Supplemental Reading - Silverwood Mennonite Church

Book Review of Even the Demons Submit by Loren L. Johns & James Krabill
Dan Haarer
Friday, January 05, 2007

Johns, Loren L. and Krabill, James R., Eds. Even the Demons Submit . Continuing Jesus' Ministry of Deliverance. Elkhart, IN: Institute of Mennonite Studies, and Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 2006.

This fascinating book, dedicated to Dean Hochstetler, treats a subject mystifying to many modern day people. Hochstetler, recently deceased, pioneered an active deliverance ministry over the past several decades. He was also actively training others for this work, while accountable to a Responsibility Committee under the auspices of IN-MI Mennonite Conference.

Most Christians likely recognize demons and evil spirit possession were clearly understood as literal realities in Jesus' day and Jesus, as well as his disciples, were known to have cast out demons and evil spirits. Many people today believe these phenomena were what we now in our culture refer to as mental or emotional illnesses treated with medications and therapy. People involved in deliverance ministries take seriously the reality of the spirit world and utilize both exorcistic and other therapies.

The editors included chapters by Hochstetler and various others, some of whom had worked with him; responses; and some case studies of ``hard cases''. The opening foundational chapter, by Paul Hiebert, describes three different world views or explanations of the spirit world: the Tribal, Indo-European, and Biblical views. Hiebert indicates these views are significant in affecting all areas of how Christians live and relate to the world beyond just simply views about the spirit world. However, as is evident in many of the other chapters, even within a Biblical worldview, there are many differences in how those involved in deliverance ministries understand the literalness and dynamics of the spirit world, possession and deliverance. Hochstetler tended to be more literal in his views on the spirit world, considered a huge range of factors that contribute to evil spirit influences, and he used more ritualized exorcism procedures accompanied by supporting pastoral care. Others tend to focus more on family systems and other therapeutic approaches.

The various authors in this book also differ significantly in how they define or think about evil spiritual realities and oppression, ranging from the literal, specific, and personal possession to the broad cosmic, social-political, intergenerational, or family social system dynamics. At the same time, while exorcism processes have some unique features, they appear to share in common with effective pastoral care and therapeutic counseling the power of love and faithful caring in the context of a committed community of care.

I have been interested in the subject of this book since at least adolescence. While reading this book I recalled some stories from my youth, experiences while working in a state psychiatric hospital, and in a seminary class having heard a tape of one of Dean Hochstetler's exorcisms. In much of my working career in social work I have been exposed to some of the kinds of situations and therapies referred to here. To me there is no doubt about some of the realities of the spirit world while also recognizing its mystery.

J. Nelson Krabill's concluding paragraph to this book expresses his being ``most hopeful about Christian deliverance ministry when the church addresses both the systemic/political aspects of spiritual bondage and the individual dimensions of captivity to sin and demonic oppression. When the same Christian community cautiously practices macro and micro deliverance in the name of Jesus, the kingdom of God truly has come near, and the two levels of exorcism are most likely to keep each other in balance.''

This book will be interesting and stimulating, raising some controversial issues, while possibly a bit troubling, to many people. It deals with challenging realities that to some people seem to be coming closer, both in time and place, and which we may increasingly need to address.

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