神学院开设驱魔课程

 

New Course on Satanism and Exorcism Opens at Pontifical¹ University

神学院开设驱魔课程

 

Convinced that the devil's lure² is on the rise among the young, the Vatican is responding with a new special course on Satanism, black magic, and the healing power of exorcism.

 

The two-month course began at the "Regina Apostolorum," one of Rome's prestigious³ pontifical universities. The course has been described as both "theoretical and practical" and is open to priests and theology students only.

 

Teachers include exorcists and psychiatrists⁵. One of the issues that will be addressed is how to tell the difference between someone who is possessed⁶ and someone who simply has psychological problems.

 

The new course stemmed from alarm in the Vatican with the growing interest in Satanism and its practices. A respected research institute, Eurispes, has catalogued 650 satanic organizations in Italy.

 

Church officials have estimated that half a million Italians have had contact with satanic sects⁷. Experts say these sects are growing very quickly. They add that young people especially are exposed to the phenomenon through the media, rock music and the Internet.

 

The Vatican also has felt young people are turning away from God and toward the occult. A number of recent incidents involving young people who had fallen victim to devil-worshipping sects in Italy highlighted the problem.

 

In one of the most disturbing cases, two teenage heavy metal musicians were killed in a human sacrifice by fellow band members.

 

In 1999, under the guidance of its chief exorcist, Father Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican updated the ritual for exorcism for the first time since 1614.

Guidelines tell priests authorized⁸ to carry out exorcisms to "diligently⁹ examine the facts," before sprinkling holy water on someone claiming to be possessed by Satan.

 

Students in the Vatican course will be taught to be vigilant¹⁰ for signs of Satan's presence, which include speaking in unknown languages and showing disproportionate physical strength.

 

Sabina Castelfranco, for VOA news, Rome.

 

注释：

lure [ljuE] n. 引诱，诱惑

psychiatrist⁴ [sai5kaiEtrist] n. 精神病医生

phenomenon [fi5nCminEn] n. 现象

worship [5wE:Fip] n. 崇拜

ritual [5ritjuEl] n. 仪式

exorcism [5eksC:sizEm] n. 驱魔

1 pontifical   

adj.自以为是的，武断的

参考例句：

• His words criticizing modern society just right indicate his pontifical character.他用以批评现代社会的言论恰好反映了他自大武断的性格。
• The lawyer,with pontifical gravity,sat on a high chair.那律师摆出一副威严庄重的样子，坐在一把高脚椅上。

2 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

3 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

4 psychiatrist   

n.精神病专家；精神病医师

参考例句：

• He went to a psychiatrist about his compulsive gambling.他去看精神科医生治疗不能自拔的赌瘾。
• The psychiatrist corrected him gently.精神病医师彬彬有礼地纠正他。

5 psychiatrists   

n.精神病专家，精神病医生( psychiatrist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They are psychiatrists in good standing. 他们是合格的精神病医生。 来自辞典例句
• Some psychiatrists have patients who grow almost alarmed at how congenial they suddenly feel. 有些精神分析学家发现，他们的某些病人在突然感到惬意的时候几乎会兴奋起来。 来自名作英译部分

6 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

7 sects   

n.宗派，教派( sect的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had subdued the religious sects, cleaned up Saigon. 他压服了宗教派别，刷新了西贡的面貌。 来自辞典例句

8 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

9 diligently   

ad.industriously;carefully

参考例句：

• He applied himself diligently to learning French. 他孜孜不倦地学法语。
• He had studied diligently at college. 他在大学里勤奋学习。

10 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。