Selected problems of the criminal responsibility of the exorcist in Polish law
Filip Ciepły
John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin , Polandhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1124-7389
Abstract
The article discusses the issue of criminal liability for acts of the exorcist associated with disorder of possession trance during exorcism. Exorcism in the Catholic Church is a form of liturgical celebration and a subject to legal protection. The condition for the legality of exorcism is voluntary participation. An attack of possession trance is usually the cause of loss or significant limitation of person’s consciousness, so, despite of external impulses of the person’s body, the exorcist’s refusing to stop the prayer is not an unlawful behavior. Exorcist eventually could be responsible for failing to render assistance to a person in a situation threatening an immediate danger of loss of life or serious bodily injury, intentional or unintentional exposure of a person to an immediate danger of loss of life or serious bodily injury, causing heavy, medium or light bodily injury or an impairment to health or manslaughter. The issue shall be assessed in the light of principles of objective assignment of effect.
Keywords:
possession trance, exorcism, criminal liability, legal justification, canon law, Polish criminal law, religious freedom, freedom of conscience and religion, Law on Religion, freedom of religionReferences
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John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin
Wydział Zamiejscowy Prawa i Nauk o Społeczeństwie w Stalowej Woli, Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II, ul. Ofiar Katynia 6a, 37-450 Stalowa Wola
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