Religious Experience

Question 1

Examples of religious experiences

Answer 1

• prayer
• exorcism
• prophecy
• visions/dreams
• communicating with spirits
• conversion
• miracles
• going to church
• speaking in tongues

Question 2

Definition of religious experience

Answer 2

A non-empirical occurrence; may be perceived as supernatural
OR
Mental event undergone by an individual who is aware

Question 3

Individual responses to experiences

Answer 3

They usually say that the experience has drawn them into a deeper knowledge of God

Question 4

Inferential experiences

Answer 4

Seeing in nature the presence of the divine

Question 5

Direct experiences

Answer 5

In the same way we directly see a tree (with our physical eyes)

Question 6

The three types of religious experience

Answer 6

• Conversion/Regenerative
• Mystical
• Prayer

Question 7

Richard Swinburne’s 5 types of Religious Experience

Answer 7

First 2 are within the public realm and the last 3 are within the private realm

Question 8

First type of Religious Experience

Answer 8

Seeing Gods action in a public object or scene

- blooming flower

Question 9

Second type of Religious Experience

Answer 9

A breach of natural law; miracles come under this category

- water turned into wine

Question 10

Third type of Religious Experience

Answer 10

A personal experience can be explained through normal language
- Moses and the burning bush

Question 11

Fourth type of Religious Experience

Answer 11

A personal experience that can’t be described through normal language “ineffable”
- mystical elements within religious traditions

Question 12

Fifth type of Religious Experience

Answer 12

No specific experience, but constant/regular feeling of God simply there

Question 13

Empirical

Answer 13

The world is based on experience

Question 14

Theism

Answer 14

The belief that the divine is a personal being

Question 15

Monotheism

Answer 15

The belief that there is only one divine being

Question 16

Polytheism

Answer 16

The belief that there is more than one divine being

Question 17

Alternative explanations for religious experiences

Answer 17

• Hallucinations
• Group hysteria
• Luck / coincidence
• Hoax
• Mental illness

Question 18

Theism factors

Answer 18

Divine is a personal being
- either one or more beings
- has many human qualities = decision making/planning
Divine being (s) created the world
- respond to prayers
- perform miracles
Forms relationship with humans
- seeks to do good / opposes evil

Question 19

Monism

Answer 19

Everything is God
- sometimes called pantheism
Appearance of the world must be an illusion
- idea of indistinct person is an illusion
Rejects the thought of ‘personhood’

Question 20

Arguments against the validity of R.E.

Answer 20

If God does not exist R.E. doesn’t either
R.E. can be interpreted by non religious interpretation
experiences can be deceptive
- no proof it is from God
- testimony is unreliable
May be the manifestation of psychological needs
sensation/emotion explained through biological/ imbalances in the body