The Realms of the Demonic

Philip C. Almond

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Chapter 2 The Realms of the Demonic

In: A Companion to the Devil and Demons, c.1100â1750

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Philip C. Almond

Philip C. Almond
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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 35â52

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004536449_003

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Abstract

This chapter describes ideas about the geography of the Afterlife, in particular those places that became sites of the Devil and his demons. Hellâs purpose and structure were relatively clear: it existed as a place of punishment for both demons themselves and irredeemable humans. But during the Middle Ages some thinkers argued that the allocation of the dead to either heaven or hell did not reflect a divine sense of justice. Thus, the concept of purgatory was gradually articulated. There the still redeemable could be purified of their sins and prepare for heaven. Although questions remained about many of its more tangible characteristics, purgatory would come to dominate late medieval and early modern piety, and lessons about the interactions of demons and purgatorial souls were part of pastoral care. Despite, or perhaps because of, its prominence, the precepts and practices surrounding purgatory would become a key dispute during the Reformations.

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A Companion to the Devil and Demons, c.1100â1750

Series:Â Brill's Companions to the Christian Tradition, Volume: 111

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004536449

Publisher:: Brill

Print Publication Date:: 12 Aug 2025

Subjects
- History
- Religious Studies
  - History of Religion

Front Matter

Part 1 The Medieval Intellectual Foundation

Part 2 Demons of the Confessional Era

Part 3 Interpreting Demons in Daily Life

Part 4 Demons, Witchcraft, and Science

Part 5 Depicting Demons

Back Matter

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Chapter 2 The Realms of the Demonic

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A Companion to the Devil and Demons, c.1100â1750

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A Companion to the Devil and Demons, c.1100â1750