Souls – Return of Incarnation, Part 4
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III speaks about spirit summoning, explaining that it is completely rejected by God and condemned in the Holy Scripture as one of the abominations of the nations. He cites Deuteronomy 18 and Isaiah, where consulting the dead or dealing with spirits is forbidden, and those who do such things are considered an abomination before the Lord.
Biblical warning
Pope Shenouda clarifies that God placed spirit summoning on the same level as sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, all of which lead people away from true faith. No human has authority over the souls of the dead; only God determines their place—whether in Paradise or Hades.
The case of Saul and the medium
He discusses the famous story of King Saul and the medium at Endor (1 Samuel 28), often cited by those who believe spirits can be called back. The Pope presents three interpretations:
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The spirit that appeared was not Samuel but a deceptive demon.
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It was Samuel indeed, but sent by God, not by the medium’s power.
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It was only what Saul imagined seeing and hearing.
He supports the second view partially, explaining that even if Samuel did appear, it was by divine allowance, not because the woman summoned him—since God never contradicts His own commandments.
Logical and theological reasoning
The Pope asks:
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Can a witch allied with demons summon a prophet’s soul?
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Would God who forbade sorcery allow it to be used for His purposes?
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Why would God speak again to a man He had already rejected?
He concludes that such ideas are impossible and unbiblical.
Appearance of spirits by divine will
Souls may appear only by God’s command for holy purposes, as in the Transfiguration, when Moses and Elijah appeared. But séances are satanic deceptions, where demons impersonate the dead to mislead people.
Testing the spirits
The Pope ends by reminding believers of the Apostle John’s warning: “Test the spirits, whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1). Demons can disguise themselves as angels of light, deceiving even the faithful. Therefore, spirit summoning is a false and demonic practice that must be totally rejected.
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