Snake handling, also called serpent handling, is a religious

rite Rite may refer to: * Ritual, an established ceremonious act * Rite of passage, a ceremonious act associated with social transition Religion * Rite (Christianity), a sacred ritual or liturgical tradition in various Christian denominations * Catho ...

observed in a small number of isolated churches, mostly in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, usually characterized as

rural In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are describ ...

and part of the

Holiness movement The Holiness movement is a Christian movement that emerged chiefly within 19th-century Methodism, and to a lesser extent other traditions such as Quakerism, Anabaptism, and Restorationism. The movement is historically distinguished by its emph ...

. The practice began in the early 20th century in

Appalachia Appalachia () is a cultural region in the Eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York State to northern Alabama and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Newfoundland and Labrador, Ca ...

and plays only a small part in the church service. Participants are

Holiness Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

Pentecostals Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

Charismatics Charismatic Christianity (also known as Spirit-filled Christianity by its supporters) is a form of Christianity that emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, and modern-day miracles as an everyday part of a believer's life. Pract ...

, or other

evangelicals Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide Interdenominationalism, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "bor ...

. The beliefs and practices of the movement have been documented in several films and have been the impetus for a number of state laws related to the handling of venomous animals.

History

Gnosticism

In the 2nd century the

Ophites The Ophites, also called Ophians (Greek Ὀφιανοί ''Ophianoi'', from ὄφις ''ophis'' "snake"), were a Christian Gnostic sect depicted by Hippolytus of Rome (170–235) in a lost work, the ''Syntagma'' ("arrangement"). It is now thought t ...

reportedly handled snakes during their services, and also worshipped the serpent.

In American Christianity

The practice of snake handling first appeared in American Christianity around 1910 and was associated with the ministry of George Went Hensley of Grasshopper Valley in southeastern

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

. Hensley's role in initiating the practice has been disputed by academic studies. Kimbrough notes that claims of Hensley being the originator of snake handling are usually found to be unsubstantiated by research, and the origins of the observance are unclear. Hood and Williamson similarly argue that the beginnings of Pentecostal snake-handling rituals cannot be ascribed to a single person, and that the observance arose independently on multiple occasions. However, historians agree that Hensley's advocacy, leadership, and particularly his personal charisma, were important factors in advancing the Pentecostal snake handling and spreading it throughout the southeast United States. Coverage of Hensley's ministry was influential in prompting various churches to include the practice in their services. The media has focused on popular snake handlers such as Hensley, and the deaths of ministers due to snakebite have received particular attention.

The Church of God with Signs Following

Hensley was a minister of the Church of God, now known as the

Church of God (Cleveland) The Church of God, with headquarters in Cleveland, Tennessee, United States, is a Pentecostal, Holiness Pentecostal Christian denomination. The Church of God's publishing house is Pathway Press. History Origins (1886–1902) R. G. Spurling (185 ...

, founded by Richard Spurling and A. J. Tomlinson. In 1922, Hensley resigned from the Church of God, citing "trouble in the home"; his resignation marked the zenith of the practice of snake handling in the denomination, with the Church of God disavowing the practice of snake handling during the 1920s. In the 1930s, he traveled the Southeast resuming his ministry and promoting the practice. If believers truly had the Holy Spirit within them, Hensley argued, they should be able to handle rattlesnakes and any number of other venomous serpents. They should also be able to drink poison and suffer no harm whatsoever. Snake handling as a test or demonstration of faith became popular wherever Hensley traveled and preached in the small towns of Tennessee, Kentucky, the Carolinas, Virginia, Ohio, and Indiana. Sister-churches later sprang up throughout the

n region. In 1943, Hensley and Ramond Hayes, a young adherent of Hensley's teachings, started a church together in 1945, which they named the "Dolly Pond Church of God with Signs Following". Snake-handling churches influenced by Hensley's ministry are broadly known as the Church of God with Signs Following. In July 1955, Hensley died following a snakebite received during a service he was conducting in

Altha, Florida Altha is a small town in Calhoun County, Florida, United States. The population was 536 at the 2010 census. This is an increase from 506 . Altha was founded in 1902. Geography Altha is located at (30.571710, –85.127533). According to the U ...

The Church of Lord Jesus with Signs Following

Serpent-handling in north

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

and north

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

originated with James Miller in

Sand Mountain, Alabama Sand Mountain is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Bibb County, Alabama, Bibb County, Alabama, United States. Sand Mountain was the home of John Timothy Morgan Weeks, a notable central Alabama photographer. References

...

, at about the same time. Miller apparently developed his belief independently of any knowledge of Hensley's ministry. Whereas Hensley's ministry was

trinitarian The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the Fa ...

, the snake-handling churches influenced by Miller's ministry are

non-trinitarian Nontrinitarianism is a form of Christianity that rejects the mainstream Christian doctrine of the Trinity—the belief that God is three distinct hypostases or persons who are coeternal, coequal, and indivisibly united in one being, or essence ...

, and are broadly known as the Church of Lord Jesus with Signs Following. This version dominates snake-handling churches north of the

Appalachians The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...

Prevalence

Each church body is independent and autonomous, and the denominational name is not consistent in all areas, however they are typically some variation of the name "Church of God" (

Trinitarian The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the Fa ...

) or "Church of (Lord) Jesus" (

Oneness Oneness may refer to: Economy * Law of one price (LoP), an economic concept which posits that "a good must sell for the same price in all locations". Religious philosophy * Oneness Pentecostalism, a movement of nontrinitarian denominations * Nond ...

). The exact membership is unknown, and has recently been estimated as low as 1,000 and as high as 5,000 with possibly fifty to a hundred congregations. According to the ''Encyclopedia of American Religions'', churches "can be found from central Florida to

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

and as far west as

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

." The snake-handling sect of beliefs and practices go as far as to cross the border into Western Canada in 2004 to

Lethbridge Lethbridge ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. With a population of 101,482 in its 2019 Alberta municipal censuses, 2019 municipal census, Lethbridge became the fourth Alberta city to surpass 100,000 people. The nearby Canadian ...

and

Edmonton, Alberta Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city anchor ...

. Most religious snake handlers are still found in the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...

and other parts of the

southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...

, especially in

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

, and

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

. In 2001, about 40 small churches practiced snake handling, most of them considered to be

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

s, or

Charismatic Charisma () is a personal quality of presence or charm that compels its subjects. Scholars in sociology, political science, psychology, and management reserve the term for a type of leadership seen as extraordinary; in these fields, the term "ch ...

s. In 2004, there were four snake-handling congregations in the provinces of

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

and

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. Ralph Hood, professor of social psychology and the psychology of religion at the

University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state, ...

, who has studied the snake handling movement, indicated in 2003 that the practice is "currently at a fairly low ebb of popularity". A 2013 article by

National Public Radio National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other n ...

gave a figure of "about 125" churches where snakes are handled, but also indicated that "snake handlers are notoriously private".

Common doctrines

Biblical foundation and "signs following"

Practitioners believe serpent handling dates to antiquity and quote the

Gospel of Mark The Gospel of Mark), or simply Mark (which is also its most common form of abbreviation). is the second of the four canonical gospels and of the three synoptic Gospels. It tells of the ministry of Jesus from his baptism by John the Baptist to h ...

( chapter 16) and the

Gospel of Luke The Gospel of Luke), or simply Luke (which is also its most common form of abbreviation). tells of the origins, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Together with the Acts of the Apostles, it makes up a two-volu ...

to support the practice: Churches that practice snake handling and drinking poison as a demonstration of the strength of their faith during

worship service A church service (or a service of worship) is a formalized period of Christian communal worship Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. It may involve one or more of activities such as veneration, adorat ...

s frequently describe themselves with the phrase "with sign following"; this is based on a literal interpretation of the following biblical passage which they cite for biblical validation: These passages are part of the

longer ending of Mark Mark 16 is the final chapter of the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It begins after the sabbath, with Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bringing spices to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body. There ...

which many biblical scholars regard as a later addition to the manuscript tradition and it noted as such in many modern translations of the Bible, such as the

New International Version The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The ''NIV'' was created as a modern translation, by Bible scholars using the earliest an ...

, however, the longer ending is part of the

received text ''Textus Receptus'' (Latin: "received text") refers to all printed editions of the Greek New Testament from Erasmus's ''Novum Instrumentum omne'' (1516) to the 1633 Elzevir edition. It was the most commonly used text type for Protestant denomi ...

and the canonical status of these passages is rarely disputed. Another passage from the

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...

used to support snake handlers' beliefs is , which relates that Paul was bitten by a venomous viper and suffered no harm: Only snake-handling churches interpret these passages as a call to handle serpents, while others dispute these interpretations.

Practices

As in the early days, worshipers are still encouraged to lay hands on the sick,

speak in tongues Speaking in tongues, also known as glossolalia, is a practice in which people utter words or speech-like sounds, often thought by believers to be languages unknown to the speaker. One definition used by linguists is the fluid vocalizing of sp ...

, provide

testimony In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. Etymology The words "testimony" and "testify" both derive from the Latin word ''testis'', referring to the notion of a disinterested third-party witness. La ...

miracle A miracle is an event that is inexplicable by natural or scientific lawsOne dictionary define"Miracle"as: "A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divin ...

s, and occasionally consume poisons such as

strychnine Strychnine (, , US chiefly ) is a highly toxic, colorless, bitter, crystalline alkaloid used as a pesticide, particularly for killing small vertebrates such as birds and rodents. Strychnine, when inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the eye ...

. Worship services usually include singing, praying,

speaking in tongues Speaking in tongues, also known as glossolalia, is a practice in which people utter words or speech-like sounds, often thought by believers to be languages unknown to the speaker. One definition used by linguists is the fluid vocalizing of sp ...

, and preaching. The front of the church, behind the pulpit, is the designated area for handling snakes.

Rattlesnake Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes that form the genera ''Crotalus'' and ''Sistrurus'' of the subfamily Crotalinae (the pit vipers). All rattlesnakes are vipers. Rattlesnakes are predators that live in a wide array of habitats, hunting small anim ...

s, cottonmouths, and copperheads (venomous snakes native to North America) are the most common, but even cobras have been used. During the service, believers may approach the front and pick up the snakes, usually raising them into the air and sometimes allowing the snakes to crawl on their bodies. Handling the snakes is not compulsory for those attending services. Some believers will also engage in drinking poison (most commonly

) at this time. Although individual incidents may actually be understood in a variety of ways, those who die from snakebites are never criticized for lack of adequate faith; it is believed that it was simply the deceased's time to die. Bitten believers usually do not seek medical help, but look to God for their healing. They fully believe that adherents need to handle the snakes as a demonstration of their having the Holy Spirit within. Darlene Summerford, when asked how it felt to handle venomous serpents, replied, "It's just knowing you got power over them snakes". And, if they get bitten by the snake, then they lack the true Spirit. Moreover, if they are bitten, then the congregation prays over them. If they die, then God intended for that to happen.

Legal issues

Legality

All Appalachian states except West Virginia outlawed the snake-handling ritual when it first emerged. The states of Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee have passed laws against the use of venomous snakes or other reptiles that endangers the lives of others without a permit. The Kentucky law specifically mentions religious services; in Kentucky snake handling is a misdemeanor and punishable by a $50 to $100 fine. Snake handling is legal in the state of West Virginia, as the current state constitution does not allow any law to impede upon nor promote a religious practice. Snake handling was made a felony punishable by death under Georgia law in 1941, following the death of a seven-year-old from a rattlesnake bite. However, the punishment was so severe that juries would refuse to convict, and the law was repealed in 1968. The

American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States". T ...

has defended the religious freedom of snake handlers against various attempts to have the practice banned.

Manslaughter and murder

In 1992, Glen Summerford, a serpent-handling preacher, was convicted of attempted murder of his wife with a rattlesnake, by forcing her to be bitten on two occasions, at their home. During the trial, some members of the congregation sided with Glen Summerford, and others with his wife, Darlene. Each Summerford accused the other of infidelity, and "backsliding" from their faith by drinking alcohol. Dennis Covington, a journalist who covered the Summerford trial discusses his first-hand, investigative experiences at a snake-handling church in Appalachia, in his book, '' Salvation on Sand Mountain''.

Possession and transportation of venomous snakes

In July 2008, ten people were arrested and 125 venomous snakes were confiscated as part of an undercover

sting operation In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person attempting to commit a crime. A typical sting will have an undercover law enforcement officer, detective, or co-operative member of the public play a role a ...

titled "Twice Shy". Pastor Gregory James Coots of the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus' Name (FGTJN) in

Middlesboro, Kentucky Middlesboro ()Rennick, Robert. ''Kentucky Place Names'', University Press of Kentucky (Lexington), 1987p. 196 Accessed 26 August 2013. is a home rule-class city in Bell County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 10,334 at the 2010 U.S ...

, was arrested and 74 snakes seized from his home as part of the sting. Jamie Coots (son of Gregory Coots) was cited in 2013 for illegal possession and transportation of venomous snakes when three rattlesnakes and two copperheads were discovered in his vehicle during a vehicle check in

Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Tennessee, Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Di ...

. Later in 2013, Coots published an op-ed in ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

'' making an argument for U.S. Constitutional protection regarding religious freedom, especially freedom to practice the unique variety of religion found in snake-handling churches. Coots died on 15 February 2014 from a snakebite. Andrew Hamblin, who appeared alongside Jamie Coots in ''Snake Salvation'', was cited for having dangerous wildlife in 2014, but a

grand jury A grand jury is a jury—a group of citizens—empowered by law to conduct legal proceedings, investigate potential criminal conduct, and determine whether criminal charges should be brought. A grand jury may subpoena physical evidence or a pe ...

declined to indict him.

Risks

The handling of venomous snakes has significant risks. Ralph Hood observes, "If you go to any serpent-handling church, you'll see people with atrophied hands, and missing fingers. All the serpent-handling families have suffered such things". Jamie Coots, a pastor who subsequently died from a snakebite, said, "Handlers get bitten all the time, and every few years someone dies". Various figures for the total number of deaths from

snakebite A snakebite is an injury caused by the bite of a snake, especially a venomous snake. A common sign of a bite from a venomous snake is the presence of two puncture wounds from the animal's fangs. Sometimes venom injection from the bite may occu ...

during religious services have been proposed: * "over 100 documented deaths" (2003) by Ralph Hood. * "around 120" (2005) by

Robert Winston Robert Maurice Lipson Winston, Baron Winston, (born 15 July 1940) is a British professor, medical doctor, scientist, television presenter and Labour Party politician. Early life Robert Winston was born in London to Laurence Winston and Rut ...

. * "about 100 deaths" (2013) by

Julia Duin Julia Duin is an American journalist and author who is Newsweek, Newsweek's religion correspondent. She has written seven books and was the religion editor for ''The Washington Times'' for 14 years. She has received three Religion Communicators Coun ...

, a journalist who has covered snake handling churches and is writing a book on the subject. * "91 documented snake bite deaths" (2015) by Paul Williamson, professor of psychology at

Henderson State University Henderson State University (HSU) is a public university in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Founded in 1890 as Arkadelphia Methodist College, it is Arkansas's only member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. Henderson has an undergraduate enrol ...

and co-author of books with Ralph Hood. Another source indicates that 35 people died between 1936 and 1973. Hood also notes that the practice does not present a danger to observers. There is no documented case of a non-handling member being bitten by a serpent handled by another believer.

Media coverage

A number of films and television programs have been made about religious snake handling. * '' Holy Ghost People'' is a 1967 documentary by

Peter Adair Peter Adair (November 25, 1943 – June 27, 1996) was a filmmaker and artist, best known for his pioneering gay and lesbian documentary '' Word Is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives'' (1977). Early life Adair was born in Los Angeles County in 1943. ...

. It is about the service of a snake handling

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

community in Scrabble Creek,

, United States. This documentary has entered the

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work A creative work is a manifestation of creative effort including fine artwork (sculpture, paintings, drawing, sketching, performance art), dance, writing (literature), filmmaking, ...

and is available at the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

. * '' Heaven Come Down'' is a 2006 television

documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional film, motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". Bill Nichols (film critic), Bil ...

about some unusual worship practices of some

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

Christians in

, including snake handling. * ''Snake Salvation'' is a 2013 series produced by the

National Geographic Channel National Geographic (formerly National Geographic Channel; abbreviated and trademarked as Nat Geo or Nat Geo TV) is an American pay television television network, network and flagship (broadcasting), flagship channel owned by the National Geograp ...

, comprising 16 episodes in a

reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...

format. The show featured two modern snake-handling pastors and their congregations. The show's focus was on Jamie Coots, who subsequently died of a snakebite. The other featured pastor was Andrew Hamblin, pastor of the Tabernacle Church of God in LaFollette, Tennessee. Hamblin, a protégé of Coots, was worshiping at his mentor's church alongside Coots when the fatal snake bite occurred in February 2014. *''

Them That Follow ''Them That Follow'' is a 2019 American thriller film, written and directed by Britt Poulton and Dan Madison Savage. It stars Olivia Colman, Kaitlyn Dever, Alice Englert, Jim Gaffigan, Walton Goggins, Thomas Mann and Lewis Pullman. It had its wo ...

'' is a Sundance Film Nominee about a small Church and community that practices this religion. The film stars

Walton Goggins Walton Sanders Goggins Jr. (born November 10, 1971) is an American actor. He has starred in a number of television series, including ''The Shield'' (2002–2008), '' Justified'' (2010–2015), ''Vice Principals'' (2016–2017), ''The Righteous ...

. *''Alabama Snake'' is a 2020 HBO documentary which focuses on the 1991 attempted murder of Darlene Summerford by her husband, snake handling pastor Glenn Summerford.

Known snake-handling churches

* Old Rock House Holiness Church in

Section Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sign ...

(sometimes "Old" is omitted or "Rock House" written as a single word)

* Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Kingston

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

* Highway Holiness Church of God in

Fort Wayne Fort Wayne is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Indiana, United States. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 as of the 2020 Censu ...

(sometimes written as "Hi-Way")

* East London Holiness Church,

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

* Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name, Middlesboro * Mossie Simpson Pentecostal Church, Jenson

* Unnamed church,

Marshall Marshall may refer to: Places Australia * Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria Canada * Marshall, Saskatchewan * The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia Liberia * Marshall, Liberia Marshall Islands * Marshall Islands, an i ...

* Holiness Church of God in Jesus Name, Greenville

* Tabernacle Church of God, LaFollette

* Church of the Lord Jesus,

Jolo Jolo ( tsg, Sūg) is a volcanic island in the southwest Philippines and the primary island of the province of Sulu, on which the capital of the same name is situated. It is located in the Sulu Archipelago, between Borneo and Mindanao, and has ...

* House of the Lord Jesus,

Matoaka Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, known as Matoaka, 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman, belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of ...

Notable deaths

* The first report of a death from a serpent bite occurred in 1922 at the Church of God Evangel. * In 1955, George Went Hensley, the founder of modern snake handling in the

, died after being bitten by a

rattlesnake Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes that form the genera ''Crotalus'' and ''Sistrurus'' of the subfamily Crotalinae (the pit vipers). All rattlesnakes are vipers. Rattlesnakes are predators that live in a wide array of habitats, hunting small anim ...

during a service in

. * In 1961, Columbia Chafin Hagerman died after being bitten by a

timber rattlesnake The timber rattlesnake, canebrake rattlesnake, or banded rattlesnake (''Crotalus horridus'') Wright AH, Wright AA (1957). ''Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada''. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates, a division of ...

during a service at the Church of the Lord Jesus,

Jolo, West Virginia Jolo (pronounced "Joe-Lowe") is an unincorporated community on West Virginia Route 83 in McDowell County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The community was mentioned in the book ''Salvation on Sand Mountain'' by Dennis Covington for being th ...

. * In 1967, Jean Saylor, wife of a snake-handling preacher, died after being bitten by a

Bell County, Kentucky Bell County is a county located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,097. Its county seat is Pineville. The county was formed in 1867, during the Reconstruction era from parts of Kn ...

. * In 1982, Rev John Holbrook died after being bitten by a

during a service in Oceana, WV. * In 1983, Mack Ray Wolford died after being bitten by a

during a service at the Lord Jesus Temple in Mile Branch, near

Iaeger, West Virginia Iaeger (pronounced YAY-ger) is a town in McDowell County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 257 at the 2020 census. History Iaeger was incorporated in 1917 and named for Colonel William G. W. Iaeger, an early settler. Geography A ...

. * In 1995, Melinda Brown of

Parrottsville, Tennessee Parrottsville is a town in Cocke County, Tennessee, Cocke County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 263 at the 2010 census. Geography Parrottsville is located in northeastern Cocke County at (36.009391, -83.091186) U.S. Route 321, a f ...

, died after being bitten by a

during a service at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name in

. * In 1995, Kale Saylor (husband of Jean), a Pentecostal preacher, died after being bitten by a

during a service at Crockett Saylor Pentecostal Church in

Crockett, Kentucky Crockett is an unincorporated community in Morgan County, Kentucky, United States. It lies along Route 172 northeast of the city of West Liberty, the county seat of Morgan County. Its elevation is 912 feet (278 m). It has a post off ...

. * In 1997, Daril Colins died after being bitten by a snake during a service in

. * In 1998, John Wayne "Punkin" Brown (husband of Melinda), a snake-handling evangelist, died after being bitten by a

during a service at the Rock House Holiness Church in rural northeastern

. * In 2004, Dwayne Long, a Pentecostal pastor, died after being bitten by a

during a service in

Jonesville, Virginia Jonesville is a town in and the county seat of Lee County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,034 at the 2010 census. History Jonesville was a small but thriving center of local commerce in the late nineteenth and early twentieth c ...

. * In 2006, Linda Long died after being bitten by a

during a service at East London Holiness Church,

London, Kentucky London is a home rule-class city in Laurel County, Kentucky, in the United States. It is the seat of its county. The population was 7,993 at the time of the 2010 census. It is the second-largest city named "London" in the United States and the ...

. * In 2012, Mark Randall "Mack" Wolford (son of Mack), a Pentecostal pastor, died after being bitten by a

while officiating at an outdoor service at

Panther Wildlife Management Area Panther Wildlife Management Area, located along Panther Creek in southwestern McDowell County, West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and t ...

. * In 2014, Jamie Coots died after being bitten by a

during a service at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name in

. Coots starred in the TV series ''Snake Salvation'' and his death was widely reported. * In 2015, John Brock died after being bitten by a

during a service at Mossie Simpson Pentecostal Church in

Jenson, Kentucky Bell County is a County (United States), county located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 24,097. Its county seat is Pineville, Kentucky, Pineville. The coun ...

In popular culture

*In 2013, during the fourth season of FX's ''Justified'', actor

Joseph Mazzello Joseph Francis Mazzello III (born September 21, 1983) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Tim Murphy in '' Jurassic Park'', Eugene Sledge in the HBO miniseries '' The Pacific'', Dustin Moskovitz in ''The Social Network'', a ...

played Preacher Billy, a fearless snake handler, who hosted evangelical tent revivals in

Harlan County, Kentucky Harlan County is a county located in southeastern Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,831. Its county seat is Harlan. It is classified as a moist countya county in which alcohol sales are prohibited (a dry county), but conta ...

. * Gospel singer

Wendy Bagwell Wendell Lee "Wendy" Bagwell (May 16, 1925 – June 13, 1996) was the founding member and leader of the Southern gospel music and comedy trio Wendy Bagwell and the Sunliters. Early years The son of Cajer and Arza Bagwell, Bagwell was born in Cha ...

's song "Here Come the Rattlesnakes" describes his Gospel band,

Wendy Bagwell and the Sunliters Wendy Bagwell and the Sunliters was a Southern gospel music and comedy trio that was inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Personnel The group originally consisted of Wendy Bagwell, Geraldine Terry (later ...

, performing in a small, remote

church that practiced rattlesnake handling. * In the third episode of the fourth season of ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...

'', "

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", Homer invites bartender

Moe Szyslak Moe Szyslak is a recurring character from the animated television series ''The Simpsons''. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". Moe is the proprietor and bartender of M ...

to join his religion, to which Moe replies: "Sorry, Homer. I was born a snake handler, and I'll die a snake handler." whilst revealing hands covered in bites, bruises and adhesive bandages. * In the ninth episode of the seventh season of ''

The X Files ''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction drama television series created by Chris Carter. The series revolves around Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), who ...

'', " Signs and Wonders ," Scully and Mulder investigate the death of a young man who used to be a member of a serpent-handling church.

Notes

References

Bibliography

Books * * * * * * * * Dennis Covington: ''Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake Handling and Salvation in Southern Appalachia'': New York: Penguin: 1996. *Fred Brown and Jeanne MacDonald: ''The Serpent Handlers: Three Families and Their Faith'': Winston-Salem: J.F.Blair: 2000. * Weston La Barre: ''They shall take up serpents: The psychology of the Southern Snake Handling Cult:''

University of Minnesota Press The University of Minnesota Press is a university press that is part of the University of Minnesota. It had annual revenues of just over $8 million in fiscal year 2018. Founded in 1925, the University of Minnesota Press is best known for its book ...

: 1962. *Jim Morrow and Ralph Hood: ''Handling Serpents: Pastor Jimmy Morrow's Narrative History of his Appalachian Jesus' Name Tradition'': Macon: Mercer University Press: 2005. *Pond, Lauren. 2017. ''Test of Faith: Signs, Serpents, Salvation''.

Duke University Press Duke University Press is an academic publisher and university press affiliated with Duke University. It was founded in 1921 by William T. Laprade as The Trinity College Press. (Duke University was initially called Trinity College). In 1926 Du ...

. Articles * *Stephen Kane: "Ritual Possession in a Southern Appalachian Religious Sect" ''The Journal of American Folklore'': 27:348 (October–December 1974): 293–302. *Paul Williamson and Ralph Hood Jr: "Differential Maintenance and Growth of Religious Organisations Based on High-Cost Behaviours: Serpent Handling with the Church of God" ''Review of Religious Research'': 46:2 (December 2004): 150–168. *Paul W. Williamson and Howard R. Pollo: "The Phenomenology of Religious Serpent Handling: A Rationale and Thematic Study of Extemporaneous Sermons" ''Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion:'' 38:2 (June 1999): 203–218.

External links

Washington Post photo galleryVice Magazine interview with Andrew Hamblin
- by Andrea Perkins
MA thesis on Appalachian snake handlingRalph W. Hood and W. Paul Williamson Holiness Churches of Appalachia Recordings and Interviews
{{DEFAULTSORT:Snake handling in Christianity Charismatic and Pentecostal worship Christianity in Appalachia Snakes in religion Christian new religious movements Animals in Christianity Christian denominations established in the 20th century Holiness Pentecostals Pentecostal denominations Pentecostalism in the United States Religion in the Southern United States

History

Gnosticism

In American Christianity

The Church of God with Signs Following

The Church of Lord Jesus with Signs Following

Prevalence

Common doctrines

Biblical foundation and "signs following"

Practices

Legal issues

Legality

Manslaughter and murder

Possession and transportation of venomous snakes

Risks

Media coverage

Known snake-handling churches

Notable deaths

In popular culture

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links