03 Religious Experience - B James And Otto

Question 1

What do both James and Otto write about?

Answer 1

Mystical religious experiences.

Question 2

What did William James conduct a study about?

Answer 2

Religious experiences.

Question 3

What are the 4 key features of mysticism that James put forward? PINT

Answer 3

Passive
Ineffable
Noetic
Transient

Question 4

Explain passive - James’ features of mysticism.

Answer 4

•the mystical may perform actions which lead to an experience. But ultimately, the person is not in control - God is.
•the mystic is overwhelmed by the experience and loses control to God.

Question 5

Give an example of James’ key feature of mysticism -passive.

Answer 5

Teresa of Avila’s long hours of prayer.

Question 6

Explain James’ key feature of mysticism - ineffable.

Answer 6

Mystics often say that the experience defies expression and cannot be described in words.
Mystics have to find other ways of describing their experience - music, art, poetry.

Question 7

Give an example of James’ feature of mysticism- ineffable.

Answer 7

St Teresa of Avila uses her analogies to describe her prayer and mysticism.

Question 8

What does Hildegard of Bingen refer to God as to explain her mystical experience?

Answer 8

Female pronouns.

Question 9

Explain James’ feature of mysticism - noetic.

Answer 9

•noesis means knowledge
•the experience provides insight into unobtainable truths but not through the intellect.
•knowledge is gained through intuition.
•There are revelations, illuminations, they are full of significance and importance.

Question 10

Explain James’ feature of mysticism - transcient.

Answer 10

•the experience lasts only a short time- they are fleeting.
•however the lasting effects are great.
•the experiences are intense and have lasting consequences.

Question 11

Give an example of James’ feature of mysticism -transcient.

Answer 11

Teresa of Avila radically changed her life following her first vision.