Theology Matters - Moody Bible Insitute

Theology Matters

Is Spiritualism from the Holy Spirit?

The Heresy of Spiritualism
What Is Spirtualism?

• A form of occultism

• Believes in communication with the dead

• Low view of the Bible and the cross

• Claims to believe in the God of the Bible

Spiritualism is a form of occultism, a belief that it is possible to communicate with the spirits of the dead. Popularized during the nineteenth century, spiritualism teaches that the spirits of the dead exist on a different plane and possess a greater awareness than the living. They are said to communicate through human intermediaries known as mediums.

The origin of spiritualism is usually traced to Kate and Margaret Fox, who claimed that they had been contacted by the spirit of a murdered man. According to the Fox sisters, the man communicated by making a rapping noise. Spiritualism as a religious movement may have begun in the nineteenth century, but the notion that the living can communicate with the dead has been around for millennia. In the Old Testament, God's people were commanded not to consult mediums and spiritists (Lev. 19:31). King Saul consulted such a person in Endor after God had stopped communicating to him (1 Sam. 28).

Spiritualism, like many heresies, has a low view of the Bible. It usually rejects the doctrine of hell and the biblical doctrine of the cross. The teachings of spiritualism tend to be syncretistic, combining ideas from many religions. Popular forms of spiritualism are reflected in what has been called the New Age movement.

Why Theology Matters
Some beliefs and customs associated with spiritualism are part of popular culture—for instance, the popular Ouija Board game grew out of the divination techniques of spiritualism. Many people claim to be guided by a deceased loved one. Although it often claims to believe in the God of the Bible, spiritualism has more in common with paganism than it does with Christianity. The Bible condemns the practices of spiritualism, calling them “detestable” (Deut. 18:9-11).

For Further Reading
To learn more about spiritualism, read Cults and the Occult by Edmond Gruss (P&R Publishing).