Demonic Possession in the New Testament: Its Relations Historical, Medical, and Theological

Published originally in 1902, this theological study was written by William Menzies Alexander, a physician and theologian who sought to reconcile the biblical accounts of demon possession with the clinical understanding of medicine at the turn of the century. The work reflects the intellectual climate of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, where scholars were increasingly attempting to bridge the gap between traditional scripture and the emerging fields of psychology and pathology.

Alexander designed the text as a rigorous investigation, scrutinizing the New Testament narratives through a diagnostic lens to distinguish between spiritual phenomena and what he termed pathological or psychiatric conditions. While the work remains a niche academic interest today, it is recognized for its methodical attempt to apply objective, scientific scrutiny to historical religious texts, representing a distinctive approach to the study of early Christian miracles and the medical history of the period.