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Introduction

G. K. Chesterton, creator of the Father Brown stories and author of Orthodoxy, came within a few steps of becoming a worshipper, not of God, but the devil. In his own words: ‘I am not proud of knowing the Devil. I made his acquaintance by my own fault; and followed it up along lines which, had they been followed further, might have led me to devil-worship or the devil knows what…’.^[1] G. K. Chesterton, The Autobiography of G. K. Chesterton (New York: Sheed and Ward, 1936), p.77. By his own account, living under the ‘shadow’ of epistemological nihilism, ^[2]G. K. Chesterton, The Autobiography of G. K. Chesterton (New York: Sheed and Ward, 1936), p.77. he found the ‘luxurious horrors’ of paganism alluring.^[3]Ibid., p.78. See Ronald Hutton, The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999). 

Encounters with the spiritual forces of darkness are not necessarily prompted by a witches’ brew of despair at a seemingly meaningless world or the appeal of moral decadence. Instead, they may arise, spitting and hissing, from the cauldron of moral and metaphysical relativism. Why choose one spirituality, when it might be possible to combine several of them and thereby increase the chances of personal satisfaction and control over one’s life? A loss of epistemological confidence (how we know what is true) can lead to an epistemological crisis (nothing is completely true). This, in turn, results in the relativist’s creed: ‘We believe that each man must find the truth that is right for him.’^[4]See Steve Turner, ‘Creed’, Up to Date: Poems 1972–1992 (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1992). 

As A. J. Nickerson has argued: ‘We might think of contemporary spirituality as an inchoate search for the extra-ordinary, whatever that might be.’^[5]A. J. Nickerson, ‘Modern spirituality: learning from the poets’, Cambridge Papers (December 2021), p.1. Whatever the animating conditions for – and whatever the ends of – that search might be, the search is on. However, the gates of contemporary spiritual practices often serve as entrances to encounters with dark spiritual forces.

Alternative spiritualities, such as witchcraft, are on the ascendant, and so are their attendant practices.

Whatever that might be

Not long ago, an article in The New Statesman described Gen Z as ‘the witchcraft generation.’^[6]‘The witchcraft generation’, The New Statesman, 23 August 2023 <https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/religion/2023/08/strongfaith-faithless-age-strong> [accessed 22 October … Continue reading On one social media platform, TikTok, #witchtok has gained over 45 billion views. There are over 8.9 million posts on Instagram under the hashtag ‘#witchcraft’, which range from sharing lessons on how to become a witch, identify familiars, protect one’s home, all the way to ‘lessons from the Devil’. Alternative spiritualities, such as witchcraft, are on the ascendant, and so are their attendant practices: veiling, drying herbs, candle divination, hexes, moon rituals, tarot cards, potions and spells, rituals and sacrifices, charging crystals, and so on.^[7] See also Jonathan Burnside, ‘Covert Power: Unmasking the World of Witchcraft’, Cambridge Papers (December 2010). Two women interviewed for the New Statesman article explain how they have not left their religious upbringings behind (one a Protestant home, the other a Catholic one); rather, they are seeking to expand their repertoire of extra-ordinary experiences through witchcraft. Contemporary spiritualities may not provide an exclusive spiritual alternative, but offer the appeal of a melee of seemingly non-competing ‘faith’ commitments. The cauldron continues to bubble.

Across a broader sweep of cultural influences and personal experiences, it is possible to observe an increased interest in spiritual phenomena in the Anglosphere.^[8] While paranormal experiences are widely experienced in the Global Church, this paper focuses on experiences in the Anglosphere. Two-thirds of Americans believe they have had a paranormal … Continue reading In the United Kingdom, Uncanny, a BBC podcast hosted by Danny Robbins, relayed real-life experiences of unexplained paranormal events by guests from across the nation, and became the second most popular podcast in 2023.^[9]<https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2024/bbc-sounds-reaches-record-audiences-christmas-music-and-quality-podcasts> [accessed 22 October 2024]. In the United States, a TV series – The Curse of Skinwalker Ranch – is now entering the fifth season of its investigation into unusual events at a ranch in Utah. The Paranormal Files is a YouTube channel with over one million subscribers. The podcast Blurry Creaturesprovides a space for Christians to share their experiences of unknown, and often uncharted, phenomena: hybrid creatures, so-called abduction accounts, demonic influences, encounters with dark spirits and ritualistic Satanic cult practices, and UAP^[10]‘Unidentified Aerial Phenomena’: ‘UAP’ has replaced the initialism ‘UFO’. Former Airforce intelligence officer, David Grusch, testified to Congress in 2023 that the U. S. government has … Continue reading sightings,^[11]See D. W. Pasulka, Encounters: Experiences with Nonhuman Intelligences (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2023). to name a few. In the wake of the Netflix series, Lockwood and Co., a paranormal investigation hotline was created to receive accounts of ghostly activity^[12]For more, see <https://www.spectrumparanormal.co.uk/lockwoodandco> [accessed 22 October 2024]. and a survey in the United Kingdom discovered that one-in-five people claim to share their home with a ghost.^[13]<https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/read-this/netflix-supernatural-investigation-service-ghosts-4014075> [accessed 22 October, 2024]. This increase in documented experiences of spiritual activity is not limited to a particular generation.^[14]I use the term ‘spiritual activity’ broadly to refer to encounters with spiritual beings, to those either loyal or hostile to God Most High. Later, I will outline a brief theological litmus test … Continue reading Some seek portals through which to connect to the currents of spiritual entities and activities; others find themselves unwittingly shaken by spiritual intruders who demand attention. Paranormal experiences are no longer deemed fringe events.

The early Church Fathers: encounters with evil spirits

Despite the resurgence of interest in, and engagement with, spiritual activity in recent times, spiritual activity is a tale as old as time. A full-bodied consideration of demonic encounters is evidenced in the lives and writing of the early Church. Many of the early Church Fathers had a pronounced theological and experiential concern for demon possessions. Justin Martyr writes in his Second Apology, that the Son of God assumed human nature ‘for the salvation of believing mankind and the ruin of demons’.^[15] Second Apology, Chapter 6. When speaking to the pagan Romans, Justin Martyr explains: 

Even now you can learn this from what happens before your own eyes. For many of ours [namely Christians] have healed and still do heal by making powerless and casting out the devils by which such persons are possessed, a great number of possessed persons, in the whole world and in your city here by exorcisms in the name of Jesus Christ, crucified under Pontius Pilate; after these [possessed persons] could not be healed by all . . . conjurors and magicians and medicine men.^[16]Ante-Nicene Fathers: The Writings of the Fathers down to A.D. 325. Volume 1: The Apostolic Fathers, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, ed. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. Revised and … Continue reading 

While conjurors, magicians and medicine men lack the power and authority to release people from demon possession, they are able to deceive. Sixteen hundred years before modern Spiritualism, Tertullian declared that: ‘magicians, with the help of devils, cause apparitions and disgrace the souls of the dead’.^[17]Apologeticum, ca. 2 cited in Godfrey Raupert, Christ and the Powers of Darkness (New Haven: Sophia Institute Press, 2022), p.32. That is, according to Tertullian, evil spirits are frauds and dupers. They hide themselves behind deceased persons occasionally claiming to be the deceased parents of the possessed or some god.^[18]Thomas Aquinas also argues that: ‘demons often pretend to be the souls of the dead, in order to confirm the error of heathen superstition;’ Summa Theologica I, Q. 117, A. 4 … Continue reading Indeed, Justin Martyr writes that ‘for nothing else’ do demons ‘strive’ after than ‘draw[ing] men away from God the Creator and from Christ His Only Begotten.’^[19]First Apology, 58. Cf. Thomas Garrett Isham, ‘C. S. Lewis and the Occult Temptation,’ Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal, 2016, 10, 1, Article. 

While conjurors, magicians and medicine men lack the power and authority to release people from demon possession, they are able to deceive.

Theophilus, bishop of Antioch in the second century, wrote that even the poets, ‘namely Homer and Hesiod’ were ‘inspired by the muses’ who ‘spoke according to the imagination and delusion, inspired not by pure but by a deceitful spirit.’^[20]Theophilus to Autolycus, Book 2, Chapter VIII. Even Socrates had his daimon.^[21]More on Socrates’ ‘guiding spirit’ can be found in Apuleius’ De Deo Socratis. Inspiration has many sources, and of note is the prominent use of psychedelics among ‘enlightened’ minds, which often produced dark spiritual visions and encounters.^[22]See Peter Sjöstedt-H, ‘The Psychedelic Influence on Philosophy’, 2016. Available at <https://philarchive.org/archive/SJSTPI> [accessed 22 October 2024]. 

In the fourth century, Athanasius wrote about demonic deceit and that ‘by using the sign of the cross’ it is possible to dispel ‘their fraud’. Athanasius challenges anyone who is unconvinced of the power of the sign of the cross to ‘see how the demons will take to flight, how the oracles grow dumb, and how every magic and witchcraft became powerless.’^[23]See Peter Sjöstedt-H, ‘The Psychedelic Influence on Philosophy’, 2016. Available at <https://philarchive.org/archive/SJSTPI> [accessed 22 October 2024]. Later, in the fifth century, Augustine relates an account in The City of God of Tribunitius Hesperius whose household and livestock suffered from the ‘malice’ of evil spirits.^[24]City of God, Book XXII, Chapter 8, para 7. (<https://www.logoslibrary.org/augustine/city/2208.html>).

Through a brief spiritual survey of the centuries, it becomes apparent that perceived demonic manifestations were somewhat commonplace, irrespective of their provenance. There is agreement that hostile spiritual beings seek to draw people away from worship of the true God, commonly utilise deception, and are ultimately under the authority of Jesus Christ. According to these early Church Fathers, encounters with evil spirits are to be expected (not invoked) yet expelled through the sign of the cross, the Lord’s Supper, fervent prayer and fasting, and the application of the word of God. 

Scriptural signs: a divine civilization

As deities and demons are moving more centre stage in the imaginations and daily experiences of people, we are bound – aided by Scripture – to ask: ‘What are they?’ 

The elohim: spiritual beings

The original Hebrew word translated ‘gods’ is elohim. The late biblical scholar, Michael Heiser, writes that this word refers to ‘any inhabitant of the unseen spiritual realm.’^[25]Michael Heiser, Supernatural: What the Bible Teaches About the Unseen World – and Why It Matters (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife Corporation, 2016), p.20. For this reason, elohim is a word used of God himself (Genesis 1:1), the human dead (1 Samuel 28:13), and demons (Deuteronomy 32:17). As Heiser goes on to explain, ‘any disembodied being whose home address is the spirit world is an elohim.’^[26]Ibid.

The Elohim of elohim: God

God is the Creator and King of all of the elohim.^[27] Ps. 89:6–7; Ps. 95:3. Recognising that Scripture refers to disembodied spirits as elohim does not threaten God’s unique standing in the divine civilization. The word elohim does not refer to a specific set of abilities, which, if other elohim possess, might diminish God in some way. There are other ways to distinguish between God and the gods. The triune God has no equal among the gods (elohim). Scripture affirms that he is the God of gods (1 Kings 8:23; Psalm 97:9). God is the Elohim of the elohim. All other gods are commanded to worship YHWH (Psalm 29:1). The spiritual realm has a structure; there is a ‘cosmic administration’ created and ruled by God. 

Recognising that Scripture refers to disembodied spirits as ‘elohim’ does not threaten God’s unique standing in the divine civilization.

Demons and evil spirits

There are a range of elohim in the spiritual realm. Demons and evil spirits are just two kinds of supernatural entities who oppose God.^[28] For more on demons, see Michael Heiser, Demons (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife Corporation, 2020), and Annette Yoshiko Reed, Fallen Angels and the History of Judaism and … Continue reading Archie T. Wright in The Origin of Evil Spirits argues that our concepts of demons are shaped by the reception of Genesis 6:4 in early Jewish literature. Along with Heiser, Wright agrees that ‘[d]emons are the departed spirits of dead Nephilim killed before and during the flood.’^[29]Heiser, Supernatural, p.40. However, it has been established that there is no ‘equivalent expression for the word demon in the Semitic languages.’^[30]Henricke Frey-Anthes, “Concepts of ‘Demons’ in Ancient Israel’, Die Welt des Orients 38 (2008) pp.38–52.

An evil spirit is a spirit. The members of the spiritual realm are not by nature embodied or physical beings, like human beings, or, at least, not in the way that humans are embodied, physical beings.^[31]Augustine discusses demons as spirits with aerial bodies in The City of God, Book VIII, Chapter 14. Aquinas expresses a similar view (see Summa Theologica, I, Q.63, A.1; I, … Continue reading Evil spirits are members of God’s heavenly host who have chosen to rebel against him. Any rival deity that was worshipped in antiquity, other than YHWH, was considered an evil power.^[32]See Heiser, Demons, p.2. Other members of the spiritual realm include the Rephaim,^[33]1 Chron. 20:4; Isa. 26:14; Job 26:5. the spirits of the dead,^[34]Deut. 18:11; Ruth 1:8, 2:20; Ps. 115:17; Eccles. 4:2. ‘knowing one’,^[35]Lev. 19:31, 20:6, 20:27. Leviticus refers to ‘knowing one(s)’ in 19:31, 20:6, and 20:27 as spiritual entities with knowledge.  the ‘hidden one’;^[36]The two obscure references upon which subsequent Jewish thinking builds a case for a devil figure (‘Hidden One’) in the Old Testament are Isa. 26:20 and Hab. 3:4. there are also entities with geographical dominion (territorial spirits (Deuteronomy 32:17), princes (Daniel 10:13), etc.), and preternatural creatures associated with idolatry and unholy ground (goat demons (Leviticus 16:8–10),^[37]See Heiser, Demons, pp.24–26. On the Day of Atonement, one of the two goats is ‘sent away into the wilderness to Azazel’ (Lev. 16:10, ESV). The meaning of the word ‘Azazel’ is … Continue reading wild beasts/howling creatures (Isaiah 34:14 and Jeremiah 50:39)). The demons associated with unholy ground are, according to Henricke Frey-Anthes, those ‘who haunt deserted places …ghosts living at the periphery but they avoid clear identification… The creatures are described ambiguously in order to underline the vagueness of the peripheral counterworld.’^[38]Frey-Anthes, ’Concepts of “Demons” in Ancient Israel’, p.43.

This brief overview highlights the reality of an unseen structured, divine civilization comprised of a range of disembodied spirits (elohim) split between those who serve The Most High and those who oppose him. There is an ambiguity to some of the inhabitants of the ‘peripheral counterworld,’ particularly around ghosts and poltergeist activity.

Theological retrieval^[39]Theological retrieval is the excavation of, and engagement with, the rich heritage of Christian thought, set in motion afresh in light of contemporary issues. For more, please see: Scott R. Swain … Continue reading

In an intriguing book by Professor Carlos Eire of Yale University, entitled They Flew: A History of the Impossible,^[40]Carlos Eire, They Flew: A History of The Impossible (New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 2023). Eire charts the remarkable history of notable pre-Reformation Christians who … Continue reading Eire makes the case that the Protestant Reformation may have ‘desacralized and disenchanted the world much more through its take on miracles than through any of its other principles.’^[41]Eire, They Flew, p.62. Martin Luther, John Calvin, Heinrich Bullinger and Ulrich Zwingli each held strong theological convictions that miracles, such as the many reported cases of ‘holy levitation’ documented by Eire, required ‘the help of witchcraft’.^[42] Heinrich Bullinger, A Commentary upon the Second Epistle of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians, translated by R. H. (London, 1850), 130 cited in Eire, They Flew, p.61. Calvin argued that ‘[w]e should remember that Satan has his miracles.’^[43]Institutes of the Christian Religion, Prefatory Address to King Francis I, CO 3.18, 16–17. The issue centred not upon the possibility or impossibility of the phenomenon, but its source.^[44]Eire, They Flew, p.18. Indeed, discussing the phenomenon of levitation, Eire states: ‘Whereas Catholics believed that levitation was restricted to human beings who chose to surrender their will to God or to the devil, Protestants believed it was restricted only to those who willed to become allies of the devil.’ Regardless of one’s theological position on the possibility of contemporary miracles, Eire’s argument is usefully provocative. Perhaps the Reformers’ views have shaped our expectations about what is possible, and so coloured the way the Church views and responds to demonic manifestations and influences. Indeed, if, since the Reformation, much of the church in the West has developed an anaemic view of God’s activity in the world (limiting the source of overt signs of spiritual activity exclusively to dark forces), then it may not be entirely surprising that younger generations, those drawn to the ‘extra-ordinary’, find that the church has little appeal. 

This paper argues that it may actually be that the vibrant depths of the Christian faith and its theological resources have not been sufficiently plumbed so as to be communicated to draw others closer to the cosmic tapestry of the work of God through Christ and by his Spirit in and for us and our world.^[45]See Theologies of Retrieval: An Explanation and Appraisal, ed. Darren Sarisky (London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017). By excavating the rich resources of classical theism, we find doctrines that vivify the soul and the soul of spiritual experience.^[46]Classical theism is a traditional understanding of God’s attributes, which includes his transcendence, immutability, simplicity, and impassibility. The challenge of responding to contemporary spiritualities may telegraph an opportunity to move closer to the historical doctrine and witness of the Church. 

By excavating the rich resources of classical theism, we find doctrines that vivify the should and the soul of spiritual experience.

For example, God’s transcendence secures his immanence. God is not bound to one (or any) spatio-temporal location. God is transcendent of creation because he is the Creator of creation. As the Creator, he is able to be immanently present within creation because he is not a part of creation. These doctrines are not at loggerheads with each other. Transcendence is not an obstacle to God’s immanence; it makes it possible. 

It might be difficult to conjure a more enlivening means of authorised spiritual access than meditation upon – and lively, Spirit-inspired encounter with – the Living God through theological insight into his very nature and being.^[47]As those who experienced holy levitations can attest. This transcends a crystallization of the Christian faith into mental assent to propositional statements. If the Christian faith is reduced to the communication of correct statements, which diminishes the embodied gospel in word and deed and the powerful witness of the Holy Spirit, we might find ourselves more perplexed when approaching contemporary spiritualities than we need to be. In short, what is being suggested is a renewal of the classical doctrine of God.^[48]In his recent book, Living in Wonder: Finding Mystery and Meaning in a Secular Age (Hodder & Stoughton, 2024), Rod Dreher likewise tells a story of how the West became … Continue reading

Considering one classical Christian response: God is the ultimate source of truth and authority

One example of a classical Christian response is offered before sharing three spiritual objections and responses to the doctrine in contemporary culture. 

All authority and power originate from God who is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Occult practices (tarot, astrology, witchcraft, séances) attempt to manipulate spiritual forces to gain hidden knowledge outside the bounds of God’s ordained means. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica, argues that attempts to access supernatural knowledge or power apart from God’s revelation and divine will are illicit.^[49]Summa Theologica II-II, Q. 96, Art. 2. See also: II-II, Q. 95, Art. 1; ‘If any divination be not by Divine revelation, it is either sought by the operation of demons or by observing vain … Continue reading According to Thomas, reliance on occult powers denies the sovereignty of God and places individuals in danger of relying on demonic forces or deceptive spiritual entities. Any supernatural power that does not come from God is either illusory or originates from malevolent spirits. Thomas explains that divination can either be deceptive, meaning it pretends to offer knowledge or power it does not actually possess, or it can stem from demons, who seek to mislead and gain control over the person engaging in such practices. Those who hope to gain control of their own fate by dabbling with occult practices are instead controlled, which causes great harm to their spiritual health.^[50]In Thomas Aquinas’s words: ‘No temporal utility can compare with the harm to spiritual health that results from the research of the unknown by invoking the demon.’ Summa … Continue reading

Rather, genuine spiritual knowledge belongs solely to God, and, for that reason, seeking it outside of God’s will is a sin against divine order. For ‘it is wicked, while we have the divine Scriptures, to seek knowledge from the demons.’^[51]Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II, Q. 95, 4. As such, occult practices are destructive portals of knowledge, for they deform and control the knower as s/he seeks to receive illicit forms of knowledge through them.

The world is a charged arena of visible and invisible powers, a unity of the seen and the unseen realms.

Demonic counterfeits

The world is a charged arena of visible and invisible powers, a unity of the seen and the unseen realms. Augustine, however, cautions us not to differentiate between angelic and demonic miracles according to their perceived power, but by their meaning.^[52]See Gregory D. Wiebe, ‘Demonic Phenomena’ in Fallen Angels in the Theology of St Augustine (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021), pp.120–146. That is, it is only possible to understand the works of demons by their desire of – and for – self-love. All of their works refer to it and are identifiable by it. They follow Tertullian’s direction of travel by ‘striving’ to draw men away from God only to bring them towards themselves.

As demons act from darkness towards darkness, they are incapable of creative acts. Their activities are restricted to aping the deeds of the triune God through counterfeit acts to achieve self-worship, or the devil-worship Chesterton had feared. They are the counterfeit of angels (demons), truth (lies), a Spirit-filled life (demon possessions), the Trinity (Satan, Antichrist and the False Prophet described in Revelation 12 and 13), to name but a few. The miraculous gifts of the Spirit are echoed in their attempts to subvert worship away from God and towards themselves.^[53]See, e.g., Rev. 13:11–18.

If demons are capable of achieving words of knowledge (via direct or indirect channels: tarot cards, Ouija boards, spirit boxes, etc.) through their influence upon, and contact with, human beings, it cannot be because they have created a new form of metaphysical access; instead, they merely travel along pre-laid metaphysical tram tracks deceitfully.^[54]For example, hostile spiritual beings are unable to create new forms of spiritual experience, they can only mimic God’s activity in the world. The fact that ‘levitations’ are a feature of … Continue reading They have, however, circumvented the destination away from worship of YHWH, and towards themselves. Their destination is ultimate darkness rather than divine Trinitarian de-light. So, how might we consider responding to common spiritual experiences of the darkness?

Spiritual objections and responses

Spiritual objection: ‘But my gods work!’

Consider the situation wherein one befriends a person who regularly casts spells and throws stones to read and manipulate their future. They now have the job, the husband, and the money in their bank account. God’s word to them in the seeming success of their spiritual activities might not ring true, or even be considered credible. Their ‘gods’ work. Whether as a result of coincidence or contact with dark forces, they have received what they required, even if it involved a Faustian deal. How might we respond?

As the cultural question around deities and demons has moved away from ‘Does God exist?’ to ‘Which god/s can be called upon for particular purposes?’ we return to Scripture for guidance. The Exodus account of the plagues is an expression of judgement on the specific gods of Egypt. Exodus 7:10–12 (and v.22) introduces two chief magicians, Jannes and Jambres, who are able to imitate God’s miracles through the secret arts.^[55]2 Tim. 3:8 confirms this. Their ability to do so is trivial. Instead, the focus in Exodus 7 is on: which snake is greater? The one that belongs to God or the one that belongs to Egypt’s gods? This was easily determined. Aaron’s staff ‘swallowed up’ the staffs of the chief magicians. God alone demonstrates his loving supremacy by gobbling up the works of the gods. The other gods ‘work’, but this is a trivial indication of real significance. Perhaps, a response to ‘but my gods work!’ is to say, ‘Yes, but which snake can eat the other?’ Other gods are able to perform non-original, derivative displays of power in a limited way as created spiritual beings, but only in matters that are ultimately trivial in order to lead their followers away from God Most High. 

Among the manifold phenomena experienced by Gen Z and others, those that constitute genuine encounters with evil spirits, are the fruit of diabolical mimics. Evil spirits and demons are searching for easy points of entry. They are given permission through the agency and activity of human beings. It is important to underline the possibility of human contact with evil spirits through human initiative.^[56]Augustine emphasises the role that signs (e.g., pentagrams) and words (e.g., incantations) play in attracting their attention. It is possible to contact spirits (through séances, Ouija boards, clairvoyants, mediums, and so on),^[57]For example: the Witch of Endor (1 Sam. 28:3–25), the girl with the spirit of Python (Acts 16:16–24), and Simon the magician (Acts 8:9–24). but humanity is not permitted to do so. YHWH forbids his people from gaining spiritual access through unauthorised means.^[58]Deut. 18:9–14; Exod. 22:18; Lev. 19:26, 20:27; Gal. 5:20; Rev. 21:8. He commands it not because it is not possible, but precisely because it is possible.^[59]See Kristi Mair (2023), ‘Dark Intrusions: A Very Brief Map and Response to Spiritual Activity in our Apologetic Witness’, … Continue reading

A positive spiritual experience with a spiritual being is one that directs us to the apostolic testimony.

Spiritual objection: ‘Faith is faith’

Paganism ‘works’ and is therefore considered to be another expression of ‘deep truth’.

Faith as a form of deep truth is not limited to any one expression. This is why many find themselves not walking away from their Christian faith, but seeing it as a non-exclusive expression of an underlying faith or belief that can be expressed in many ways, as though there is a pool of belief, which funds all beliefs. It harks back to the well-known example of there being many roads up the mountain, but they all lead to God. ‘Faith is faith’ is a contemporary expression of a recurring motivation to endorse many paths, including paganism. So, some say ‘faith is not fading, it’s just manifesting in different, witchier ways.’^[60]‘The witchcraft generation’, The New Statesman. In the same article an interview with ‘Lisa’ was reported: ‘“Belief is the bit that’s important,” says Lisa, 28, a Protestant … Continue reading How might we respond?

The inclination to believe that encounters with spirits are an expression of an underlying ‘deep truth’ is inherently deceptive. While upholding the reality of spirits, one way to discern whether or not a spirit is a messenger from God or the darkness is the amount of time it spends with a person. The longer one entertains a spirit, the less likely it is to be a messenger from God. A positive spiritual experience with a spiritual being is one that directs us to the apostolic testimony. For example, Cornelius, a Roman centurion described in Acts 10, receives a vision of an angel instructing him to summon Peter. Peter shares the gospel with him and he and his entire household are led to faith in Christ. There are purposes for divine visitations. At other times, spiritual beings assist the saints in their proclamation of the gospel. Consider Peter’s escape from prison (Acts 12:6–17) and Paul’s shipwreck on the way to Rome (Acts 27:23–25). They appear with a purpose and do not return for multiple visitations. 

The Liberation of St Peter by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo

This points to God as the ultimate source of truth, as his servants are those seeking to communicate and uphold his message to us in Christ. The longer contact goes on with a spiritual being without some form of gospel testimony, the more sceptical we ought to be about the spiritual being’s presence and purpose in our lives. 

Spiritual objection: ‘But the Church isn’t satisfying my spiritual appetite’

A lack of spiritual satisfaction is a common experience of those who have left local churches.^[61]See David Kinnaman, You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church and Rethinking Faith (Ada, Michigan: Baker Books, 2016) and the Talking Jesus Report, 2022. Reasons may often … Continue reading Instead, they leave in search of something more, whatever that may be. 

Moreover, the underlying question for contemporary spiritualities is not whether gods, angels and demons exist, but which one(s) should be called upon?^[62]Consider ‘Sarah’ in ‘The witchcraft generation’, The New Statesman. She ‘spends a lot of time speaking to the dead, and Jesus, and multiple other gods and angels, as well as studying … Continue reading Testimonies of those aged around 12–29 (Gen Z) who come from religious backgrounds, identify a point at which the Church was unable to respond to an existential priority in their lives. A felt need to which the Church was unable to respond. For example, those interviewed in The New Statesman share that the reasons for their departure from the Church predominantly revolved around sexual ethics and the treatment of, and views on, women.^[63]For some Gen Zers dabbling in the occult offers a sense of control and empowerment they might otherwise lack from life’s circumstances, be they physical, mental or societal challenges. Occult … Continue reading These are recurring themes for those who have gone through a period of religious deconstruction and, ultimately, have decided to leave the Church. A response to this question requires us to retrieve a more authentic Christian spirituality in the life of the contemporary Church.

Instead, authorised means of spiritual access are outlined and provided in Scripture through Scripture itself (instead of tarot cards, mediums, and attempts to contact the dead), reception of and regeneration by the Holy Spirit (instead of unclean spirits), prayer to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ (instead of incantations), the Lord’s Supper (instead of diabolical sacrifices), and baptism as sign and seal of salvation (rather than spells and rituals). Most significantly, it is granted through the Word incarnate, the door between heaven and earth, the person Jesus Christ. He is the ‘gate’.^[64]John 10:9.

A retrieval of classical theology may aid us in our contemporary response to spiritual activity: God is the source of all truth and authority.

Conclusion

As Chesterton declared: ‘I am not proud of believing in the Devil.’ He cautions against a fascination with and an ignorance of hostile spiritual beings.

The spiritual realm is divided between those who serve and those who oppose YHWH. Contemporary spiritualities can serve as conduits for communication with evil spirits. Indeed, encounters with darkness are expected in Scripture and continued to be experienced by the early Church Fathers, and beyond. 

The servants of darkness are able to produce counterfeit signs. This sheds light on other unusual events in the life of the Church. I have argued that our historical spiritual amnesia can lead us to believing that all miracles are counterfeits, stemming from Satan, and that this might contribute to an impoverished spirituality, which subtly encourages younger generations to look elsewhere. Those who seek to contact spirits, knowingly or otherwise, often do so because faith is seen as an expression of deep truth – all sorts of activities and practices can be thrown into the cauldron of faith. 

A retrieval of classical theology may aid us in our contemporary response to spiritual activity: God is the source of all truth and authority. He is able to gobble up the lesser gods whose works are real, but trivial, designed to lead away from worship of the Most High. God sends his messengers with a purpose that often leads to apostolic testimony, and not prolonged contact with the spiritual being. This provides us with a litmus test for experiences. 

Scripture informs us that it is possible to contact spirits, but that we ought not to, instead seeking authorised means of access to the spiritual world through Jesus Christ, the gate between heaven and earth. 

Photo credit for the image at the top of this page: photogl/Shutterstock.com

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