Religious experience Flashcards
Religious experience
a non-empirical occurrence ,recipients of religious experience usually say that what has happened has drawn them into a deeper knowledge/awareness of God
Richard Swinburne
5 types of RE:
1. PUBLIC - you see Gods action in a public object e.g sunset
2. PUBLIC - a breach of natural law e.g miracles / Jesus raises the dead
3. PRIVATE - a personal experience that can be described through normal language e.g Moses and the burning bush
4. PRIVATE - cannot be described in normal language
5. PRIVATE - no specific experience but a constant feeling that God is there.
Intellectual Visions
brings knowledge and understanding such as a revelation from God
Imaginary vision
something that strengthens faith is seen with the minds eyes
corporeal vision
a figure is externally present e.g st bernadette
The numinous ,Otto
feeling of being in the presence of something greater , a sense of being in the presence of an awesome power , yet feeling distinctly seperate from it.
“ it is emotion of a creature submerged and overwhelmed by its own nothingness in contrast to that which is supreme above all creatures “
Conversion
adoption of a new religious belief that differs from a previously held belief
features of a conversion
- presence of wrong in their life
- the positive change they wish to make
St Paul
on the road to Damascus heard the voice of God “ Saul , Saul why do you persecute me “
After this he converted to Christianity and spread the rest of his years as an apostle ,spreading the word and eventually died as a martyr . ( signifcance of name change)
Nicky cruz
gang leader turnt christian preacher , came across a preacher who told him Jesus loves him the words changed him forever ….
Mystical experience
something that goes beyond any normal experience in the world e.g visions and voices
Williams james
Psychologist , tried to categorise RE , his book - The varieties of religious experience , fan of phenomenolgy
RE - feelings , acts , and experience of individual men in their own solitude of whatever they considered to be divine
Ineffability
goes far beyond human powers of description , unexplainable
Noetic
recieves knowledge of the divine which is not otherwise available
Transient
not permanent
Passive
the person is not in control of the RE
Scheliermacher
the essence of religion is based in personal experience , RE should be the at the heart of faith , without religious experience there is no religion RE’s are self -authenticating … furthermore doctrine like the creed are attemps by indivduals to understand their RE
Swinburne
Principle of credulity - if someone believes they have experienced something .. they probably have - if we always question things we would not be able to conversate
Principle of testimony: Swinburne’s principle that we should usually trust that other people are telling us the truth.
The problem of otherminds in response to swinburne principles
we all experience things differently e.g not everyone likes pizza .. you can trust a person but it does not change your experience .. validity and sincerity are different
Isaiah vision
saw God and then was able to give a detailed description of the heavenly things he encountered
Bearnadette of Soubirous
saw and heard the virgin mary at Lourdes , she was able to describe what mary was wearing and the words spoken to her
FC Happold
studied Mysticism - tried to provide context to think and discuss mystical experience .. his book Mysticism suggests it can be divided into 2 types: Mysticism of love and union - longing to escape loneliness , we desire to be apart of something bigger
Mysticism of knowledge and understanding - we seek answers through experience of God
St Teresa of Avila
had a ME that that pierced her heart with the fiery arrow of Divine Love. tests of a ME - if the visions leaves you with feelings we would expect from God , if they fit in with the teachings and beliefs of the church, if there is genuine change in character
Lofland and stark
studied conversion experiences to the moonies , conversion experiences follow a certain pattern and is not limited to solely to religion
Starbuck
conversion is a normal process of finding our identity in adolescence.
Corporate religous experience
several ppl have similar/ the same religious experience
CRE bosnia and herzegovina
6 young teenagers had regurlar visions of mary and claimed to recieve messages from her
CRE Toronto blessing
many ppl in a church in toronto felt the presence of the Holy Spirit and it caused them to squeal , scream , shake ect… Could be seen as mass hysteria
CRE evensong
alternate to toronto blessing shows simple singing
CRE pentecost
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
