Souls – Return to Incarnation Part 4
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III discusses spirit conjuring (spiritualism), explaining that it is a false and demonic practice completely forbidden by God. He emphasizes that no human has authority over the souls of the dead, and that human spirits cannot be summoned from their eternal place once departed.
The Prohibition of Consulting Spirits
The Pope cites Deuteronomy 18:9–12, where God strictly forbids consulting the dead or dealing with spirits, calling such acts an abomination before the Lord. He also quotes Isaiah 8:19–20, “Should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?” to affirm that such practices oppose divine will.
The Futility of Human Authority Over Spirits
No human can summon or dismiss spirits, for all souls are under God’s authority alone. The idea of someone “calling up a spirit and sending it back” is blasphemous and absurd, since even demons cannot act without God’s permission.
Saul and the Witch of Endor
The Pope analyzes the story of Saul and the witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28) and presents three views:
-
The spirit was not Samuel, but a deceptive demon.
-
God Himself allowed Samuel’s true spirit to appear to rebuke Saul.
-
The appearance was a divine allowance, not an act of the witch.
The Pope leans toward the third view—that God permitted Samuel’s appearance as final rebuke, not as spirit conjuring.
Conflict Between Spiritism and God’s Will
He questions how God, who commanded the destruction of witches, could allow their forbidden acts. Since God had already rejected Saul, He would not communicate through unlawful means. Therefore, the event was a judgment, not divine cooperation.
Exposure of the Witch’s Deception
The witch never said she summoned Samuel; she claimed to see “gods ascending from the earth.” Saul did not see Samuel himself—he only heard a voice. This proves there was no genuine summoning of a prophet’s spirit.
Demonic Imitations
The Pope warns that Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light or imitate the voice or form of saints, echoing Scripture: “Test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” Those “spirits” are demonic impostors meant to deceive believers.
Church’s Rejection of Spirit Conjuring
The Orthodox Church firmly rejects all forms of spirit conjuring as demonic and heretical, teaching that souls are not under human command. The faithful should seek divine wisdom through prayer and Scripture, not through occult practices.
Conclusion
Pope Shenouda concludes that spirit conjuring is an abomination before God—a deception of the devil with no power over the souls of saints or prophets. God, who condemned such acts, cannot use them to reveal His will. Believers must seek God’s truth through holiness and faith, not through the darkness of sorcery and delusion.
