James Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible begun in 1604 and completed in 1611 by the Church of England. Printed by the King's Printer, Robert Barker, the first edition included schedules unique to the Church of England; for example, a lectionary for morning...
), perhaps referring to the murdering of Abel by Cain, a liar, and father of all lies.
Number of demons
The number of demons, at least according to Christian demonology, is high. Much was added to the growth of the number of demons when some Christian theology concluded that all
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
deities were demons.
In early times of Christianity it was accepted an unknown number of demons, but later, during the
Late Middle AgesThe Late Middle Ages is a term used by historians to describe European history in the period of the 14th and 15th centuries . The Late Middle Ages were preceded by the High Middle Ages, and followed by the Early Modern era ....
, some demonologists tried to evaluate this number.
Some scholars did not accept a unique number of demons.
Gregory of NyssaGregory of Nyssa was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity...
, in the 4th century, supported the idea that demons procreated with other demons and with women, believing in the existence of male and female demons.
Other scholars supported the idea that the number of demons was unique and they could not procreate.
As it had been said by Christian theology{{Who|date=October 2009}} that there were 400 million angels, Alfonso de Spina calculated that about one third of them were demons, and in 1467 he asserted that the number of demons was 133,316,666 demons. This idea of one third of the angels turned into demons seems to be due to an exegesis of the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
12:3-9.
Johann WeyerJohannes Wier a.k.a. Johann Weyer, in Latin Ioannes Wierus and Piscinarius, was a Dutch physician, occultist and demonologist, disciple and follower of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. He was among the first to publish against the persecution of witches...
, in his
Pseudomonarchia DaemonumPseudomonarchia Daemonum, or Hierarchy of Demons first appears as an Appendix to Johann Weyer's De praestigiis daemonum . The title of the book translates roughly to "false monarchy of demons"....
(1583) after a complicated system of hierarchies and calculations, estimated the number of demons in 44,435,622, divided in 666 legions, each legion composed by 6,666 demons, and all of them ruled by 66 hellish dukes, princes, kings, etc. He forgot to add the rulers of these rulers to the total, but not to mention them in his book. Besides, the number of legions mentioned by Weyer varies in different editions of his book.
The Lesser Key of SolomonThe Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis , is an anonymous 17th-century grimoire, and one of the most popular books of demonology...
(17th century) copied the division in legions from
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum but added more demons, and so more legions; anyhow, its anonymous author did not calculate the number of demons cited in this work. According to the editions of this book, the number also varies.
It is suggestive that both Spina and Weyer used the
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).
Characteristics
{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2007}}
In Christian tradition, demons are like
angelAngels are spiritual beings found in many religious traditions. They are broadly viewed as messengers of God, sent to do God's tasks. Traditions vary as to the precise nature and role of these messages and tasks...
s, are
spiritualSpirituality is relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material. Synonyms include immaterialism, dualism, incorporeality and eternity....
,
immutableImmutability is the quality of being unable to change. It may also refer to the following:* Immutable object, in computer science* Immutability , the belief that God cannot change...
, and
immortalImmortality is the concept of living in a physical or spiritual form for an infinite or inconceivably vast length of time....
. Demons are not omniscient, but each one has a specific knowledge (sometimes on only one subject, sometimes on more than one). Their power is limited to that which
GodGod is a deity in theistic and deistic religions and other belief systems, representing either the sole deity in monotheism, or a principal deity in polytheism....
allows, so they are not omnipotent. No reference has been made about
omnipresence"Omnipresence" is the property of being present everywhere. According to eastern theism, God is present everywhere. Divine omnipresence is thus one of the divine attributes, although in western theism it has attracted less philosophical attention than such attributes as omnipotence, omniscience, or...
, so it is as yet unclear if they can be in different places at the same time, but according to the tradition of the medieval witches'
SabbathThe Witches' Sabbath or Sabbat is a supposed meeting of those who practice Paganism, Wicca, or other rites.European records tell of innumerable cases of persons being accused or tried for taking part in Sabbat gatherings, from the Middle Ages to the 17th century or later...
, two conclusions can be reached: either the Devil can be in different places at the same time, or he sends an emissary in his name.{{Citation needed|date=April 2007}}
Christian demonology states that the mission of the demons is to induce humans to
sinSin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. Commonly, the moral code of conduct is decreed by a divine entity, i.e...
, often by testing their faith in God. Christian tradition holds that temptations come from three sources: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
It is also believed that demons torment people during their life, like the case of Job or through possession, causing disgraces{{Citation needed|date=March 2007}} or simply showing themselves before persons to frighten them, or by provoking visions that could induce people to sin or to be afraid. (
MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
17:15-16)
Demons are also believed to try to make people abandon the faith, commit
heresyHeresy is proposing some unorthodox change to an established system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established opinion of scholars of that belief such as canon. It is sometimes confused with apostasy which is disaffiliation from orthodoxy and blasphemy which is...
or
apostasyApostasy is the formal religious disaffiliation or abandonment or renunciation of one's religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. In a technical sense, as used sometimes by sociologists without the pejorative connotations of the word, the term refers to renunciation and criticism of,...
, remain or turn themselves
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
or venerate "
idolsIdolatry is usually defined as worship of any cult image, idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a monotheistic God. It is considered a major sin in the Abrahamic religions whereas in religions where such activity is not considered a sin, the term "idolatry" itself is absent...
" (the Christian term for
cult imageIn the practice of religion, a cult image is a man-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents. Cultus, the outward religious formulas of "cult", often centers upon the treatment of cult images, which may be dressed, fed or paraded, etc...
s), and gain the highest number of "
SatanSatan is an embodiment of antagonism that originates from the Abrahamic religions, being traditionally considered an angel in Judeo-Christian belief, and a Jinn in Islamic belief...
s" or adversaries of God. (Ephesians 6:12)
In the Book of Luke, it is stated that demons walk "waterless places", and finding no rest return to their previous home.
Appearance
Referring to their appearance, demons can take any desired appearance, even that of an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). Nevertheless, they were generally described as ugly and monstrous beings by Christian demonologists. Many of these descriptions have inspired famous painters like
Luca SignorelliLuca Signorelli was an Italian Renaissance painter who was noted in particular for his ability as a draughtsman and his use of foreshortening...
,
Hieronymus BoschHieronymus Bosch was an Early Netherlandish painter of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries...
,
GoyaFrancisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and as the first of the moderns. Goya was a court painter to the Spanish Crown and a chronicler of history...
, the artist that made the drawings for the
Dictionnaire InfernalThe Dictionnaire Infernal is a book on demonology, organised in hellish hierarchies. It was written by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy and first published in 1818. There were several editions of the book, but perhaps the most famous is the...
, and others.
The Devil in particular has been popularly symbolised as various animals, including the
serpentSerpent is a word of Latin origin that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or religious context, signifying a snake that is to be regarded not as a mundane natural phenomenon nor as an object of scientific zoology, but as the bearer of some potent symbolic value.-Cross-cultural symbolic...
, the
goatThe domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep: both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
and the
dragonEuropean dragons are legendary creatures in folklore and mythology among the overlapping cultures of Europe.In European folklore, a dragon is a serpentine legendary creature. The Latin word draco, as in constellation Draco, comes directly from Greek δράκων,...
.
IncubiAn incubus is a demon in male form supposed to lie upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them, according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions. Its female counterpart is the succubus. An incubus may pursue sexual relations with a woman in order...
and
succubiIn folklore that stems from medieval legend, a succubus is a demon who takes the form of a woman to seduce men in dreams to have sexual intercourse. In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as highly attractive, while in the past succubi were frightening...
are described as being beautiful in order to accomplish their mission of
seductionIn sociology, seduction is the process of deliberately enticing a person to engage in some sort of human sexual behavior. The word seduction stems from Latin and means literally "to lead astray." As a result, the term may have a positive or negative connotation...
.
The idea that demons have horns seems to have been taken from the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
13:1 (here it seems that
JohnSaint John the Evangelist , or the Beloved Disciple, is traditionally the name used to refer to the author of the Gospel of John and the First Epistle of John. Traditionally he has been identified with John the Apostle...
was inspired by
LeviathanLeviathan , is a sea monster referred to in the Hebrew Bible .The word leviathan has become synonymous with any large sea monster or creature...
) and 13:11. The book of Revelation seems to have also inspired some depictions of demons (Revelation 13:1-2). This idea has also been associated with the depiction of certain ancient gods like
MolochMoloch, Molech, Molekh, Molek, or Moloc, representing semitic מולך m-l-k, is either the name of a god or the name of a particular kind of sacrifice associated with fire...
and the
sheduThe Sumerian word lama, which is rendered in Akkadian as lamassu, refers to a beneficient protective female deity. The corresponding male deity was called alad, in Akkadian, šêdu .. Also known as an urmahlullu....
, etc, which were portrayed as bulls, as men with the head of a bull, or wearing bull horns as a crown.
Concerning the weight of the demons, since the 17th century people affirmed that they were heavier than common humans. {{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
About the colour of the demons' skin, since early times it was associated with black, thinking that they assumed the appearance of a black man, although not all descriptions agreed, giving demons very different aspects. Satan and other demons were also often depicted as black-dressed men, often riding a black horse. When demons appeared in the shape of animals, often they were black. Poets such as
Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer was an English author, poet, philosopher, bureaucrat, courtier and diplomat. Although he wrote many works, he is best remembered for his unfinished frame narrative The Canterbury Tales...
associated the color
greenGreen is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
with the Devil, although in modern times the color is
redRed is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked human eye...
.
{{Expert-subject|Christianity|date=November 2008}}
{{Original research|date=September 2007}}
Christian demonology is the study of
demonIn religion, folklore, and mythology a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as a malevolent spirit. In Christian terms demons are generally understood as fallen angels, formerly of God. A demon is frequently depicted as a force that may be conjured and insecurely controlled...
s from a
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
point of view. It is primarily based on the
BibleThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
(
Old TestamentIn Christianity, the Old Testament is the collection of books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. These works correspond to the Hebrew Bible , with some variations and additions. In the Eastern Orthodox Church the comparable texts are known as the Septuagint, from the...
and
New TestamentThe New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament, both terms being associated with Supersessionism...
), the
exegesisExegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text.Biblical exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of the Bible. The goal of Biblical exegesis is to find the meaning of the text which then leads to discovering its significance or relevance.Traditionally the term exegesis...
of these scriptures, the scriptures of early Christian philosophers and
hermitA hermit is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion from society....
s,
traditionThe word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem, acc. of traditio which means "handing over, passing on", and is used in a number of ways in the English language:...
, and
legendA legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
s incorporated from other beliefs.
One relatively recent example of Christian demonology is the book
War On The Saints, written by
Jessie Penn-LewisJessie Penn-Lewis was a Welsh evangelical speaker and author of a number of Christian evangelical works. Her father was a Calvinist Methodist minister. She was married to William Penn-Lewis...
in the early 20th Century, which purports to reveal what demons are, how they work at gaining possession, how to recognize their workings, how to oppose them, and how to free oneself and others from demon possession.
Development
{{See also|Demonology}}
In
monotheisticIn theology, monotheism is the belief that only one god exists. The concept of "monotheism" tends to be dominated by the concept of God in the Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the Platonic concept of God as put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite...
religions, the deities of other religions are sometimes interpreted or created as demons. The evolution of the
Christian DevilIn mainstream Christianity, the Devil is named Satan, sometimes Lucifer. He is a fallen angel who rebelled against God. He is often identified as the serpent in the Garden of Eden, whose persuasions led to original sin and the need for Jesus Christ's redemption...
and
pentagramA pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
are examples of early rituals and images that showcase evil qualities, as seen by the Christian churches.
Since early
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
, demonology has developed from a simple acceptance 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, although many other Christian churches affirm and discuss the existence of demons.
St.
Albertus MagnusSaint Albertus Magnus, O.P. , also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, was a Dominican friar and bishop who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful coexistence of science and religion. He is considered to be the greatest German philosopher...
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").
Origins
According to the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
(Rev 12:9), demons are the angels that fell from heaven (
fallen angelIn most Christian denominations, a fallen angel is an angel who has been exiled or banished from Heaven.Often such banishment is a punishment for disobeying or rebelling against God . The best-known fallen angel is Lucifer. Lucifer is a name frequently given to Satan in Christian belief...
s) with Satan when he chose to rebel against God.
According to the apocryphal
Book of EnochThe Book of Enoch is a pseudepigraphic work ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah and son of Jared .While this book today is non-canonical in most Christian churches, it was explicitly quoted in the New Testament and by many of the early Church Fathers...
, the disembodied spirits of the
NephilimNephilim are beings who appear in the Hebrew Bible; specifically mentioned in the Book of Genesis and the Book of Numbers; they are also mentioned in other Biblical texts and in some non-canonical Jewish writings.- Etymology :...
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’. (Enoch15v8-12, 16v1. C.H.Charles.)
In
JohnThe Gospel of John , is the last of the four canonical gospels. This non synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
8:44
JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
calls the Devil "the first homicide" ("he was a murderer from the beginning" in the
King James VersionThe Authorized King James Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible begun in 1604 and completed in 1611 by the Church of England. Printed by the King's Printer, Robert Barker, the first edition included schedules unique to the Church of England; for example, a lectionary for morning...
), perhaps referring to the murdering of Abel by Cain, a liar, and father of all lies.
Number of demons
The number of demons, at least according to Christian demonology, is high. Much was added to the growth of the number of demons when some Christian theology concluded that all
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
deities were demons.
In early times of Christianity it was accepted an unknown number of demons, but later, during the
Late Middle AgesThe Late Middle Ages is a term used by historians to describe European history in the period of the 14th and 15th centuries . The Late Middle Ages were preceded by the High Middle Ages, and followed by the Early Modern era ....
, some demonologists tried to evaluate this number.
Some scholars did not accept a unique number of demons.
Gregory of NyssaGregory of Nyssa was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity...
, in the 4th century, supported the idea that demons procreated with other demons and with women, believing in the existence of male and female demons.
Other scholars supported the idea that the number of demons was unique and they could not procreate.
As it had been said by Christian theology{{Who|date=October 2009}} that there were 400 million angels, Alfonso de Spina calculated that about one third of them were demons, and in 1467 he asserted that the number of demons was 133,316,666 demons. This idea of one third of the angels turned into demons seems to be due to an exegesis of the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
12:3-9.
Johann WeyerJohannes Wier a.k.a. Johann Weyer, in Latin Ioannes Wierus and Piscinarius, was a Dutch physician, occultist and demonologist, disciple and follower of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. He was among the first to publish against the persecution of witches...
, in his
Pseudomonarchia DaemonumPseudomonarchia Daemonum, or Hierarchy of Demons first appears as an Appendix to Johann Weyer's De praestigiis daemonum . The title of the book translates roughly to "false monarchy of demons"....
(1583) after a complicated system of hierarchies and calculations, estimated the number of demons in 44,435,622, divided in 666 legions, each legion composed by 6,666 demons, and all of them ruled by 66 hellish dukes, princes, kings, etc. He forgot to add the rulers of these rulers to the total, but not to mention them in his book. Besides, the number of legions mentioned by Weyer varies in different editions of his book.
The Lesser Key of SolomonThe Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis , is an anonymous 17th-century grimoire, and one of the most popular books of demonology...
(17th century) copied the division in legions from
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum but added more demons, and so more legions; anyhow, its anonymous author did not calculate the number of demons cited in this work. According to the editions of this book, the number also varies.
It is suggestive that both Spina and Weyer used the
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).
Characteristics
{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2007}}
In Christian tradition, demons are like
angelAngels are spiritual beings found in many religious traditions. They are broadly viewed as messengers of God, sent to do God's tasks. Traditions vary as to the precise nature and role of these messages and tasks...
s, are
spiritualSpirituality is relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material. Synonyms include immaterialism, dualism, incorporeality and eternity....
,
immutableImmutability is the quality of being unable to change. It may also refer to the following:* Immutable object, in computer science* Immutability , the belief that God cannot change...
, and
immortalImmortality is the concept of living in a physical or spiritual form for an infinite or inconceivably vast length of time....
. Demons are not omniscient, but each one has a specific knowledge (sometimes on only one subject, sometimes on more than one). Their power is limited to that which
GodGod is a deity in theistic and deistic religions and other belief systems, representing either the sole deity in monotheism, or a principal deity in polytheism....
allows, so they are not omnipotent. No reference has been made about
omnipresence"Omnipresence" is the property of being present everywhere. According to eastern theism, God is present everywhere. Divine omnipresence is thus one of the divine attributes, although in western theism it has attracted less philosophical attention than such attributes as omnipotence, omniscience, or...
, so it is as yet unclear if they can be in different places at the same time, but according to the tradition of the medieval witches'
SabbathThe Witches' Sabbath or Sabbat is a supposed meeting of those who practice Paganism, Wicca, or other rites.European records tell of innumerable cases of persons being accused or tried for taking part in Sabbat gatherings, from the Middle Ages to the 17th century or later...
, two conclusions can be reached: either the Devil can be in different places at the same time, or he sends an emissary in his name.{{Citation needed|date=April 2007}}
Christian demonology states that the mission of the demons is to induce humans to
sinSin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. Commonly, the moral code of conduct is decreed by a divine entity, i.e...
, often by testing their faith in God. Christian tradition holds that temptations come from three sources: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
It is also believed that demons torment people during their life, like the case of Job or through possession, causing disgraces{{Citation needed|date=March 2007}} or simply showing themselves before persons to frighten them, or by provoking visions that could induce people to sin or to be afraid. (
MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
17:15-16)
Demons are also believed to try to make people abandon the faith, commit
heresyHeresy is proposing some unorthodox change to an established system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established opinion of scholars of that belief such as canon. It is sometimes confused with apostasy which is disaffiliation from orthodoxy and blasphemy which is...
or
apostasyApostasy is the formal religious disaffiliation or abandonment or renunciation of one's religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. In a technical sense, as used sometimes by sociologists without the pejorative connotations of the word, the term refers to renunciation and criticism of,...
, remain or turn themselves
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
or venerate "
idolsIdolatry is usually defined as worship of any cult image, idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a monotheistic God. It is considered a major sin in the Abrahamic religions whereas in religions where such activity is not considered a sin, the term "idolatry" itself is absent...
" (the Christian term for
cult imageIn the practice of religion, a cult image is a man-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents. Cultus, the outward religious formulas of "cult", often centers upon the treatment of cult images, which may be dressed, fed or paraded, etc...
s), and gain the highest number of "
SatanSatan is an embodiment of antagonism that originates from the Abrahamic religions, being traditionally considered an angel in Judeo-Christian belief, and a Jinn in Islamic belief...
s" or adversaries of God. (Ephesians 6:12)
In the Book of Luke, it is stated that demons walk "waterless places", and finding no rest return to their previous home.
Appearance
Referring to their appearance, demons can take any desired appearance, even that of an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). Nevertheless, they were generally described as ugly and monstrous beings by Christian demonologists. Many of these descriptions have inspired famous painters like
Luca SignorelliLuca Signorelli was an Italian Renaissance painter who was noted in particular for his ability as a draughtsman and his use of foreshortening...
,
Hieronymus BoschHieronymus Bosch was an Early Netherlandish painter of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries...
,
GoyaFrancisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and as the first of the moderns. Goya was a court painter to the Spanish Crown and a chronicler of history...
, the artist that made the drawings for the
Dictionnaire InfernalThe Dictionnaire Infernal is a book on demonology, organised in hellish hierarchies. It was written by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy and first published in 1818. There were several editions of the book, but perhaps the most famous is the...
, and others.
The Devil in particular has been popularly symbolised as various animals, including the
serpentSerpent is a word of Latin origin that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or religious context, signifying a snake that is to be regarded not as a mundane natural phenomenon nor as an object of scientific zoology, but as the bearer of some potent symbolic value.-Cross-cultural symbolic...
, the
goatThe domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep: both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
and the
dragonEuropean dragons are legendary creatures in folklore and mythology among the overlapping cultures of Europe.In European folklore, a dragon is a serpentine legendary creature. The Latin word draco, as in constellation Draco, comes directly from Greek δράκων,...
.
IncubiAn incubus is a demon in male form supposed to lie upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them, according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions. Its female counterpart is the succubus. An incubus may pursue sexual relations with a woman in order...
and
succubiIn folklore that stems from medieval legend, a succubus is a demon who takes the form of a woman to seduce men in dreams to have sexual intercourse. In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as highly attractive, while in the past succubi were frightening...
are described as being beautiful in order to accomplish their mission of
seductionIn sociology, seduction is the process of deliberately enticing a person to engage in some sort of human sexual behavior. The word seduction stems from Latin and means literally "to lead astray." As a result, the term may have a positive or negative connotation...
.
The idea that demons have horns seems to have been taken from the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
13:1 (here it seems that
JohnSaint John the Evangelist , or the Beloved Disciple, is traditionally the name used to refer to the author of the Gospel of John and the First Epistle of John. Traditionally he has been identified with John the Apostle...
was inspired by
LeviathanLeviathan , is a sea monster referred to in the Hebrew Bible .The word leviathan has become synonymous with any large sea monster or creature...
) and 13:11. The book of Revelation seems to have also inspired some depictions of demons (Revelation 13:1-2). This idea has also been associated with the depiction of certain ancient gods like
MolochMoloch, Molech, Molekh, Molek, or Moloc, representing semitic מולך m-l-k, is either the name of a god or the name of a particular kind of sacrifice associated with fire...
and the
sheduThe Sumerian word lama, which is rendered in Akkadian as lamassu, refers to a beneficient protective female deity. The corresponding male deity was called alad, in Akkadian, šêdu .. Also known as an urmahlullu....
, etc, which were portrayed as bulls, as men with the head of a bull, or wearing bull horns as a crown.
Concerning the weight of the demons, since the 17th century people affirmed that they were heavier than common humans. {{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
About the colour of the demons' skin, since early times it was associated with black, thinking that they assumed the appearance of a black man, although not all descriptions agreed, giving demons very different aspects. Satan and other demons were also often depicted as black-dressed men, often riding a black horse. When demons appeared in the shape of animals, often they were black. Poets such as
Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer was an English author, poet, philosopher, bureaucrat, courtier and diplomat. Although he wrote many works, he is best remembered for his unfinished frame narrative The Canterbury Tales...
associated the color
greenGreen is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
with the Devil, although in modern times the color is
redRed is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked human eye...
.
{{Expert-subject|Christianity|date=November 2008}}
{{Original research|date=September 2007}}
Christian demonology is the study of
demonIn religion, folklore, and mythology a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as a malevolent spirit. In Christian terms demons are generally understood as fallen angels, formerly of God. A demon is frequently depicted as a force that may be conjured and insecurely controlled...
s from a
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
point of view. It is primarily based on the
BibleThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
(
Old TestamentIn Christianity, the Old Testament is the collection of books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. These works correspond to the Hebrew Bible , with some variations and additions. In the Eastern Orthodox Church the comparable texts are known as the Septuagint, from the...
and
New TestamentThe New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament, both terms being associated with Supersessionism...
), the
exegesisExegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text.Biblical exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of the Bible. The goal of Biblical exegesis is to find the meaning of the text which then leads to discovering its significance or relevance.Traditionally the term exegesis...
of these scriptures, the scriptures of early Christian philosophers and
hermitA hermit is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion from society....
s,
traditionThe word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem, acc. of traditio which means "handing over, passing on", and is used in a number of ways in the English language:...
, and
legendA legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
s incorporated from other beliefs.
One relatively recent example of Christian demonology is the book
War On The Saints, written by
Jessie Penn-LewisJessie Penn-Lewis was a Welsh evangelical speaker and author of a number of Christian evangelical works. Her father was a Calvinist Methodist minister. She was married to William Penn-Lewis...
in the early 20th Century, which purports to reveal what demons are, how they work at gaining possession, how to recognize their workings, how to oppose them, and how to free oneself and others from demon possession.
Development
{{See also|Demonology}}
In
monotheisticIn theology, monotheism is the belief that only one god exists. The concept of "monotheism" tends to be dominated by the concept of God in the Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the Platonic concept of God as put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite...
religions, the deities of other religions are sometimes interpreted or created as demons. The evolution of the
Christian DevilIn mainstream Christianity, the Devil is named Satan, sometimes Lucifer. He is a fallen angel who rebelled against God. He is often identified as the serpent in the Garden of Eden, whose persuasions led to original sin and the need for Jesus Christ's redemption...
and
pentagramA pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
are examples of early rituals and images that showcase evil qualities, as seen by the Christian churches.
Since early
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
, demonology has developed from a simple acceptance 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, although many other Christian churches affirm and discuss the existence of demons.
St.
Albertus MagnusSaint Albertus Magnus, O.P. , also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, was a Dominican friar and bishop who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful coexistence of science and religion. He is considered to be the greatest German philosopher...
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").
Origins
According to the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
(Rev 12:9), demons are the angels that fell from heaven (
fallen angelIn most Christian denominations, a fallen angel is an angel who has been exiled or banished from Heaven.Often such banishment is a punishment for disobeying or rebelling against God . The best-known fallen angel is Lucifer. Lucifer is a name frequently given to Satan in Christian belief...
s) with Satan when he chose to rebel against God.
According to the apocryphal
Book of EnochThe Book of Enoch is a pseudepigraphic work ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah and son of Jared .While this book today is non-canonical in most Christian churches, it was explicitly quoted in the New Testament and by many of the early Church Fathers...
, the disembodied spirits of the
NephilimNephilim are beings who appear in the Hebrew Bible; specifically mentioned in the Book of Genesis and the Book of Numbers; they are also mentioned in other Biblical texts and in some non-canonical Jewish writings.- Etymology :...
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’. (Enoch15v8-12, 16v1. C.H.Charles.)
In
JohnThe Gospel of John , is the last of the four canonical gospels. This non synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
8:44
JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
calls the Devil "the first homicide" ("he was a murderer from the beginning" in the
King James VersionThe Authorized King James Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible begun in 1604 and completed in 1611 by the Church of England. Printed by the King's Printer, Robert Barker, the first edition included schedules unique to the Church of England; for example, a lectionary for morning...
), perhaps referring to the murdering of Abel by Cain, a liar, and father of all lies.
Number of demons
The number of demons, at least according to Christian demonology, is high. Much was added to the growth of the number of demons when some Christian theology concluded that all
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
deities were demons.
In early times of Christianity it was accepted an unknown number of demons, but later, during the
Late Middle AgesThe Late Middle Ages is a term used by historians to describe European history in the period of the 14th and 15th centuries . The Late Middle Ages were preceded by the High Middle Ages, and followed by the Early Modern era ....
, some demonologists tried to evaluate this number.
Some scholars did not accept a unique number of demons.
Gregory of NyssaGregory of Nyssa was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity...
, in the 4th century, supported the idea that demons procreated with other demons and with women, believing in the existence of male and female demons.
Other scholars supported the idea that the number of demons was unique and they could not procreate.
As it had been said by Christian theology{{Who|date=October 2009}} that there were 400 million angels, Alfonso de Spina calculated that about one third of them were demons, and in 1467 he asserted that the number of demons was 133,316,666 demons. This idea of one third of the angels turned into demons seems to be due to an exegesis of the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
12:3-9.
Johann WeyerJohannes Wier a.k.a. Johann Weyer, in Latin Ioannes Wierus and Piscinarius, was a Dutch physician, occultist and demonologist, disciple and follower of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. He was among the first to publish against the persecution of witches...
, in his
Pseudomonarchia DaemonumPseudomonarchia Daemonum, or Hierarchy of Demons first appears as an Appendix to Johann Weyer's De praestigiis daemonum . The title of the book translates roughly to "false monarchy of demons"....
(1583) after a complicated system of hierarchies and calculations, estimated the number of demons in 44,435,622, divided in 666 legions, each legion composed by 6,666 demons, and all of them ruled by 66 hellish dukes, princes, kings, etc. He forgot to add the rulers of these rulers to the total, but not to mention them in his book. Besides, the number of legions mentioned by Weyer varies in different editions of his book.
The Lesser Key of SolomonThe Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis , is an anonymous 17th-century grimoire, and one of the most popular books of demonology...
(17th century) copied the division in legions from
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum but added more demons, and so more legions; anyhow, its anonymous author did not calculate the number of demons cited in this work. According to the editions of this book, the number also varies.
It is suggestive that both Spina and Weyer used the
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).
Characteristics
{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2007}}
In Christian tradition, demons are like
angelAngels are spiritual beings found in many religious traditions. They are broadly viewed as messengers of God, sent to do God's tasks. Traditions vary as to the precise nature and role of these messages and tasks...
s, are
spiritualSpirituality is relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material. Synonyms include immaterialism, dualism, incorporeality and eternity....
,
immutableImmutability is the quality of being unable to change. It may also refer to the following:* Immutable object, in computer science* Immutability , the belief that God cannot change...
, and
immortalImmortality is the concept of living in a physical or spiritual form for an infinite or inconceivably vast length of time....
. Demons are not omniscient, but each one has a specific knowledge (sometimes on only one subject, sometimes on more than one). Their power is limited to that which
GodGod is a deity in theistic and deistic religions and other belief systems, representing either the sole deity in monotheism, or a principal deity in polytheism....
allows, so they are not omnipotent. No reference has been made about
omnipresence"Omnipresence" is the property of being present everywhere. According to eastern theism, God is present everywhere. Divine omnipresence is thus one of the divine attributes, although in western theism it has attracted less philosophical attention than such attributes as omnipotence, omniscience, or...
, so it is as yet unclear if they can be in different places at the same time, but according to the tradition of the medieval witches'
SabbathThe Witches' Sabbath or Sabbat is a supposed meeting of those who practice Paganism, Wicca, or other rites.European records tell of innumerable cases of persons being accused or tried for taking part in Sabbat gatherings, from the Middle Ages to the 17th century or later...
, two conclusions can be reached: either the Devil can be in different places at the same time, or he sends an emissary in his name.{{Citation needed|date=April 2007}}
Christian demonology states that the mission of the demons is to induce humans to
sinSin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. Commonly, the moral code of conduct is decreed by a divine entity, i.e...
, often by testing their faith in God. Christian tradition holds that temptations come from three sources: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
It is also believed that demons torment people during their life, like the case of Job or through possession, causing disgraces{{Citation needed|date=March 2007}} or simply showing themselves before persons to frighten them, or by provoking visions that could induce people to sin or to be afraid. (
MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
17:15-16)
Demons are also believed to try to make people abandon the faith, commit
heresyHeresy is proposing some unorthodox change to an established system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established opinion of scholars of that belief such as canon. It is sometimes confused with apostasy which is disaffiliation from orthodoxy and blasphemy which is...
or
apostasyApostasy is the formal religious disaffiliation or abandonment or renunciation of one's religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. In a technical sense, as used sometimes by sociologists without the pejorative connotations of the word, the term refers to renunciation and criticism of,...
, remain or turn themselves
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
or venerate "
idolsIdolatry is usually defined as worship of any cult image, idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a monotheistic God. It is considered a major sin in the Abrahamic religions whereas in religions where such activity is not considered a sin, the term "idolatry" itself is absent...
" (the Christian term for
cult imageIn the practice of religion, a cult image is a man-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents. Cultus, the outward religious formulas of "cult", often centers upon the treatment of cult images, which may be dressed, fed or paraded, etc...
s), and gain the highest number of "
SatanSatan is an embodiment of antagonism that originates from the Abrahamic religions, being traditionally considered an angel in Judeo-Christian belief, and a Jinn in Islamic belief...
s" or adversaries of God. (Ephesians 6:12)
In the Book of Luke, it is stated that demons walk "waterless places", and finding no rest return to their previous home.
Appearance
Referring to their appearance, demons can take any desired appearance, even that of an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). Nevertheless, they were generally described as ugly and monstrous beings by Christian demonologists. Many of these descriptions have inspired famous painters like
Luca SignorelliLuca Signorelli was an Italian Renaissance painter who was noted in particular for his ability as a draughtsman and his use of foreshortening...
,
Hieronymus BoschHieronymus Bosch was an Early Netherlandish painter of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries...
,
GoyaFrancisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and as the first of the moderns. Goya was a court painter to the Spanish Crown and a chronicler of history...
, the artist that made the drawings for the
Dictionnaire InfernalThe Dictionnaire Infernal is a book on demonology, organised in hellish hierarchies. It was written by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy and first published in 1818. There were several editions of the book, but perhaps the most famous is the...
, and others.
The Devil in particular has been popularly symbolised as various animals, including the
serpentSerpent is a word of Latin origin that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or religious context, signifying a snake that is to be regarded not as a mundane natural phenomenon nor as an object of scientific zoology, but as the bearer of some potent symbolic value.-Cross-cultural symbolic...
, the
goatThe domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep: both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
and the
dragonEuropean dragons are legendary creatures in folklore and mythology among the overlapping cultures of Europe.In European folklore, a dragon is a serpentine legendary creature. The Latin word draco, as in constellation Draco, comes directly from Greek δράκων,...
.
IncubiAn incubus is a demon in male form supposed to lie upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them, according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions. Its female counterpart is the succubus. An incubus may pursue sexual relations with a woman in order...
and
succubiIn folklore that stems from medieval legend, a succubus is a demon who takes the form of a woman to seduce men in dreams to have sexual intercourse. In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as highly attractive, while in the past succubi were frightening...
are described as being beautiful in order to accomplish their mission of
seductionIn sociology, seduction is the process of deliberately enticing a person to engage in some sort of human sexual behavior. The word seduction stems from Latin and means literally "to lead astray." As a result, the term may have a positive or negative connotation...
.
The idea that demons have horns seems to have been taken from the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
13:1 (here it seems that
JohnSaint John the Evangelist , or the Beloved Disciple, is traditionally the name used to refer to the author of the Gospel of John and the First Epistle of John. Traditionally he has been identified with John the Apostle...
was inspired by
LeviathanLeviathan , is a sea monster referred to in the Hebrew Bible .The word leviathan has become synonymous with any large sea monster or creature...
) and 13:11. The book of Revelation seems to have also inspired some depictions of demons (Revelation 13:1-2). This idea has also been associated with the depiction of certain ancient gods like
MolochMoloch, Molech, Molekh, Molek, or Moloc, representing semitic מולך m-l-k, is either the name of a god or the name of a particular kind of sacrifice associated with fire...
and the
sheduThe Sumerian word lama, which is rendered in Akkadian as lamassu, refers to a beneficient protective female deity. The corresponding male deity was called alad, in Akkadian, šêdu .. Also known as an urmahlullu....
, etc, which were portrayed as bulls, as men with the head of a bull, or wearing bull horns as a crown.
Concerning the weight of the demons, since the 17th century people affirmed that they were heavier than common humans. {{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
About the colour of the demons' skin, since early times it was associated with black, thinking that they assumed the appearance of a black man, although not all descriptions agreed, giving demons very different aspects. Satan and other demons were also often depicted as black-dressed men, often riding a black horse. When demons appeared in the shape of animals, often they were black. Poets such as
Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer was an English author, poet, philosopher, bureaucrat, courtier and diplomat. Although he wrote many works, he is best remembered for his unfinished frame narrative The Canterbury Tales...
associated the color
greenGreen is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
with the Devil, although in modern times the color is
redRed is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked human eye...
.
{{Expert-subject|Christianity|date=November 2008}}
{{Original research|date=September 2007}}
Christian demonology is the study of
demonIn religion, folklore, and mythology a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as a malevolent spirit. In Christian terms demons are generally understood as fallen angels, formerly of God. A demon is frequently depicted as a force that may be conjured and insecurely controlled...
s from a
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
point of view. It is primarily based on the
BibleThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
(
Old TestamentIn Christianity, the Old Testament is the collection of books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. These works correspond to the Hebrew Bible , with some variations and additions. In the Eastern Orthodox Church the comparable texts are known as the Septuagint, from the...
and
New TestamentThe New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament, both terms being associated with Supersessionism...
), the
exegesisExegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text.Biblical exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of the Bible. The goal of Biblical exegesis is to find the meaning of the text which then leads to discovering its significance or relevance.Traditionally the term exegesis...
of these scriptures, the scriptures of early Christian philosophers and
hermitA hermit is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion from society....
s,
traditionThe word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem, acc. of traditio which means "handing over, passing on", and is used in a number of ways in the English language:...
, and
legendA legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
s incorporated from other beliefs.
One relatively recent example of Christian demonology is the book
War On The Saints, written by
Jessie Penn-LewisJessie Penn-Lewis was a Welsh evangelical speaker and author of a number of Christian evangelical works. Her father was a Calvinist Methodist minister. She was married to William Penn-Lewis...
in the early 20th Century, which purports to reveal what demons are, how they work at gaining possession, how to recognize their workings, how to oppose them, and how to free oneself and others from demon possession.
Development
{{See also|Demonology}}
In
monotheisticIn theology, monotheism is the belief that only one god exists. The concept of "monotheism" tends to be dominated by the concept of God in the Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the Platonic concept of God as put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite...
religions, the deities of other religions are sometimes interpreted or created as demons. The evolution of the
Christian DevilIn mainstream Christianity, the Devil is named Satan, sometimes Lucifer. He is a fallen angel who rebelled against God. He is often identified as the serpent in the Garden of Eden, whose persuasions led to original sin and the need for Jesus Christ's redemption...
and
pentagramA pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
are examples of early rituals and images that showcase evil qualities, as seen by the Christian churches.
Since early
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
, demonology has developed from a simple acceptance 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, although many other Christian churches affirm and discuss the existence of demons.
St.
Albertus MagnusSaint Albertus Magnus, O.P. , also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, was a Dominican friar and bishop who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful coexistence of science and religion. He is considered to be the greatest German philosopher...
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").
Origins
According to the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
(Rev 12:9), demons are the angels that fell from heaven (
fallen angelIn most Christian denominations, a fallen angel is an angel who has been exiled or banished from Heaven.Often such banishment is a punishment for disobeying or rebelling against God . The best-known fallen angel is Lucifer. Lucifer is a name frequently given to Satan in Christian belief...
s) with Satan when he chose to rebel against God.
According to the apocryphal
Book of EnochThe Book of Enoch is a pseudepigraphic work ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah and son of Jared .While this book today is non-canonical in most Christian churches, it was explicitly quoted in the New Testament and by many of the early Church Fathers...
, the disembodied spirits of the
NephilimNephilim are beings who appear in the Hebrew Bible; specifically mentioned in the Book of Genesis and the Book of Numbers; they are also mentioned in other Biblical texts and in some non-canonical Jewish writings.- Etymology :...
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’. (Enoch15v8-12, 16v1. C.H.Charles.)
In
JohnThe Gospel of John , is the last of the four canonical gospels. This non synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
8:44
JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
calls the Devil "the first homicide" ("he was a murderer from the beginning" in the
King James VersionThe Authorized King James Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible begun in 1604 and completed in 1611 by the Church of England. Printed by the King's Printer, Robert Barker, the first edition included schedules unique to the Church of England; for example, a lectionary for morning...
), perhaps referring to the murdering of Abel by Cain, a liar, and father of all lies.
Number of demons
The number of demons, at least according to Christian demonology, is high. Much was added to the growth of the number of demons when some Christian theology concluded that all
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
deities were demons.
In early times of Christianity it was accepted an unknown number of demons, but later, during the
Late Middle AgesThe Late Middle Ages is a term used by historians to describe European history in the period of the 14th and 15th centuries . The Late Middle Ages were preceded by the High Middle Ages, and followed by the Early Modern era ....
, some demonologists tried to evaluate this number.
Some scholars did not accept a unique number of demons.
Gregory of NyssaGregory of Nyssa was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity...
, in the 4th century, supported the idea that demons procreated with other demons and with women, believing in the existence of male and female demons.
Other scholars supported the idea that the number of demons was unique and they could not procreate.
As it had been said by Christian theology{{Who|date=October 2009}} that there were 400 million angels, Alfonso de Spina calculated that about one third of them were demons, and in 1467 he asserted that the number of demons was 133,316,666 demons. This idea of one third of the angels turned into demons seems to be due to an exegesis of the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
12:3-9.
Johann WeyerJohannes Wier a.k.a. Johann Weyer, in Latin Ioannes Wierus and Piscinarius, was a Dutch physician, occultist and demonologist, disciple and follower of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. He was among the first to publish against the persecution of witches...
, in his
Pseudomonarchia DaemonumPseudomonarchia Daemonum, or Hierarchy of Demons first appears as an Appendix to Johann Weyer's De praestigiis daemonum . The title of the book translates roughly to "false monarchy of demons"....
(1583) after a complicated system of hierarchies and calculations, estimated the number of demons in 44,435,622, divided in 666 legions, each legion composed by 6,666 demons, and all of them ruled by 66 hellish dukes, princes, kings, etc. He forgot to add the rulers of these rulers to the total, but not to mention them in his book. Besides, the number of legions mentioned by Weyer varies in different editions of his book.
The Lesser Key of SolomonThe Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis , is an anonymous 17th-century grimoire, and one of the most popular books of demonology...
(17th century) copied the division in legions from
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum but added more demons, and so more legions; anyhow, its anonymous author did not calculate the number of demons cited in this work. According to the editions of this book, the number also varies.
It is suggestive that both Spina and Weyer used the
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).
Characteristics
{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2007}}
In Christian tradition, demons are like
angelAngels are spiritual beings found in many religious traditions. They are broadly viewed as messengers of God, sent to do God's tasks. Traditions vary as to the precise nature and role of these messages and tasks...
s, are
spiritualSpirituality is relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material. Synonyms include immaterialism, dualism, incorporeality and eternity....
,
immutableImmutability is the quality of being unable to change. It may also refer to the following:* Immutable object, in computer science* Immutability , the belief that God cannot change...
, and
immortalImmortality is the concept of living in a physical or spiritual form for an infinite or inconceivably vast length of time....
. Demons are not omniscient, but each one has a specific knowledge (sometimes on only one subject, sometimes on more than one). Their power is limited to that which
GodGod is a deity in theistic and deistic religions and other belief systems, representing either the sole deity in monotheism, or a principal deity in polytheism....
allows, so they are not omnipotent. No reference has been made about
omnipresence"Omnipresence" is the property of being present everywhere. According to eastern theism, God is present everywhere. Divine omnipresence is thus one of the divine attributes, although in western theism it has attracted less philosophical attention than such attributes as omnipotence, omniscience, or...
, so it is as yet unclear if they can be in different places at the same time, but according to the tradition of the medieval witches'
SabbathThe Witches' Sabbath or Sabbat is a supposed meeting of those who practice Paganism, Wicca, or other rites.European records tell of innumerable cases of persons being accused or tried for taking part in Sabbat gatherings, from the Middle Ages to the 17th century or later...
, two conclusions can be reached: either the Devil can be in different places at the same time, or he sends an emissary in his name.{{Citation needed|date=April 2007}}
Christian demonology states that the mission of the demons is to induce humans to
sinSin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. Commonly, the moral code of conduct is decreed by a divine entity, i.e...
, often by testing their faith in God. Christian tradition holds that temptations come from three sources: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
It is also believed that demons torment people during their life, like the case of Job or through possession, causing disgraces{{Citation needed|date=March 2007}} or simply showing themselves before persons to frighten them, or by provoking visions that could induce people to sin or to be afraid. (
MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
17:15-16)
Demons are also believed to try to make people abandon the faith, commit
heresyHeresy is proposing some unorthodox change to an established system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established opinion of scholars of that belief such as canon. It is sometimes confused with apostasy which is disaffiliation from orthodoxy and blasphemy which is...
or
apostasyApostasy is the formal religious disaffiliation or abandonment or renunciation of one's religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. In a technical sense, as used sometimes by sociologists without the pejorative connotations of the word, the term refers to renunciation and criticism of,...
, remain or turn themselves
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
or venerate "
idolsIdolatry is usually defined as worship of any cult image, idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a monotheistic God. It is considered a major sin in the Abrahamic religions whereas in religions where such activity is not considered a sin, the term "idolatry" itself is absent...
" (the Christian term for
cult imageIn the practice of religion, a cult image is a man-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents. Cultus, the outward religious formulas of "cult", often centers upon the treatment of cult images, which may be dressed, fed or paraded, etc...
s), and gain the highest number of "
SatanSatan is an embodiment of antagonism that originates from the Abrahamic religions, being traditionally considered an angel in Judeo-Christian belief, and a Jinn in Islamic belief...
s" or adversaries of God. (Ephesians 6:12)
In the Book of Luke, it is stated that demons walk "waterless places", and finding no rest return to their previous home.
Appearance
Referring to their appearance, demons can take any desired appearance, even that of an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). Nevertheless, they were generally described as ugly and monstrous beings by Christian demonologists. Many of these descriptions have inspired famous painters like
Luca SignorelliLuca Signorelli was an Italian Renaissance painter who was noted in particular for his ability as a draughtsman and his use of foreshortening...
,
Hieronymus BoschHieronymus Bosch was an Early Netherlandish painter of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries...
,
GoyaFrancisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and as the first of the moderns. Goya was a court painter to the Spanish Crown and a chronicler of history...
, the artist that made the drawings for the
Dictionnaire InfernalThe Dictionnaire Infernal is a book on demonology, organised in hellish hierarchies. It was written by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy and first published in 1818. There were several editions of the book, but perhaps the most famous is the...
, and others.
The Devil in particular has been popularly symbolised as various animals, including the
serpentSerpent is a word of Latin origin that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or religious context, signifying a snake that is to be regarded not as a mundane natural phenomenon nor as an object of scientific zoology, but as the bearer of some potent symbolic value.-Cross-cultural symbolic...
, the
goatThe domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep: both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
and the
dragonEuropean dragons are legendary creatures in folklore and mythology among the overlapping cultures of Europe.In European folklore, a dragon is a serpentine legendary creature. The Latin word draco, as in constellation Draco, comes directly from Greek δράκων,...
.
IncubiAn incubus is a demon in male form supposed to lie upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them, according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions. Its female counterpart is the succubus. An incubus may pursue sexual relations with a woman in order...
and
succubiIn folklore that stems from medieval legend, a succubus is a demon who takes the form of a woman to seduce men in dreams to have sexual intercourse. In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as highly attractive, while in the past succubi were frightening...
are described as being beautiful in order to accomplish their mission of
seductionIn sociology, seduction is the process of deliberately enticing a person to engage in some sort of human sexual behavior. The word seduction stems from Latin and means literally "to lead astray." As a result, the term may have a positive or negative connotation...
.
The idea that demons have horns seems to have been taken from the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
13:1 (here it seems that
JohnSaint John the Evangelist , or the Beloved Disciple, is traditionally the name used to refer to the author of the Gospel of John and the First Epistle of John. Traditionally he has been identified with John the Apostle...
was inspired by
LeviathanLeviathan , is a sea monster referred to in the Hebrew Bible .The word leviathan has become synonymous with any large sea monster or creature...
) and 13:11. The book of Revelation seems to have also inspired some depictions of demons (Revelation 13:1-2). This idea has also been associated with the depiction of certain ancient gods like
MolochMoloch, Molech, Molekh, Molek, or Moloc, representing semitic מולך m-l-k, is either the name of a god or the name of a particular kind of sacrifice associated with fire...
and the
sheduThe Sumerian word lama, which is rendered in Akkadian as lamassu, refers to a beneficient protective female deity. The corresponding male deity was called alad, in Akkadian, šêdu .. Also known as an urmahlullu....
, etc, which were portrayed as bulls, as men with the head of a bull, or wearing bull horns as a crown.
Concerning the weight of the demons, since the 17th century people affirmed that they were heavier than common humans. {{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
About the colour of the demons' skin, since early times it was associated with black, thinking that they assumed the appearance of a black man, although not all descriptions agreed, giving demons very different aspects. Satan and other demons were also often depicted as black-dressed men, often riding a black horse. When demons appeared in the shape of animals, often they were black. Poets such as
Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer was an English author, poet, philosopher, bureaucrat, courtier and diplomat. Although he wrote many works, he is best remembered for his unfinished frame narrative The Canterbury Tales...
associated the color
greenGreen is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
with the Devil, although in modern times the color is
redRed is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked human eye...
.
{{Expert-subject|Christianity|date=November 2008}}
{{Original research|date=September 2007}}
Christian demonology is the study of
demonIn religion, folklore, and mythology a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as a malevolent spirit. In Christian terms demons are generally understood as fallen angels, formerly of God. A demon is frequently depicted as a force that may be conjured and insecurely controlled...
s from a
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
point of view. It is primarily based on the
BibleThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
(
Old TestamentIn Christianity, the Old Testament is the collection of books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. These works correspond to the Hebrew Bible , with some variations and additions. In the Eastern Orthodox Church the comparable texts are known as the Septuagint, from the...
and
New TestamentThe New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament, both terms being associated with Supersessionism...
), the
exegesisExegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text.Biblical exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of the Bible. The goal of Biblical exegesis is to find the meaning of the text which then leads to discovering its significance or relevance.Traditionally the term exegesis...
of these scriptures, the scriptures of early Christian philosophers and
hermitA hermit is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion from society....
s,
traditionThe word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem, acc. of traditio which means "handing over, passing on", and is used in a number of ways in the English language:...
, and
legendA legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
s incorporated from other beliefs.
One relatively recent example of Christian demonology is the book
War On The Saints, written by
Jessie Penn-LewisJessie Penn-Lewis was a Welsh evangelical speaker and author of a number of Christian evangelical works. Her father was a Calvinist Methodist minister. She was married to William Penn-Lewis...
in the early 20th Century, which purports to reveal what demons are, how they work at gaining possession, how to recognize their workings, how to oppose them, and how to free oneself and others from demon possession.
Development
{{See also|Demonology}}
In
monotheisticIn theology, monotheism is the belief that only one god exists. The concept of "monotheism" tends to be dominated by the concept of God in the Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the Platonic concept of God as put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite...
religions, the deities of other religions are sometimes interpreted or created as demons. The evolution of the
Christian DevilIn mainstream Christianity, the Devil is named Satan, sometimes Lucifer. He is a fallen angel who rebelled against God. He is often identified as the serpent in the Garden of Eden, whose persuasions led to original sin and the need for Jesus Christ's redemption...
and
pentagramA pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
are examples of early rituals and images that showcase evil qualities, as seen by the Christian churches.
Since early
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
, demonology has developed from a simple acceptance 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, although many other Christian churches affirm and discuss the existence of demons.
St.
Albertus MagnusSaint Albertus Magnus, O.P. , also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, was a Dominican friar and bishop who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful coexistence of science and religion. He is considered to be the greatest German philosopher...
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").
Origins
According to the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
(Rev 12:9), demons are the angels that fell from heaven (
fallen angelIn most Christian denominations, a fallen angel is an angel who has been exiled or banished from Heaven.Often such banishment is a punishment for disobeying or rebelling against God . The best-known fallen angel is Lucifer. Lucifer is a name frequently given to Satan in Christian belief...
s) with Satan when he chose to rebel against God.
According to the apocryphal
Book of EnochThe Book of Enoch is a pseudepigraphic work ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah and son of Jared .While this book today is non-canonical in most Christian churches, it was explicitly quoted in the New Testament and by many of the early Church Fathers...
, the disembodied spirits of the
NephilimNephilim are beings who appear in the Hebrew Bible; specifically mentioned in the Book of Genesis and the Book of Numbers; they are also mentioned in other Biblical texts and in some non-canonical Jewish writings.- Etymology :...
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’. (Enoch15v8-12, 16v1. C.H.Charles.)
In
JohnThe Gospel of John , is the last of the four canonical gospels. This non synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
8:44
JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
calls the Devil "the first homicide" ("he was a murderer from the beginning" in the
King James VersionThe Authorized King James Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible begun in 1604 and completed in 1611 by the Church of England. Printed by the King's Printer, Robert Barker, the first edition included schedules unique to the Church of England; for example, a lectionary for morning...
), perhaps referring to the murdering of Abel by Cain, a liar, and father of all lies.
Number of demons
The number of demons, at least according to Christian demonology, is high. Much was added to the growth of the number of demons when some Christian theology concluded that all
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
deities were demons.
In early times of Christianity it was accepted an unknown number of demons, but later, during the
Late Middle AgesThe Late Middle Ages is a term used by historians to describe European history in the period of the 14th and 15th centuries . The Late Middle Ages were preceded by the High Middle Ages, and followed by the Early Modern era ....
, some demonologists tried to evaluate this number.
Some scholars did not accept a unique number of demons.
Gregory of NyssaGregory of Nyssa was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity...
, in the 4th century, supported the idea that demons procreated with other demons and with women, believing in the existence of male and female demons.
Other scholars supported the idea that the number of demons was unique and they could not procreate.
As it had been said by Christian theology{{Who|date=October 2009}} that there were 400 million angels, Alfonso de Spina calculated that about one third of them were demons, and in 1467 he asserted that the number of demons was 133,316,666 demons. This idea of one third of the angels turned into demons seems to be due to an exegesis of the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
12:3-9.
Johann WeyerJohannes Wier a.k.a. Johann Weyer, in Latin Ioannes Wierus and Piscinarius, was a Dutch physician, occultist and demonologist, disciple and follower of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. He was among the first to publish against the persecution of witches...
, in his
Pseudomonarchia DaemonumPseudomonarchia Daemonum, or Hierarchy of Demons first appears as an Appendix to Johann Weyer's De praestigiis daemonum . The title of the book translates roughly to "false monarchy of demons"....
(1583) after a complicated system of hierarchies and calculations, estimated the number of demons in 44,435,622, divided in 666 legions, each legion composed by 6,666 demons, and all of them ruled by 66 hellish dukes, princes, kings, etc. He forgot to add the rulers of these rulers to the total, but not to mention them in his book. Besides, the number of legions mentioned by Weyer varies in different editions of his book.
The Lesser Key of SolomonThe Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis , is an anonymous 17th-century grimoire, and one of the most popular books of demonology...
(17th century) copied the division in legions from
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum but added more demons, and so more legions; anyhow, its anonymous author did not calculate the number of demons cited in this work. According to the editions of this book, the number also varies.
It is suggestive that both Spina and Weyer used the
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).
Characteristics
{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2007}}
In Christian tradition, demons are like
angelAngels are spiritual beings found in many religious traditions. They are broadly viewed as messengers of God, sent to do God's tasks. Traditions vary as to the precise nature and role of these messages and tasks...
s, are
spiritualSpirituality is relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material. Synonyms include immaterialism, dualism, incorporeality and eternity....
,
immutableImmutability is the quality of being unable to change. It may also refer to the following:* Immutable object, in computer science* Immutability , the belief that God cannot change...
, and
immortalImmortality is the concept of living in a physical or spiritual form for an infinite or inconceivably vast length of time....
. Demons are not omniscient, but each one has a specific knowledge (sometimes on only one subject, sometimes on more than one). Their power is limited to that which
GodGod is a deity in theistic and deistic religions and other belief systems, representing either the sole deity in monotheism, or a principal deity in polytheism....
allows, so they are not omnipotent. No reference has been made about
omnipresence"Omnipresence" is the property of being present everywhere. According to eastern theism, God is present everywhere. Divine omnipresence is thus one of the divine attributes, although in western theism it has attracted less philosophical attention than such attributes as omnipotence, omniscience, or...
, so it is as yet unclear if they can be in different places at the same time, but according to the tradition of the medieval witches'
SabbathThe Witches' Sabbath or Sabbat is a supposed meeting of those who practice Paganism, Wicca, or other rites.European records tell of innumerable cases of persons being accused or tried for taking part in Sabbat gatherings, from the Middle Ages to the 17th century or later...
, two conclusions can be reached: either the Devil can be in different places at the same time, or he sends an emissary in his name.{{Citation needed|date=April 2007}}
Christian demonology states that the mission of the demons is to induce humans to
sinSin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. Commonly, the moral code of conduct is decreed by a divine entity, i.e...
, often by testing their faith in God. Christian tradition holds that temptations come from three sources: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
It is also believed that demons torment people during their life, like the case of Job or through possession, causing disgraces{{Citation needed|date=March 2007}} or simply showing themselves before persons to frighten them, or by provoking visions that could induce people to sin or to be afraid. (
MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
17:15-16)
Demons are also believed to try to make people abandon the faith, commit
heresyHeresy is proposing some unorthodox change to an established system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established opinion of scholars of that belief such as canon. It is sometimes confused with apostasy which is disaffiliation from orthodoxy and blasphemy which is...
or
apostasyApostasy is the formal religious disaffiliation or abandonment or renunciation of one's religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. In a technical sense, as used sometimes by sociologists without the pejorative connotations of the word, the term refers to renunciation and criticism of,...
, remain or turn themselves
PaganPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
or venerate "
idolsIdolatry is usually defined as worship of any cult image, idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a monotheistic God. It is considered a major sin in the Abrahamic religions whereas in religions where such activity is not considered a sin, the term "idolatry" itself is absent...
" (the Christian term for
cult imageIn the practice of religion, a cult image is a man-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents. Cultus, the outward religious formulas of "cult", often centers upon the treatment of cult images, which may be dressed, fed or paraded, etc...
s), and gain the highest number of "
SatanSatan is an embodiment of antagonism that originates from the Abrahamic religions, being traditionally considered an angel in Judeo-Christian belief, and a Jinn in Islamic belief...
s" or adversaries of God. (Ephesians 6:12)
In the Book of Luke, it is stated that demons walk "waterless places", and finding no rest return to their previous home.
Appearance
Referring to their appearance, demons can take any desired appearance, even that of an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). Nevertheless, they were generally described as ugly and monstrous beings by Christian demonologists. Many of these descriptions have inspired famous painters like
Luca SignorelliLuca Signorelli was an Italian Renaissance painter who was noted in particular for his ability as a draughtsman and his use of foreshortening...
,
Hieronymus BoschHieronymus Bosch was an Early Netherlandish painter of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries...
,
GoyaFrancisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and as the first of the moderns. Goya was a court painter to the Spanish Crown and a chronicler of history...
, the artist that made the drawings for the
Dictionnaire InfernalThe Dictionnaire Infernal is a book on demonology, organised in hellish hierarchies. It was written by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy and first published in 1818. There were several editions of the book, but perhaps the most famous is the...
, and others.
The Devil in particular has been popularly symbolised as various animals, including the
serpentSerpent is a word of Latin origin that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or religious context, signifying a snake that is to be regarded not as a mundane natural phenomenon nor as an object of scientific zoology, but as the bearer of some potent symbolic value.-Cross-cultural symbolic...
, the
goatThe domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep: both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
and the
dragonEuropean dragons are legendary creatures in folklore and mythology among the overlapping cultures of Europe.In European folklore, a dragon is a serpentine legendary creature. The Latin word draco, as in constellation Draco, comes directly from Greek δράκων,...
.
IncubiAn incubus is a demon in male form supposed to lie upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them, according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions. Its female counterpart is the succubus. An incubus may pursue sexual relations with a woman in order...
and
succubiIn folklore that stems from medieval legend, a succubus is a demon who takes the form of a woman to seduce men in dreams to have sexual intercourse. In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as highly attractive, while in the past succubi were frightening...
are described as being beautiful in order to accomplish their mission of
seductionIn sociology, seduction is the process of deliberately enticing a person to engage in some sort of human sexual behavior. The word seduction stems from Latin and means literally "to lead astray." As a result, the term may have a positive or negative connotation...
.
The idea that demons have horns seems to have been taken from the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
13:1 (here it seems that
JohnSaint John the Evangelist , or the Beloved Disciple, is traditionally the name used to refer to the author of the Gospel of John and the First Epistle of John. Traditionally he has been identified with John the Apostle...
was inspired by
LeviathanLeviathan , is a sea monster referred to in the Hebrew Bible .The word leviathan has become synonymous with any large sea monster or creature...
) and 13:11. The book of Revelation seems to have also inspired some depictions of demons (Revelation 13:1-2). This idea has also been associated with the depiction of certain ancient gods like
MolochMoloch, Molech, Molekh, Molek, or Moloc, representing semitic מולך m-l-k, is either the name of a god or the name of a particular kind of sacrifice associated with fire...
and the
sheduThe Sumerian word lama, which is rendered in Akkadian as lamassu, refers to a beneficient protective female deity. The corresponding male deity was called alad, in Akkadian, šêdu .. Also known as an urmahlullu....
, etc, which were portrayed as bulls, as men with the head of a bull, or wearing bull horns as a crown.
Concerning the weight of the demons, since the 17th century people affirmed that they were heavier than common humans. {{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
About the colour of the demons' skin, since early times it was associated with black, thinking that they assumed the appearance of a black man, although not all descriptions agreed, giving demons very different aspects. Satan and other demons were also often depicted as black-dressed men, often riding a black horse. When demons appeared in the shape of animals, often they were black. Poets such as
Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer was an English author, poet, philosopher, bureaucrat, courtier and diplomat. Although he wrote many works, he is best remembered for his unfinished frame narrative The Canterbury Tales...
associated the color
greenGreen is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
with the Devil, although in modern times the color is
redRed is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked human eye...
.{{{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}}
Henri Boguet and some English demonologists of the same epoch asserted that witches and
warlockWarlocks are, among historic Christian traditions, said to be the male equivalent of witches , and were said to ride pitchforks instead of broomsticks which normally witches would ride. In traditional Scottish witchcraft, "warlock" was and is simply the term used for a wizard, or male witch...
s confessed (under
tortureTorture, according to the United Nations Convention Against Torture, is:In addition to state-sponsored torture, individuals or groups may be motivated to inflict torture on others for similar reasons to those of a state; however, the motive for torture can also be for the sadistic gratification of...
) that demons' bodies were icy. During the 17th century this belief prevailed.
Demonic abilities
Demonic
supernaturalThe term supernatural or supranatural pertains to an order of existence beyond the scientifically visible universe. Religious miracles are typically supernatural claims, as are spells and curses, divination, the belief that there is an afterlife for the dead, and innumerable others...
powers are believed to include
fabricationFabrication may refer to:*Various processes in arts, crafts and manufacturing:**Fabrication **Semiconductor fabrication**Optics fabrication**Stonemasonry* The creation of a falsehood:**Lies**Fiction**Fables...
,
psychokinesisThe term psychokinesis , also known as telekinesis , sometimes abbreviated PK and TK respectively, is a term coined by publisher Henry Holt to refer to the direct influence...
,
levitationLevitation is the process by which an object is suspended against gravity, in a stable position, without physical contact....
,
divinationDivination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of a standardized process or ritual. Diviners ascertain their interpretations of how a querent should proceed by reading signs, events, or omens, or through alleged contact with a supernatural agency...
,
possessionDemonic possession is often the term used to describe the control over a human form by a demon. Descriptions of demonic possessions often include: erased memories or personalities, convulsions, “fits” and fainting as if one were dying...
,
seductionIn sociology, seduction is the process of deliberately enticing a person to engage in some sort of human sexual behavior. The word seduction stems from Latin and means literally "to lead astray." As a result, the term may have a positive or negative connotation...
,
ESPExtrasensory perception involves reception of information not gained through the recognized senses and not inferred from experience. The term was coined by German psychical researcher, Rudolf Tischner, and adopted by Duke University psychologist J. B...
,
telepathyTelepathy is supposed to be the transfer of information on thoughts or feelings between individuals by means other than the five senses . The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H...
,
witchcraftWitchcraft, in various historical, anthropological, religious and mythological contexts, is the use of certain kinds of supernatural or magical powers. Witchcraft can refer to the use of such powers in order to inflict harm or damage upon members of a community or their property...
, and
curseA curse is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or unhappiness will befall another person or persons. In particular, a wish that harm or hurt will be inflicted by any supernatural power, such as a spell, a prayer, an imprecation, an execration, magic, witchcraft, a god, a natural force,...
s, as well as
bindingBinding may refer to:* Binding , a property relating to anaphors and c-command* Legally binding, in lawJoining physical objects together:* Foot binding* Ski binding, a device for connecting a foot to a ski...
, making contracts, controlling the
classical elementMany philosophies and worldviews have used a set of archetypal classical elements, most developed sets of the simplest essential parts and principles of which anything consists or upon which the constitution and fundamental powers of anything are based...
s, animal control, and
provocationA provocation is an act that causes a response.Provocation and provoke can refer to:* Provocation , a type of legal defense in court which claims the "victim" provoked the accused's actions...
. Demons use variants and combinations of these powers to harass, demoralize, confuse, and disorient the victim, or the willing subject of demonic interest. All of these attacks, as well as their effect or scope, can be nulled by God. A fictional example (based on actual events as they supposedly occurred) of the above is featured in the movie
The ExorcistThe Exorcist is a 1973 U.S. horror film directed by William Friedkin, adapted from the 1971 novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty, dealing with the demonic possession of a young girl, and her mother’s desperate attempts to win back her daughter through an exorcism conducted by two priests....
.
Demons are believed to have the power to physically or mentally hurt people, but only within the boundaries of what God will allow. Demons can destroy any material on the earth; these supernatural powers are always inferior to the power of God. God may use His will to cancel or destroy any effect the demon chooses to invoke. Demons, assumably, are granted permission to test, bring about trials, and to tempt people through the use of their destructive powers, to make people prove their faith, sometimes as a means to carry out the will of the Lord. Often Demons are said to create negative emotions, wreaking havoc, ensuing chaos, and disrupting peace.
Incarnation of demons
The
incarnation of the demons has been a problem to Christian demonology and theology since early times. A very early form of
incarnationIncarnation which literally means embodied in flesh or taking on flesh, refers to the conception and birth of a sentient creature who is the material manifestation of an entity or force whose original nature is immaterial....
of demons was the idea of demon 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. But 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
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
scholars demons didn't always have to manifest themselves in a visible and possible tangible form. Sometimes it was through possession.
History
New Testament via possession (analogous to
invocationAn invocation may take the form of:*Supplication or prayer.*A form of possession.*Command or conjuration.*Self-identification with certain spirits....
)
There are some biblical mentions of the incarnation of demons, similar in result to possession as in
invocationAn invocation may take the form of:*Supplication or prayer.*A form of possession.*Command or conjuration.*Self-identification with certain spirits....
, in the New Testament, according to the
MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
,
MarkThe Gospel of Mark is the second of the four Canonical Gospels, but is believed by most contemporary scholars to be the first gospel written, on which the other two synoptic gospels, Matthew and Luke, were partially based....
and
LukeThe Gospel of Luke is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension...
as they could be seen and heard, as well as banished.
Matthew 8:16 When the evening had come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with [his] word, and healed all that were sick:
Mar 1:23-27 And there was in their synagogue a man with an
unclean spiritUnclean spirit is a common English translation of pneuma akatharton , a term appearing in the Greek New Testament 21 times in the context of demonic possession. It is also translated into English as spirit of impurity or more loosely as "evil spirit." The Latin equivalent is spiritus immundus...
; and he cried out, Saying, Let [us] alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine [is] this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
Matthew 8:28-33 And when he
JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? And there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine feeding. So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
Other sources via incarnation (analogous to
evocationEvocation is the act of calling or summoning a spirit, demon, god or other supernatural agent, in the Western mystery tradition. Comparable practices exist in many religions and magical traditions.-Evocation in the Western mystery tradition:...
)
Basil of CaesareaBasil of Caesarea, also called Saint Basil the Great, was the bishop of Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia, Asia Minor . He was an influential 4th century Christian theologian and monastic...
also who wrote on this subject. He believed that demons, to materialise, had to condense vapours 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 MoreHenry More was an English philosopher of the Cambridge Platonist school.-Biography:Henry was born at Grantham and was schooled at The King's School, Grantham...
supported this idea, saying that their bodies were cold due to the solidification of water vapour to form them (see below). Many authors believed that demons could assume the shape of an animal, preferably black.
It seems that until the first millennium, when the fear for the coming of the
AntichristThe Antichrist, according to Christianity, is one who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ while resembling him in a deceptive manner. "Antichrist" is the English translation of the original Koine Greek ἀντίχριστος, pronounced än-tē'-khrē-stos. It is made up of two root...
reached proportions that were out of control, the appearance of demons was not a significant problem. But since this moment on, demons acquired a terrible appearance in the mind of those who believed to have seen them.
Raoul Glaber, a
monkA monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, whilst always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
of
Saint-LégerSaint-Léger as a person is Saint Léger, or Leodegar, 7th century Bishop of Autun.In geoography it is the name or part of the name of several communes, often named after the saint:-In Belgium:*Saint-Léger, Belgium, in Luxembourg province...
,
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
, seems to have been the first in writing about the visit of a demon of horrible aspect in his
Historiarum suis temporis, Libri quinque (History of his time, Book five).
AugustineAugustine of Hippo , Bishop of Hippo Regius, also known as St. Augustine or St. Austin, was an Algerian Berber philosopher and theologian....
thought that demons often were imaginary, but sometimes could enter human bodies, but later accepted the idea of the materialisation of demons.
Thomas AquinasSaint Thomas Aquinas, O.P. was a priest of the Roman Catholic Church in the Dominican Order from Italy, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus and Doctor Communis...
followed Augustine's idea, but added that demonic materialisation had sexual connotations because demons tried to seduce people to commit sexual sins.
Ambrogio de Vignati, disagreeing with other authors, asserted that demons, besides of not to have a material body could not create it, 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
succubusIn folklore that stems from medieval legend, a succubus is a demon who takes the form of a woman to seduce men in dreams to have sexual intercourse. In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as highly attractive, while in the past succubi were frightening...
or
incubusAn incubus is a demon in male form supposed to lie upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them, according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions. Its female counterpart is the succubus. An incubus may pursue sexual relations with a woman in order...
, including the sexual act.
Sexuality of demons
(See main article
Sexuality in Christian demonologyThis article deals with the concept of sexuality in Christian demonology.-The sexuality of demons:To Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Jews there were male and female demons...
)
Most theologians agreed that demons acted first as
succubaeIn folklore that stems from medieval legend, a succubus is a demon who takes the form of a woman to seduce men in dreams to have sexual intercourse. In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as highly attractive, while in the past succubi were frightening...
to collect sperm from men and then as
incubiAn incubus is a demon in male form supposed to lie upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them, according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions. Its female counterpart is the succubus. An incubus may pursue sexual relations with a woman in order...
to put it into a woman's vagina. But as many of them agreed also in the fact that demons' bodies were icy, they reached the conclusion that the frozen sperm taken first from a man could not have generative qualities.
Albertus MagnusSaint Albertus Magnus, O.P. , also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, was a Dominican friar and bishop who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful coexistence of science and religion. He is considered to be the greatest German philosopher...
and Thomas Aquinas wrote that demons acted in this way but could fecundate women.
Ulrich MolitorUlrich Molitor was a legal scholar. He wrote one of the first books on witchcraft, De Lamiis et Pythonicis Mulieribus , published in 1489...
and
Nicholas RemyNicholas Remy was a French magistrate who became famous as a hunter of witches comparable to Jean Bodin and De Lancre. After studying law at the University of Toulouse Remy practiced in Paris from 1563 to 1570...
disagreed in the fact that women could be impregnated; besides, Remy thought that a woman could never be fecundated by another being than a man.
Heinrich KramerHeinrich Kramer was a German churchman and inquisitor."Institoris" is the Latin genetive case of "Institor"...
and Jacob Sprenger (authors of the
Malleus MaleficarumThe Malleus Maleficarum is a famous treatise on witches, written in 1486 by Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger, two Inquisitors of the Catholic Church, and was first published in Germany in 1487...
) adopted again an intermediate position; they wrote that demons acted first as succubae and then as incubi, but added the possibility that incubi could receive
semenSemen is an organic fluid, also known as seminal fluid, that usually contains spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize female ova...
from succubae, but they considered that this sperm could not fecundate women.
Peter of Paluda and
Martin of ArlesMartinus de Arles y Andosilla was doctor of theology and canon in Pamplona and archdeacon of Aibar, author of a tractatus de superstitionibus, contra maleficia seu sortilegia quae hodie vigent in orbe terrarum , a work on demonology in the context of the Early Modern witch-hunts...
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.
Diabolical symbols
Inspired by the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
13:18 the number
666 (the Number of the second Beast) was attributed to the
AntichristThe Antichrist, according to Christianity, is one who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ while resembling him in a deceptive manner. "Antichrist" is the English translation of the original Koine Greek ἀντίχριστος, pronounced än-tē'-khrē-stos. It is made up of two root...
and to the Devil.
According to medieval
grimoireA grimoire is a textbook of magic. Books of this genre, typically giving instructions for invoking angels or demons, performing divination and gaining magical powers, have circulated throughout Europe since the Middle Ages....
s, demons each have a
Diabolical signatureIn demonology, a diabolical signature is the signature of a devil, demon or similar spirit, usually in order to sign your soul away. The most famous of these is in the story of Faust.Demons' signatures are designed to disguise their actual names. They are usually signed in blood...
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 CyprianThe Great Book of Saint Cyprian is a book that deals with the occult. The book is written in Portuguese and Spanish and has been published in several editions with varying titles.-Authorship:...
, Le Dragon Rouge and
The Lesser Key of SolomonThe Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis , is an anonymous 17th-century grimoire, and one of the most popular books of demonology...
.
The
pentagramA pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
, which has been used with various meanings in many cultures (including
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
ity, in which it denoted the five wounds of Christ), is sometimes 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)
crossA cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run diagonally, the design is technically termed a saltire....
(particularly the
crucifixA crucifix is a cross with a representation of Jesus' body, or corpus. It is a principal symbol of the Christian religion...
) has also been considered a symbol of both the Devil and the Antichrist, although more traditionally it is the symbol of
Saint PeterSimon Peter , Pétros “Rock”, Kephas in Hellenized Aramaic) was a leader of the early Christian Church, who features prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. Peter was the son of John, and was from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee...
.
See:
Cross of St. PeterThe Cross of St. Peter is an inverted Latin cross traditionally used as a Christian symbol, but in recent times also used widely and incorrectly as an anti-Christ symbol, a common but popular misconception...
Other views
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.
See also
- Classification of demons
There have been many attempts throughout the history of Christianity to classify demons into categories. These systems of classification of demons are a part of Christian demonology...
- Deliverance ministry
In charismatic Christianity, deliverance ministries are activities carried out by individuals or groups aimed at solving problems related to demons and spirits, especially possession. Leaders of and adherents to these ministries emphasize the activities of evil spirits in many physical,...
- Demon possession
- Unclean spirit
Unclean spirit is a common English translation of pneuma akatharton , a term appearing in the Greek New Testament 21 times in the context of demonic possession. It is also translated into English as spirit of impurity or more loosely as "evil spirit." The Latin equivalent is spiritus immundus...
- Demonic hierarchy
- Demons and animals
- Exorcism
Exorcism is the practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed...
- Nigromancy
Nigromancy is black magic, in particular, the summoning of denizens of hell. The term was often used interchangeably with "necromancy" in mediaeval sources, however it properly relates to the summoning of demons and demonic varieties of goetic magic.Nigromancy can also be used to raise the dead...
- Grimoire
A grimoire is a textbook of magic. Books of this genre, typically giving instructions for invoking angels or demons, performing divination and gaining magical powers, have circulated throughout Europe since the Middle Ages....
- Fall of man
Literature: Demonologies from Christian and Occultist perspectives
- Thomas Aquinas
Saint Thomas Aquinas, O.P. was a priest of the Roman Catholic Church in the Dominican Order from Italy, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus and Doctor Communis...
, Summa TheologicaThe Summa Theologica is the most famous work of Thomas Aquinas , although it was never finished. It was intended as a manual for beginners as a compilation of all of the main theological teachings of the time...
(1274)
- Nicholas Magni
Nicholas Magni , was a late medieval theologian, a professor at Heidelberg University....
, Tractatus de superstitionibus (1405)
- The Sworn Book of Honorius
The Sworn Book of Honorius, or Liber Juratus is a medieval grimoire. Its date of composition is uncertain, but it is mentioned as liber sacer in the 13th century, apparently asserting a high medieval date...
(13th century)
- Johannes Hartlieb
Johannes Hartlieb was a physician of Late Medieval Bavaria, probably of a family from Neuburg an der Donau. He was in the employment of Louis VII of Bavaria and Albert VI of Austria in the 1430s, and of Albert III of Bavaria from 1440, and of the latter's son Sigismund from 1456.In 1444, he...
, Buch aller verpoten kunst (1456)
- Heinrich Kramer
Heinrich Kramer was a German churchman and inquisitor."Institoris" is the Latin genetive case of "Institor"...
and Jacob Sprenger, Malleus MaleficarumThe Malleus Maleficarum is a famous treatise on witches, written in 1486 by Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger, two Inquisitors of the Catholic Church, and was first published in Germany in 1487...
(1486)
- Martin of Arles
Martinus de Arles y Andosilla was doctor of theology and canon in Pamplona and archdeacon of Aibar, author of a tractatus de superstitionibus, contra maleficia seu sortilegia quae hodie vigent in orbe terrarum , a work on demonology in the context of the Early Modern witch-hunts...
, Tractatus de superstitionibus (1515)
- Nicholas Remy
Nicholas Remy was a French magistrate who became famous as a hunter of witches comparable to Jean Bodin and De Lancre. After studying law at the University of Toulouse Remy practiced in Paris from 1563 to 1570...
, Daemonolatreiae libri tresDaemonolatreiae libri tres is a 1595 work by Nicholas Remy.It was edited by Montague Summers and translated as Demonolatry in 1929....
(1595)
- Key of Solomon
The Key of Solomon, in Latin Clavis Salomonis or Clavicula Salomonis, Hebrew , is a grimoire, or book on magic, attributed to King Solomon, probably dating to the 14th to 15th century Italian Renaissance and presenting a typical example of Renaissance magic.It is possible that the Key of Solomon...
(16th century)
- The Book of Abramelin (Evidence points to the 18th century, although some claim it to be from the 1450s)