Daring to define and diagnose evil.

Peck, M.S. (2005).

Glimpses of the devil: A psychiatrist's personal accounts of possession, exorcism, and redemption. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc. Hardcover. 288 pp. $26.00. ISBN 0-743254678.

Legendary bestselling author and renowned psychiatrist, the late M. Scott Peck, whose books have sold over 14 million copies, reveals the amazing true story of his work as an exorcist--kept secret for more than twenty-five years--in two profoundly human stories of satanic possession. In the tradition of his best-seller, People of the Lie: The hope for healing human evil, Dr. Peck's latest book offers the first complete account of exorcism and possession by a modern psychiatrist in this extraordinary personal narrative of his efforts to heal patients suffering from demonic and satanic possession. Released in January 2005, Glimpses of the Devil is the last book published by Peck, who died September 25, 2005 at his home in Connecticut. He had been suffering from pancreatic and liver duct cancer. Dr. Peck was 69.

As a counselor with a biblical worldview, I admit to some curiosity around present day demonic possession. It just seems logical if demons bothered folks once, they might still, and where better to hide in modern society than behind a DSM-IV diagnosis. Still, while Peck piqued this curiosity over twenty years ago in his book, People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil, he only recently offers clinical details in Glimpses of the Devil: A Psychiatrist's Personal Accounts of Possession, Exorcism, and Redemption. Intriguing to say the least and true to Peck form his latest book is peppered with the cogent and the profound.

While demon possession is not a widely embraced view in the clinical world, I wonder how many practitioners, if they were completely honest, could not recall at least one case in which there was a nebulous, if not overt sense of evil in the room. A case where something indefinable, even chilling, was askew in the words or behavior of the client. I myself encountered such a case very early in my career. At the time, I was working with an extremely agitated, traumatized teen. Completely loath to be in therapy he nearly recoiled at the name of God during my standard spiritual assessment questions. Yet, while I felt the chill of evil in session with him, I was not then, nor am I now saying he was possessed. One is not hasty on steep terrain. Still, sitting with the boy definitely gave me the sense I was in the midst of a battle between the unseen forces of good and evil.

It is not an easy topic to discuss even with Christian colleagues. In fact, a few years ago when I queried a Christian psychiatrist friend as to whether he believed in modern day possession, he laughed in my face. Peck describes similar responses but also candidly admits to himself being a skeptic in this arena, believing alleged cases of demonic possession to be simply an overlooked or mishandled mental health diagnosis. However, when, he encountered a client complaining she was possessed by a host of demons, it turned him into a believer.

Picking up where People of the Lie left off, Glimpses details Dr. Peck's work with two severely symptomatic clients. More than bizarre behavior however, it was the clients' perversion of truth which forced him to address his previous denial of the demonic. The cases read like fiction, however he recounts them with such clinical detail, handled each with such impeccable professionalism, and shares in such an honest, vulnerable way, it is difficult to discount his experiences. Still, even given Peck's reputation as an accomplished author and clinician, I imagine the book will receive skepticism from secular and Christian clinicians alike.

Although the idea of demonic possession is nothing new--the plethora of gospel accounts in itself should be enough to raise at least a mild curiosity in the subject--I venture to say most contemporary Christian counselors would think it going a bit too far to ever diagnose a client as possessed. As for the secular, Peck proposes a steady decline of belief in the paranormal in post-modern society allows little room for that which cannot be scientifically proven. Thus he attempts in Glimpses to broaden the currently lacking clinical awareness of the demonic and builds upon his earlier work by continuing the scientific exploration of possession and exorcism.

One may wonder about the over twenty year lag in information from the author, but given current trends, the timing seems profoundly apropos. Directed primarily at the unbeliever, Peck writes not to those who lack faith in Christ, but rather to those who scoff at a modern day presence of Satan. For there are apparently quite a few clinicians--Christian and otherwise--who deny the presence of such a being. And while it would seem he would at least find a more open audience amongst Christian practitioners, due to personal experience I have my doubts. For while, he makes a strong case for defining overall health as marked by an authentic quest for truth, his definitions obviously come from a source which is being increasingly called into question, even by Christians. In fact, by daring to define evil as that which is not true, he takes a courageous and divisive stand: one in which the Christian rubber meets the post-modern road.

How changing definitions of truth and evil in post-modern culture have altered the spiritual beliefs of society is in itself worthy of discussion and concern. More alarming however, is how subtly and steadily these views are invading the church. One area where I have encountered it blatantly is in a trivializing of the biblical reality of evil. This was made clear to me by the strong opposition I received from a well-respected pastoral counselor in the family therapy field, when I described the sense of evil I felt with the aforementioned teen client. I had written a case study detailing my vivid sense of the demonic in session and suggesting the idea that, since my client was hardly amenable to any true therapy, the bulk of my work with this young man was simply to provide him an encounter with light, truth and grace. While he improved in our time together, I attributed his growth almost entirely to my silent yet fervent intercessory prayer, and the unseen workings of the "invisible hand of God". Following a public reading of the essay, the pastoral counselor proceeded to unequivocally critique my views of good and evil as narrowly moralistic, arguing that evil is not something Christians are called to define. In addition, reasoning based on Church doctrine that Jesus descended into hell, he suggested what I might have felt as the devil in the room, may actually have been Christ. Though I respected this person as a more experienced clinician, to be queried by clergy as to my biblical views on the existence of evil was surreal if not shocking. I share this story to illustrate a point, one which is somewhat at odds with Peck's caution against over use of the term "evil." However I propose if Christians no longer adhere to biblical concepts of evil, perhaps the term is being used too little rather than too much. When evil is diluted, it seems that much easier to minimize a possible clinical manifestation of the demonic.

Practitioners holding a conservative evangelical worldview, though probably more open to Peck's ideas, may wince at the use of extra-biblical authority, primarily the writings of the late Malachi Martin, a certain "expert exorcist". They will also recognize the wisdom of encouraging further spiritual growth in the exorcised client, something Peck attempted without success. Sadly, in one case, this actually led to re-possession, thus illustrating Christ's warning against leaving one's internal "house" spiritually empty after it has been swept clean thereby inviting a more numerous demonic host the second time around. (Luke 11:24-26).

Clinicians with Christian worldviews more embracive of the paranormal will likely agree whole-heartedly with Peck's concepts for their faith traditions have been recognizing and casting out demons for years. And while he did find support and information on the topic most readily from the charismatic denominations, without critiquing their methods, there is a strong exhortation from Peck for clinicians to show extreme care in the handling of a person before, during and after an exorcism. Many expel demons in the name of Jesus and historically have the power to do so, but may fail to recognize the therapeutic needs which follow such a dramatic event. As Peck notes, while Christ's work on the cross defeated the work of Satan, we are currently involved in a "mop-up operation (pg. 240)" and much of this happens individually, respectfully, and over a period of time with a trained counselor.

Full of practical clinical advice, Peck is careful in Glimpses to clarify he believes possession to be rare. Thus he advocates extreme caution in attempting diagnosis and strongly promotes encountering the demonic only in a community setting hinting the work of exorcism is not a practice for rogue loners. Rather, Peck makes a solid case for the wisdom and power of a collaborative team of mental health practitioners, clergy and prayerful lay people. Still, he clearly and repeatedly attributes any personal or team authority over darkness to the power of Jesus and his death on the cross.

He concludes with the simple call to the clinician, Christian or otherwise, to be open-minded. While belief in the demonic is admittedly easier for him since he had the direct experience, he posits he was no less methodical in his data collection than any other scientist gathering evidence to prove a hypothesis. In fact he believes enough discoveries were made for the clinical world to at least begin to take the topic seriously. Although he recognizes our current material minded culture will not readily accept the paranormal, he nonetheless proposes science admit its historic denial of concrete evidence and make demonology a researched field. He ends with a wistful desire someone would write a book to convince the world of "what an enormous difference it would make to our consciousness were we to consider the devil with the seriousness it deserves (pg. 249)."

I could not help but think; has not such a book already been written? Yet people continue to choose "darkness instead of light because their deeds are" ... dare I say it? "Evil" (John 3:19).

REFERENCES

Peck, S. M. (1983). People of the lie: the hope for healing human evil. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc. (269 pp.).

(All scripture quotations are from The New International Version Bible)

REVIEWERS FOR THIS ISSUE

BECK, JAMES R., PH.D., is a Professor of Counseling at Denver Seminary and the author of The Psychology of Paul (2002).

LIABOE, GARY, Ph.D., is a psychologist in private practice in Minnesota and California. He is also former faculty at Northwestern College, St. Paul, Minnesota.

TIMMINS, CAROLINE M., MFT., currently provides child, adolescent, adult, couples and family therapy at The Shepherd's Center for Psychological Services in Gig Harbor, Washington. Her areas of interest include recovery from addictions, pre-marital and early marital issues, family of origin exploration and spiritual formation.

Reviewed by CAROLINE M. TIMMINS, MFT.