Religious Experience : nature Flashcards
The nature of religious experience
what are the 3 types of religious experience
visions
numinous experiences
mystical experiences
what did Aquinas say about visions
“straw before the wind”
he had a vision before he died
made all of his research and knowledge futile and pointless
what is a religious experience
-vary infinatly
-life changing
-difficult to verbalise
-around 30-40% of people claim they have had some type (spirital, mystical or religious)
scholars try to categorise them
what are the 3 types of visions
corporeal visions
imaginative visions
intellectual visions
what is a corporeal vision
a vision that is seen by eyes and empirical senses
it is the most common type of vision
what is an imaginative vision
it is a sign by God that is experienced by the minds eye (dream)
what is a intellectual vision
it has no image but people begin to see things for how they actually are. Its can’t be described by ordinary language
what are the 2 examples of corporeal visions
1.bernadette
2.Fatima
describe Bernadette’s corporeal vision
Bernadette saw the physical body of Mary. The vision was very private. Focused on the need for prayer and penance. told everyone to drink the water of the spring at Lourdes it now has healing qualities
describe Fatima’s corporeal vision
Mary appeared to 3 children. she promised that heaven would grant peace to all the world. Repeatedly emphasised need to the rosary and everyday prayer. she said 3 secrets only 2 are publicly known. one predicted ww2
examples of imaginative visions
- Joseph in charge of Egypt
- The Escape to Egypt
describe Joseph in charge of Egypt
Joseph interprets pharaohs dreams and predicts seven years of abundance followed by famine. He is made second in command and manages to save Egypt’s resources
desribe The escape to Egypt
Joseph, Mary and Jesus flee to Egypt after an angel warns Joseph about king Herod’s plan to kill the child.
examples of intellectual visions
1.St Teresa of Avila
describe St Teresa of Avila’s vision
she saw Jesus as he really was not as an image but as a presence. Brough knowledge Jesus was always by her side and watched over her
what is a numinous experience
-where an individual feels awe and wonder IN THE PRESENCE of God.
-It is an awareness of human nothingness when faced with am almighty and transcendent God
-it is sui generis
Who are the 2 scholars for numinous experiences
Otto
Schleiermacher
who was otto
a 19th century prodestant theologin working at the end of the enlightenment period
What does Otto believe about numinous experiences
-Religious experience is non-rational as we cannot explain them
-religious experience is fundamental to religion
-without religious experience religion would mean nothing as people wouldn’t have faith
-religious experience is sui generis
what is a quote from otto about the qualities of religious experience
“mysterium, tremendum et fasinas”
mysterious, tremendous and fascinating
what is a quote from otto about the importance of religious experience for religion
“without it, no religion would be worthy if the name”
what does sui generis mean
of its own kind, unique to the individual
what are 2 examples of numinous experience
Call of Moses
Isiah
describe the call of Moses as an example of numinous experience
burning bush, Moses felt shekinah and he was instantly aware of Gods presence, he then was called to free the isrealites
what is a quote from the call of Moses
“I am that I am”
describe Isiah as an example of numinous experience
saw a vision of Go
God is in the Jerusalem temple
what is a quote from Isiah
“Holy, Holy, Holy”
what did Otto describe as Gods 3 main qualities
1.Mysterious :incomprehensible
2.Ultimate importance
3.attractive and dangerous : we should feel privilege during a religious experience
what does Schleiermacher believe about numinous experiences
- he influenced otto
-religious experience is self authenticated and shouldn’t be judged against the church’s framework
-they take on many different forms
-encountering God through Christianity is the highest importance because of Jesus
what is a mystical experience
feel a sense of union and oneness with the divine. You gain a recognition of truths beyond normal understanding
what are the 2 scholars for mystical experiences
James
Stace
who was James
a 19th century american philosopher
what does James believe about mystical experiences
-they are central to religion as it is primary : originated from a factually existing God
-involved a realisation of the one being all and the all being one
what are the 4 criteria James says mystical experiences must fit
Passivity
Ineffability
Noetic
Transiency
what is passivity
experiencer doesn’t have control of the experience but is controlled by it
what is Ineffability
cannot be described in words or fully understood by others as it is Sui Generis
what is noetic
gives rise to knowledge and an insight into truths that could not previously be known
what is transiency
cannot be sustained for long, it generally lasts no longer and 1/2 hour 2 hours at most
what is the acronym used for the 4 characteristics of mystical experiences
P.I.N.T
what is a quote from James about how mystical experiences are central to religion
“head of all religions lies in the mystical experience of the individual
who was Stace
British philosopher
what is a quote from stace about the qualities of a mystical experience
“non-senuous and non-intellectual unity with the divine”
what does Stace believe about mystical experiences
-they don’t involve our senses or our intelligence
-saw little point in trying to prove the existence of God through reason
-2 types of mystical experience
what is a quote from stace about trying to prove the existence of God
“either God is a mystery or he is nothing at all. To ask for proof of the existence of God is on par with asking for the existence of beauty”
what are Stace’s 2 types of mystical experience
Extrovertive
Introvertive
what is an extrovertive mystical experience
half way house, sense experience is still active but you will see the non-sensuous unity that shines through everyday objects
what is an introvertive mystical experience
sense experience is totally supressed, and the conscious ‘I’ is replaced by unitary consciousness with ‘the one’
