January 7 2002

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Christians in Cumbria, England, are asking the Roman Catholic archbishop of Glasgow to exorcise a stone cursed in 1520 by one of his predecessors.

Some Anglicans, including vicar Kevin Davies, believe the stone may even be responsible for local outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease.

"This stone invokes evil on people and as such we should not take it lightly," he said, calling it "a lethal weapon."

Meanwhile, media reports circulated that the Anglican bishop of Oxford had been called in to exorcise the local soccer stadium after the team experienced a series of losses. (A gypsy curse was blamed.)

Bishop Richard Harries downplayed the reports, telling the BBC, "It was a serious prayer for God to bless the ground, including that [it] might be freed from evil."

Related articles include:

Bishop denies football club 'exorcism' — BBC (Nov. 7, 2001)

Bishop exorcises 'unlucky' football stadium — Ananova (Nov. 6, 2001)

Archbishop to lift 'evil' curse linked to foot and mouth — The Telegraph, London (Nov. 4, 2001)

See Christianity Today's September cover package on exorcism:

Possessed or Obsessed?Many Christians say they are in need of deliverance but some may be giving demons more than their due.

Exorcism TherapyAn interview with Michael W. Cuneo, author of American Exorcism: Expelling Demons in the Land of Plenty

Alter PossessionSome "demons" are better left unexorcised.

Pandora's Box of SRASatanic ritual abuse is often hard to prove, but it may not matter.

Exorcism 101What we can learn from the way Jesus cast out demons?