Episode Six – On Trial By Ordeal – Witch-Hunting And Superstition

Here’s the FINAL missing episode – with the sound fixed and an addition from a recent news report!

Professor Peter T. Leeson’s paper on ‘Ordeals’ looks at the medieval superstition ‘iudicium dei’ – or the judgment of God – the practice of judging a person’s innocence or guilt by ordeal. This could include putting your arm into boiling water, being dunked or even being burnt alive.

“It was expected that God, approving the act imposed or permitted by an authorized judge, would give a distinct manifestation of the truth to reveal the guilt or innocence of the accused. It was believed from these premises that an equitable judgment must surely result.”

While many of us can see the humor in the overeager peasants wanting to burn a witch in the film ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail‘, belief in witchcraft and use of torture in their confession has continued for centuries and even now, demonstrate how sometimes superstitions can not only draw in mob support but can be used to kill.

The article read out during the episode is called ‘A Nigerian Witch-Hunter Defends Herself’ from the New York Times, from the 22nd May, 2010, written by Mark Oppenheimer.

To learn more about the work of Leo Igwe, his work is documented at www.iheu.org/iheu and you can find some of his articles on his website.