The Catholic Church's views on exorcism have changed – a religious studies scholar explains why

By Joseph P. Laycock, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Texas State University

In September 2021, a 3-year-old was killed during an exorcism in a small Pentecostal church in San Jose, California. The child’s throat was allegedly squeezed and her head held down during the ceremony, which likely asphyxiated her. In May 2022, three members of the victim’s family were charged with felony child abuse.

Several famous deaths have occurred during exorcism rituals in the past. In 1976, Anneliese…

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