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Satan's Rhetoric: A Study of Renaissance Demonology
According to Christian theology, fallen angels share key similarities with human beings because they share our outcast condition. Cast to Earth and wandering in search of respite, their chief activity is their engagement and dialogue with humanity.
With this probing new contribution to the study of Christianity, Armando Maggi examines this dialogue, exploring how evil spirits interacted with mankind during the early modern period. Reading innumerable treatises on demonology written during the Renaissance, including Thesaurus exorcismorum, the most important record of early modern exorcisms, Maggi finds repeated attempts to define the language exchanged between the fallen progeny of Adam, and the most notorious fallen angel of them all, Satan. Using points of departure taken from de Certeau and Lacan, Maggi shows that Satan articulates his language first and foremost in the mind. More than speaking, the devil tries to make human beings understand his language and speak it themselves. Through sodomites, infidels, and witches, then, the devil is able to infect humanity as it appropriates his seductive rhetoric.
With this probing new contribution to the study of Christianity, Armando Maggi examines this dialogue, exploring how evil spirits interacted with mankind during the early modern period. Reading innumerable treatises on demonology written during the Renaissance, including Thesaurus exorcismorum, the most important record of early modern exorcisms, Maggi finds repeated attempts to define the language exchanged between the fallen progeny of Adam, and the most notorious fallen angel of them all, Satan. Using points of departure taken from de Certeau and Lacan, Maggi shows that Satan articulates his language first and foremost in the mind. More than speaking, the devil tries to make human beings understand his language and speak it themselves. Through sodomites, infidels, and witches, then, the devil is able to infect humanity as it appropriates his seductive rhetoric.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 21, 2020
One of the most interesting academic books I've read. Learning to listen to demons is an art form; it goes under the name "hermeneutics." Is there any doubt that many demons assail us on a daily basis?
April 7, 2014
Cast out from the Heavens with no chance of redemption nor is there any chance of them returning to paradise. The Devil and his demons are obscecced with humans. Mankind has a chance at redemption; Satan wants to prevent that from happening. That is his goal. Mankind was ejected from the Garden of Eden, yet by they can gain entrance into Heaven. What is the exact nature of these demons? Demonoglogy is the study of Demons while angelogology is the study of angels. Pulling from five treatises on Demonology the author puts together an interesting picture of what Demons really are supposed to be according to the Catholic Church.
In the work “DeStrigmasis” by Priero the author asserts that the demons or devils who have no physical bodies can only exist in our mind. They are a syllogism or a phoneme of language. Yet they have no language of their own as they have n0o memory of their own. Of course neither do angels. Angels are mere messengers of God. Demons are phonemes of the natural world and they sometimes influence the world and give predictions which they make sure will happen. Demons are linguistic figments that exist within the confines of the mind.
The work “De Ensalmis” talks about using prayers from the Bible and other implements and directing them towards the Devil and his Demons. There were certain rituals that were sanctioned by the Catholic Church and reading the psalms independently was not one of them. Sometimes people got their wishes granted but not all the time.
In Thesauraus Excorsmorum the author talks about expelling demons from someone is possessed. Once again language is the key here. Finding the demons name and location in the body was crucial. If the name could not be found then the demon was given a name. Biblical stories were used and the demon was vomited out.
St, Maria Maddelena would receive vision from the Holy Trinity but for a while she was possessed by the devil ans was not receiving the visions. Finally we discuss dreams and faces in reading a person’s character.
The book itself was on the scholarly side and was a challenge to read and fully comprehend. As much as it teaches us about Demons that their nature the book also tells about the Catholic church and it’s prejudices. Witches, Jews, and Sodomites are lumped together. The Church never approved of Jews and some of the author’s in the books believe that Jews should be wiped out. Antissemitism may not be that big a deal and witches either don’t exist or they are harmless Wiccans. Sodomites or homosexuals are still targeted in the Church. Countless church leader have made public stances against Gay Parades and what not. The hatred never dies.
In the work “DeStrigmasis” by Priero the author asserts that the demons or devils who have no physical bodies can only exist in our mind. They are a syllogism or a phoneme of language. Yet they have no language of their own as they have n0o memory of their own. Of course neither do angels. Angels are mere messengers of God. Demons are phonemes of the natural world and they sometimes influence the world and give predictions which they make sure will happen. Demons are linguistic figments that exist within the confines of the mind.
The work “De Ensalmis” talks about using prayers from the Bible and other implements and directing them towards the Devil and his Demons. There were certain rituals that were sanctioned by the Catholic Church and reading the psalms independently was not one of them. Sometimes people got their wishes granted but not all the time.
In Thesauraus Excorsmorum the author talks about expelling demons from someone is possessed. Once again language is the key here. Finding the demons name and location in the body was crucial. If the name could not be found then the demon was given a name. Biblical stories were used and the demon was vomited out.
St, Maria Maddelena would receive vision from the Holy Trinity but for a while she was possessed by the devil ans was not receiving the visions. Finally we discuss dreams and faces in reading a person’s character.
The book itself was on the scholarly side and was a challenge to read and fully comprehend. As much as it teaches us about Demons that their nature the book also tells about the Catholic church and it’s prejudices. Witches, Jews, and Sodomites are lumped together. The Church never approved of Jews and some of the author’s in the books believe that Jews should be wiped out. Antissemitism may not be that big a deal and witches either don’t exist or they are harmless Wiccans. Sodomites or homosexuals are still targeted in the Church. Countless church leader have made public stances against Gay Parades and what not. The hatred never dies.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews