The Church of Scotland is to recognise that exorcisms can be effective in delivering people from demonic possession. The Kirk will stop short of creating an official rite of exorcism, or a set liturgy, however, believing that would “do more harm than good and create unwarranted publicity and demand” reports the Times. Instead, ministers should use “prayer, blessing and the ministry of healing”. The Church of Scotland was warned last year by mental health campaigners that a group set up to help people who believe they are possessed by demons could increase the stigma associated with psychiatric illness. Richard Norris from the Scottish Association of Mental Health claimed that talking about demon possession conjured up "disturbing" and "medieval" images about mental health which would not be welcome to many. The new recommendations for the Kirk have come in a report by the study group on deliverance, and will be debated at the Church’s General Assembly in Edinburgh in May. The group, made up of ministers and psychiatrists reconvened for the first time in fifteen years to address concerns that not enough was being done to help members who felt “possessed”. Called the 'Deliverance Group' it aimed to establish guidelines for ministers who encounter people who believe they are suffering from demonic possession. The Church surveyed more than 1,000 parish ministers and hospital, mental health and prison chaplains. Nine out of ten prison chaplains had been approached for help by someone believing themselves to be possessed, compared with seven out of ten mental health chaplains and six out of ten parish ministers.
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