Overview

This two-volume text reviews spirit possession throughout history, analyzes case studies from a cognitive neuroscience perspective, and examines rites for exorcism. From the beginning of civilization to the present day, and across all major religions and cultures, there have been documented cases of people seemingly overtaken by an unseen entity. The invading force—whether good or bad—appears to replace the possessor's soul with the spirit's own persona, resulting in mystifying symptoms such as levitation or other supernatural feats, speaking in tongues, and even horrific and inexplicably accelerated physical distortion and deterioration. This is a two-volume chronological history and examination of spirit possession that addresses its phenomenological, psychological, and neurobiological aspects, and its effects on societies. Volume one reviews spirit possession from the upper Paleolithic era to modern times, while Volume two focuses on case studies and rites of exorcism. Provides a comprehensive bibliography of materials that gathers historical, anthropological, and archaeological sources, as well as comparative religionist and neurologic literature Contains indexes that reference key religious events, rituals, and personalities, and cross-reference key characteristics of case studies

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9780313384325

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McNamara's work is recommended reading for psychologists, historians, and ministers. Spirit Possession and Exorcism is an insightful while controversial work that offers strong neurological evidence for a misunderstood aspect of human spirituality. - PsycCRITIQUES

<p> McNamara's work is recommended reading for psychologists, historians, and ministers. Spirit Possession and Exorcism is an insightful while controversial work that offers strong neurological evidence for a misunderstood aspect of human spirituality. - <p>PsycCRITIQUES

Author Information

Patrick McNamara, PhD, is associate professor of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.

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