In the Name of Jesus: Exorcism Among Early Christians

To many in the church in the West, exorcism seems like the stuff of movies. It requires acceptance of the premise that evil spirits exist and can invade, control, and impair the health of an individual and that the individual can, in turn, be cured through someone forcing the evil spirits to leave. "For the vast majority of biblical scholars," asserts Graham H. Twelftree, "this is tantamount to believing in such entities as elves, dragons, or a flat earth." But for Christians throughout the world--especially the developing world--exorcism is an important part of the freedom that can be had through faith. In the Name of Jesus is the only book that explores this common part of ministry in the early church. This reliable and historical discussion provides church leaders, Bible students, pastors, and scholars with an intriguing and unique resource.

Graham H. Twelftree (PhD, University of Nottingham) is distinguished professor of New Testament at the School of Divinity at Regent University, Virginia. In addition to many scholarly articles and reviews, he is the author of a number of books, including Jesus the Exorcist and Jesus the Miracle Worker.