Summary Of Calvinist Psychology And The Diagnosis Of Possession

The article “Explaining Salem: Calvinist Psychology and the Diagnosis of Possession” talks about the difference between being bewitched with witch craft and being possessed by the Devil, himself, or some kind of demonic possession. While cases of people being bewitched or possessed was increasing in Salem Village, Massachusetts Colony, the courts had to determine the difference between the two to make the right decision. There are four available explanations for psychological symptoms. They fall into the category of natural versus demonic causation and guilt versus innocence. Bewitchment was consider natural innocence, while being possessed meant that you were demonically guilty. Bewitchment was the Devil’s usage of the body while possession was the Devil’s control over their body and soul. Knowing the difference between bewitchment and possession is greatly important because it could determine the well-being of the soul.
There was a case in 1662 to determine whether if a girl named Anna Cole was considered bewitchment or was she considered possessed. Even she showed the signs of possession in the end she was suggested to have no possession at all. Another girl by the name of Elizabeth Knapp in 1671 was having the same symptoms as Anna Cole did, but she was diagnosed as possessed because she had
He states they are “revealing secrets, speaking in a language or on topics unknown to the afflicted, superhuman strength, speaking without using tongue or lips, an inflexible body, sudden inflation and deflation of the belly.” He does not really know the difference between bewitchment and possession, he just knows the signs of possession. He believes in the case of Anna Cole that she is bewitched, while with Elizabeth Knapp she was under