Spiritual warfare

"Spiritual Warfare" redirects here. For the video game, see Spiritual Warfare (video game).
This article is about the Christian practice. For the Tibetan Buddhist practice, see Spiritual warrior.
Not to be confused with Religious warfare.
Luca Giordano's The Fall of the Rebel Angels, a common image of spiritual warfare

Spiritual warfare is the Christian concept of fighting against the work of preternatural evil forces. It is based on the belief in evil spirits, or demons, that are said to intervene in human affairs in various ways.[1] Although spiritual warfare is a prominent feature of neo-charismatic churches, various other Christian denominations and groups have also adopted practices rooted in the concepts of spiritual warfare, with Christian demonology often playing a key role in these practices and beliefs, or had older traditions of such a concept unrelated to the neo-charismatic movement, such as the exorcistic prayers of the Catholic Church and the various Eastern Orthodox churches.[2] The term spiritual warfare is used broadly by different Christian movements and in different contexts: "by charismatics, evangelicals, and Calvinists, and applied to missiology, counseling, and women."[3]

Prayer is one common form of spiritual warfare practiced amongst these Christians.[4] Other practices may include exorcism, the laying on of hands, fasting with prayer, praise and worship, and anointing with oil.

  1. ^ Arnold, Clinton E. (1997). 3 crucial questions about spiritual warfare. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Publishing Group. p. 17. ISBN 0801057841.
  2. ^ O'Donnell, Jonathon (September 2020). Stausberg, Michael; Engler, Steven (eds.). "The deliverance of the administrative state: Deep state conspiracism, charismatic demonology, and the post-truth politics of American Christian nationalism". Religion. 50 (4). Taylor & Francis: 696–719. doi:10.1080/0048721X.2020.1810817. ISSN 1096-1151. S2CID 222094116.
  3. ^ Warren, E. Janet (2012). "'Spiritual Warfare': A Dead Metaphor?". Journal of Pentecostal Theology. 21 (2): 278–297. doi:10.1163/17455251-02102007. ISSN 0966-7369.
  4. ^ Marshall, Ruth (March 2016). "Destroying arguments and captivating thoughts: Spiritual warfare prayer as global praxis". Journal of Religious and Political Practice. 2 (1). Taylor & Francis: 92–113. doi:10.1080/20566093.2016.1085243. ISSN 2056-6107.