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Evangelical Protestants, who generate many of American religion's notable innovations, are at war over one of them, known as "spiritual warfare."
This expanding movement believes Christians regularly become captive to indwelling demons, which are often said to specialize in particular sins, geographic locations, objects or age groups.
The believer is taught to rebuke the demon and command its departure in Jesus' name, sort of a do-it-yourself exorcism.
The practice is followed especially among Pentecostal and Charismatic Protestants, who are also known for such gifts of the Holy Spirit as faith healing, speaking in tongues and prophecies.
Spiritual warfare proponents include the international Cleansing Stream Ministries at the Church on the Way in Van Nuys, Calif., and such evangelical writers as Stormie Omartian, Bob Larson and Neil Anderson.
Anderson makes the remarkable claim that 85 percent of evangelical Christians are afflicted with some level of satanic bondage.
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