교황청,신부님들 250명에, 악령(신비주의)과 신령을 구별하기위한 교육 실시발표. 그에대한 정의를 내린다는것은?

아주 오래전에, 이미 초창기에 한국에서 부흥목사님이 오셨었다. 그목사님은 한국교계에서 명성이 자자하신분인데,  초창기 한국의 기독교 부흥에 얽혔던 우스개 소리를 하신 기억이 난다.

열심히 교회 부흥집회에 참석하시곤 하던 할머니 신자분께 부흥설교중 질문을 했었다고 한다.
설교를 들으실때는 항상 눈을 지그시 감고, 주문을 외우시는 모습이셨다고 한다.

"할머니, 하나님을 믿으시죠, 예수님은 누구시나요?"
"가만있자..... '옥황상제'님이잖여. 내가 그걸 모를까봐서?"


로마 교황청에서 매년 실시하는, 악령(신비주의)과 신령의 구별을 확실하게 하는 교육을 전세계에서 엄선된 신부님들에게 교육을 한다고 하는데, 근본적인 이유는 각국의 천교주 Community에서 확실한 정의를 내려줄것을 많이 요구하고 있기 때문이라고 한다.

정말로 어려운가 보다. 세계 50개국에서 로마로 달려온 신부님들에게 어떻게 악령과 신령을 구분하고, 악령을 쫓아내는데 필요한, 적절한 의식을 재정립하기위 방법을 배우고 토론하게 된다고 한다.

흔히 한국식으로 표현 한다면, 무당 푸닥거리라고도 할수있는, 악령과 신령에 대한 정의를 내리는데는 항상 그위에 혼선이 있게 마련이다. 왜냐면 나라마다 그나라 전래의 민간 풍습과 또 가끔씩 영화에서 보여지는 호러 때문인것으로 보여진다.

이러한 교육코스는 2005년도 부터 실시 돼여왔다고 하는데, 해마다 이교육을 받기위해 참석하는 신부님들의 숫자는 증가하고 있다고 한다. 이교육을 이수하는데 드는 비용은 약 $370달러라고 하는데, 교육내용은 신학적, 심리학적,그리고 무속신앙 있게된 원인을 밝히는 인류학적, 코스들을 연구하게 된다고 한다.

지난해 교황님은 천주교 성직자들에게 주문하기를 "만약에  교구내 신자분들이 신령한 성령을 받아들이는데 혼선이 있어 괴로워 할경우에는 교구신자님들에게 무당 푸닥거리에 해당하는 악령을 설명해주는것을 두려워 하지 말라 라고 말씀 하셨었다.

그러나 악령구분에 대한 많은 비난이 쏜아지고 있고, 많은 공인되지않은 무속신앙인들이 어린이와 여러문제로 위험에 쉽게 빠질수 있는 사람들을 접촉하여 구렁텅이에 빠지게하는 일들이 많은점에 그대책을 고민하고 있어왔다고한다.  어떤 사람들은 이들 무속신앙 푸닥거리의 의식에 빠져서 목숨을 잃는 경우도 가끔씩 발생하고 있는게 현실이다.

가끔씩 보거나 듣게되는, 산속깊은 곳에 있는 "기도원"이라는 간판을 걸고 통성기도하고, 이상한 의식으로 사람들을 현혹시키는 사례가 한국에서도 있다고 들었다. 노력과 의지가 필요.

2012년 영국정부에서는 이러한 무속신앙으로 부터 어린이들을 보호하기위해 "국가적 대책계획"이라는 책자까지 발행 했었다.

아래의 뉴스기사를 보면 자세하게 이해할수 있다.

The Vatican has opened its doors for its annual exorcism course amid increasing demand among some of the world's Catholic communities. 

As many as 250 priests from 50 countries have arrived in Rome to learn how to identify demonic possession, to hear personal accounts from other priests and to find out more about the rituals behind expelling demons. 

Exorcism remains controversial, in part due to its depiction in popular culture and horror films. But there have also been some cases of abuse linked to exorcisms in a range of religious sects. 

The week-long Vatican course is described as the only international series of lectures of its kind. Entitled Exorcism and the Prayer of Liberation, it first opened its doors in 2005 and the number of priests attending has more than doubled since then. The event costs €300 (£260, $370) and covers the theological, psychological and anthropological background to exorcisms.

Image copyrightAFP

Image captionThe course has been running since 2005

Why is demand growing?

Catholic priests in several countries have told the press there has been an increase in the numbers of people reporting signs of demonic possession.

Last year Pope Francis told priests that they "must not hesitate" to refer parishioners to exorcists if they suffer from "genuine spiritual disturbances".

Half a million people reportedly seek exorcisms every year in Italy, while a report by Christian think-tank Theos in 2017 said that the practice was also on the rise in the UK, in part due to the spread of Pentecostal churches.

Some dioceses have developed their own courses to meet the growing demand, including in Sicily and the US city of Chicago. 

• Exorcism in Italy a job 'too scary' for young priests
• The country where exorcisms are on the rise

Father Gary Thomas, an American priest who has practised exorcisms for 12 years, says that one reason for the increase is that as society has begun to rely more heavily on social sciences, fewer churches have trained exorcists. The decline of Christianity has also led to an increase in superstitious practices, he believes.

Italian priest Benigno Palilla told Vatican News that the growing use of tarot cards and sorcery had also led to a renewed demand for exorcisms. 

However, very few cases actually require a major exorcism. Out of 180 cases he has seen, Father Thomas says he has carried out just a dozen major exorcisms.

In the Catholic Church, a "major exorcism" can only be carried out by a priest with a bishop's approval.

It involves specific prayers and an invocation for the demon to leave the body of the possessed in Jesus' name.

When do priests perform exorcisms?

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Image captionA number of countries have reported an increase in demand for exorcisms

In 1999, the Catholic Church carried out its first major update to the rules surrounding exorcism since 1614 and distinguished between demonic possession and physical or psychological illness.

As a result, Father Thomas works with a team of doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists - all practising Catholics - to rule out any other cause for a person's suffering before diagnosing demonic possession.

The priest will then try a series of deliverance prayers. A major exorcism will only take place "as a last resort", he adds.

What happens in an exorcism?

As outlined by www.catholic.org, the priest must wear a type of embroidered white tunic called a surplice alongside a purple stole. The person who is possessed may be bound, and holy water should be used. The priest will make the sign of the cross on the person at several times throughout.

The priest calls on saints, prays and reads excerpts from the Bible in which Jesus drives out demons from people.

In Jesus' name, he asks the possessing demon to "yield to God" and "depart", as many times as necessary. Once the priest is convinced the exorcism has worked, he prays to God to prevent the evil spirit from bothering the afflicted person further, and for the "goodness and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ" to take hold of the person instead.

What are the objections?

But there is widespread criticism of exorcism and concern that it has been used by a variety of religious practitioners to carry out abuse of children and other vulnerable people. 

Some victims have died in rituals linked to exorcism.The ‘exorcism’ that turned into murder

More generally, there is a risk that people with illnesses such as epilepsy or schizophrenia could be misdiagnosed and miss out on medical treatment if their symptoms are ascribed to supernatural phenomena.

In 2012, the UK government published a national action plan to help prevent abuse of children in religious rituals. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-43697573