Christian demonology

It is primarily based on the Bible (Old and New Testaments), the interpretation of these scriptures, the writings of early Christianity philosophers, hermits, and the associated traditions and legends incorporated from other beliefs.

And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, but nevertheless hunger and thirst, and cause offences.

From the days of the slaughter and destruction and death of the giants, from the souls of whose flesh the spirits, having gone forth, shall destroy without incurring judgement.

[10] Demons are also believed to try to tempt people into abandoning the faith, committing heresy or apostasy, remaining or turning into Pagans, or venerating idols (the Christian term for cult images).

In the Gospel of Luke, it is stated that demons walk "arid places", and finding no rest return to their previous home.

Many of these descriptions have inspired famous painters like Luca Signorelli, Hieronymus Bosch, Francisco Goya, the artist who made the drawings for the Dictionnaire Infernal, and others.

[citation needed] Incubi and succubi are described as looking attractive in order to accomplish their mission of seduction.

[18] Henry Boguet and some English demonologists of the same epoch asserted that witches and warlocks confessed (under torture) that demons' bodies were icy.

agreed that demons acted first as succubi to collect sperm from men and then as incubi to put it into a woman's vagina.

[20] Albertus Magnus and Thomas Aquinas wrote that demons and the hierarchy of angels are created by God with the same non–material substance.

Peter of Paluda and Martin of Arles among others supported the idea that demons could take sperm from dead men and impregnate women.

[citation needed] The incarnation of the demons has been a problem in Christian demonology and theology since early times.

[citation needed] This soon acquired greater proportions, trying to explain how demons could seduce people to have sexual relationships with them or induce them to commit other sins.

[citation needed] According to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke demons could be seen and heard, as well as banished.

So they came out and entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water.Basil of Caesarea also wrote on this subject.

Henry More supported this idea, saying that their bodies were cold due to the solidification of water vapor to form them.

[citation needed] Raoul Glaber, a monk of Saint-Léger, Belgium, seems to have been the first in writing about the visit of a demon of horrible aspect in his Historiarum sui temporis, Libri quinque (History of his Time in Five Books).

[citation needed] Ambrogio de Vignati, disagreeing with other authors, asserted that demons, besides not having a material body, could not create one, and all what they seemed to do was a mere hallucination provoked by them in the mind of those who had made a diabolical pact or were "victims" of a succubus or incubus, including the sexual act.

The seals of a variety of demons are given in grimoires such as The Great Book of Saint Cyprian, Le Dragon Rouge and The Lesser Key of Solomon.