Exorcisms are a "booming industry" in the United Kingdom, recording an "astonishing increase" that's driven in part by immigrant communities and Pentecostal churches, a Christian think tank has found.
A report from Theos found that experts were concerned the rise in exorcism was putting Christians' mental health at risk in the UK.
"Exorcisms are now a booming industry in the UK, with a number of interviewees noting the astonishing increase in demand – often, as one noted, in defiance of any actual rules or procedures put in place by any church," the report found.
And the spike was in part "driven by immigrant communities and Pentecostal churches which are very open about their exorcism services."
Interviewing mental health chaplains and other Christians working in mental health, the Theos researchers found "in the vast majority of cases, the person in question was suffering with mental health issues which required psychiatric assistance."
"There has been an increased focus in the Anglican church on exorcisms, and partially that's in response to increased demand," researcher and report author Ben Ryan told the Telegraph.
"They have been getting more and more people calling them saying there's demand for this.
"Outside the established church, there's a huge increase which you can see with your own eyes. If you walk down the Old Kent Road there are flyers and stickers everywhere."
A spokesman for the Church of England told the newspaper defended its policy concerning mental health issues.
"The Church of England takes deliverance ministry very seriously and treats each case in a pastoral and private way," a spokesman said, the Telegraph reported. "Our guidelines state that particular caution needs to be exercised, especially when ministering to someone who is in a distressed or disturbed state."
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