An Analysis of the Demonic

Abstract

The reasons behind my choosing "An Analysis of the Demonic" as subject of my S.I.P. research were varied. Undoubtedly, I was strongly influenced by the presentation of the late Dr. Daniel Day Williams at the Kalamazoo College Armstrong Lectures in 1973. I also cannot help but believe that the general high level of popular interest in the occult and in demonology at that time, resulting from the release of the book and the movie, "The Exorcist", contributed its fair share to my decision to pursue this particular theme. However, the most significant factor, I'm sure, was a compelling personal desire to resolve the conflict which I was experiencing between mind and faith, and the form this took was influenced by the existing situation. Simply, I decided that that which is to speak to my soul must not offend my mind in the process, or that the faith I believe in must be believable. Demonology was not my terms of encountering existence, so I felt the urge to test the validity of literal Christian beliefs at this which seemed to be its weakest point. Further, this seemed to be an area in which my academic majors of religion and psychology could be brought meaningfully into service.