Religious Experience: Flashcards
Conversion Experience
A change of heart and turning around of one’s priorities, following a new direction in life
Corporate Religious Experience
A religious experience shared with many people
Numinous Experience
(Otto) – the experience of the ‘wholly other’
William James’ definition
“the feelings, acts and experiences of individual men in their solitude, so far as they apprehend themselves to stand in relation to whatever they may call the divine”
Principle of Credulity
Things are as they seem to be unless we have evidence to the contrary
Principle of Testimony
We should assume people are telling the truth, unless we have good reason to believe otherwise
Passive
Not in control of the experience; feeling of being taken over by a more powerful being.
Noetic
Provided new knowledge or insight
ineffable
Cannot be described / difficult to put into words
Transient
Experience does not last long but its significance is out of proportion with its duration
Pragmatism
(James) the effects of an experience are most important and show it holds value for the individual
Pluralism
One of James’ conclusions – all religions are valuable and hold truth
Volitional conversion
(Starbuck) gradual change and slow development of new moral and spiritual habits.
Mystical experience
An experience of something beyond normal awareness
Self-surrender conversion
(Starbuck) a sudden, pivotal or crisis experience followed by a change of life.
