Snake handling, also called serpent handling, is a religious rite observed in a small number of isolated churches, mostly in the United States, usually characterized as rural and part of the …

May 22, 2025 · Despite the stereotype in popular culture that snake handling is common among Appalachian Protestant religious sects, few people in the United States—and even fewer in …

Sep 13, 2016 · For a first-hand perspective written by one of their own pastors, Jimmy Morrow’s Handling Serpents is a valuable resource. There are others, however, that I would not …

Dec 23, 2023 · In the 1930s, US states began restricting or banning the practice altogether. Today, only one state in the Union allows snake-handling churches to practice freely – West …

Aug 3, 2023 · Snake handling is a religious ritual practiced by a small number of Protestant churches. Laws against the practice have been upheld against First Amendment challenges.

Jan 30, 2023 · Snake handling remains a dangerous and dramatic ritual that has played a significant role in religious history. In this list, you’ll learn all about some of the craziest, most …

Jan 29, 2018 · Snake handling traces its roots to the Pentecostal fervor that swept the U.S. in the early 20th century. Pentecostals believe in “signs and wonders” — that speaking in tongues, …

May 21, 2025 · There’s a significant stigma surrounding snake handling today, leading many churches that engage in the ritual to keep their practices private. A major reason for this …

Holiness Snake-Handling Churches represent a distinctive and often misunderstood facet of American religious practice, primarily concentrated in the Appalachian region, including states …

Those who practice the handling of such reptiles as a religious ritual believe Mark 16:18 should be interpreted literally. They view the verse as a promise from Jesus that serpents will not harm …