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A divided collective will fall, Theophilus concludes.

But "The Ritual" centers so much on Joseph’s disbelief in Theophilus’ absolute belief in Emma’s possession, and in the existence of demonic power, that the film almost functions as a dialogue about the rationality of Christian faith itself.

Or is Theophilus acting in actual bad faith, so convinced by his preferred mythology that he’s unworried about any harm the rites of exorcism inflict on Emma?

And how does a man like Joseph, an authority figure in the church but on a lower rung than Theophilus, conduct himself under those circumstances?

As such, he has already been made a lightning rod for right-wing culture war tantrums–the exact kind of division Theophilus warns against in "The Ritual."