Principalities and powers;: The world of the occult,

by John Warwick Montgomery

Book Overview

A fascinating look at the paranormal, the supernatural, and the hidden things, including prophecy, divination, poltergeist, cabala, extra-sensory perception, fairies, ghosts, astrology, and other... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0871234572
• ISBN13: 9780871234575
• Release Date: January 1973
• Publisher: Bethany Fellowship
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.98 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Acknowledging And Assessing The Gray Areas ~ Clarity And Reason Within A Highly Subjective Realm

John Warwick Montgomery's 'Principalities and Powers' was released by Bethany Fellowship in '73 in a hardcover edition. Now some 33 years later it remains the best treatise on the subjects of demonology and the occult from the Christian/Protestant perspective. This is not the usual treatment on occultism we have all come to expect from evangelical circles. Mr. Montgomery doesn't see a demon around every corner waiting to attack their next unsuspecting victim. He is one of the true scholars of the Christian faith and his examination of the subject matter displays the great depth, insight and clarity he's famous for. Johns' open-minded treatment of occult taboos is surprisingly daring, particularly for '73. There's no broad brushing the subject matter as demonic and unfit for exploration. Everything is not black or white, he acknowledges the existence of gray areas and gradations of danger. Surprising Mr. Montgomery appears quite fond of the Tarot and has a personal collection of antique decks. Wonders never cease. Needless to say this was not a popular book with the Protestant Evangelical mainstream, which is probably why it has been OOP and unavailable for quite some time. 'Principalities and Powers' is truly a refreshing and scholarly read by one the greatest Christian thinkers of the 20th century. My Highest Recommendation!!

Clears Up Much of the False Teaching on Demons

Astute as a researcher, writer and theologian, Montgomery here tackles the hot topic of demonology. A passage from his intro says something excellent about this topic and book: "If you are as the felicitours phrase puts it so narrow-minded that you can see through a keyhole with both eyes simultaneously, this book is not for you, for in the world of the occult you need stereoscopic vision to avoid being a blind man leading the blind. The closeminded occultist will boggle at the theology of this volume and the close-minded religionist will be offended by its recognition of legitimate and positive occult domains."Read on if you want to get informed by this master informer.

A sane, non-hysterical Christian view of the occult

Most Christian books on the occult comprise a mixture of debunking and denunciation. This book offers an intriguing alternative interpretation. Montgomery's interest in the occult goes back to his own childhood in the 1930s. Montgomery's purpose in this book is to offer an interpretation of the occult as opposed to the mere recounting of phenomena. He begins with a consideration of how to define the occult, and looks at supernatural, paranormal and naturalistic levels of meaning. Montgomery underscores how one's own world-view can colour the way the occult is interpreted - is it real, humbug or devilish. In this complex web Montgomery steers a course that takes the phenomena seriously with paranormal and supernatural explanations being within his thesis. He then offers a brief historical overview of the occult from ancient times up to the 1970s (which is when the book was originally released). From here Montgomery then devotes chapters to the Cabala and Alchemy, astrology and prophecy, spiritism, tarot cards, fairies and so on. As a Christian theologian Montgomery avers that the occult represents a spiritual quest for meaning. He acknowledges the reality of the Devil and the demonic, but does not claim that all things occult originate with His Infernal Majesty. To further tease out issues he includes his own "ghost story" to make a theological point. This book engages the reader (whether Christian or occultist) to wrestle with the deeper interpretative issues of meaning. Thus unlike those works that totally demonize or totally debunk the occult, Montgomery offers Christians a more provocative, scholarly understanding. He also points an unwavering finger for the occultist through the labyrinth of phenomena to the fulfillment of their quest as found in Christ. The book will challenge readers' assumptions on the subject. It is therefore commended for a wide readership as occult, new age, neo-pagan and paranormal topics are once more in season in the late 1990s. A most engaging text worth taking the time to read.