Exorcism | Magic and Medicines #23
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Show notes
We're back in the saddle after Eleanor's operation and talking all about the history of Exorcism!
One of those complex kinds of topic we so enjoy discussing on Magic and Medicines, belief in Exorcism is rather predicated on personal faith, including in Demons or other supernatural entities.
It's also a tradition impossible to separate from the seminal movie The Exorcist of 1973 due to that film's staggering cultural impact.
Thing is, Exorcism is a practice which seems to predate the written word.
Almost every world religion has a version of it, with several forms of modern Paganism also embracing concepts of spirit manipulation and cleansing. So, how should we think of Exorcism as distinct from what's contained in The Exorcist?
Why is it quite so popular with Catholics, and was it always?
Can anybody become an Exorcist, and what protects vulnerable people from being taken advantage of by hucksters and worse?
Also, should we not be thinking about Jesus and his Twelve Disciples as Exorcists, considering Exorcism is one of the things they are most celebrated for in the Gospels?
Does this, in turn, mean many heroes of mystic Jewish tradition were actually the first Ghostbusters?
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Three Ravens is a completely independent English myth and folklore podcast where we share stories, celebrate folk culture, and fall backwards through the hedgerows of history.
Hosted by real-life couple Eleanor Conlon and Martin Vaux, and mostly recorded at our home in rural Sussex in southern England, Three Ravens is rated 4.8/5 from over 500 reviews and has grown by word of mouth care of our lovely listener community ‘The Conspiracy of Ravens.’
We release three episodes a week, on Mondays, Thursday and Saturdays, through which we explore folktales, folkways, fairy stories, folk songs, mythology, local heritage, seasonal customs and traditional beliefs.
Our research inspires our retellings of stories from across history and culture, with episodes standing alone but connected together across over 500 chatty, mostly light-hearted, swear-free installments driven by passion, kindness and curiosity.
Now ranked as an all-time Top 5 podcast across several categories by Goodpods, charting in the Spotify, Apple and Rephonic UK Fiction Top 10 across 2024, 2025 and 2026, if you’re interested in ghosts, monsters, regional beliefs, and the things that unite us all, then join us round the campfire and listen in…
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