"Deliverance" or "Exorcism"?

A frequent question concerns two words commonly used to describe the expulsion of evil spirits. "Is there any difference between a "deliverance" and an "exorcism"?

In everyday usage, the terms have mostly become synonymous and interchangeable. Both describe the casting out of demons through faith in Jesus Christ.

However, some see a distinction in "exorcism" representing a more formal, liturgical rite, such as the Roman Catholic ritual of exorcism, where written prayers, commands, symbols, etc., are used in prescribed order. In this view, "deliverance" represents a contrasting informal, freeflow meeting where the spontaneous leadership of the Holy Spirit is sought and followed. In American practice, the latter scenario portrays the overwhelming majority of actual cases.

But there is another possible distinction between the two terms.

"Exorcism" is what the ministering team does to demons. They exorcise (cast out) evil spirits by the superior power of Christ.

"Deliverance" is what the ministering team does for an afflicted person. The team partners with Christ in setting a captive free. The word offers a softer, gentler feel, not for what happens to demons, but for what happens to the recipient of ministry. Variants of "deliver" are frequent in scripture, i.e., "deliver us from evil."