revelation Flashcards
definition
surprising and previously unknown facts that has been with holded from others
DIVINE SELF DISCLOSURE
through revelation understanding of the divine is achieved
main features
- short/ sudden
- new knowledge acquired immediately
- new knowledge comes from external agent
- new knowledge received with utter conviction
martin Buber on new knowledge received with utter conviction
‘believers claim that their encounter with God is so real and immediate that no justification is needed’
revelation is encompassed
within most religious experiences- even if it be realisation of communion with God
context
- universal truths- guru nanak on God name
- future- hildegard of bingen= predicted 16th century reformation
- present=benny Hinn- leader of charismatic movement claims he has words of knowledge from God
- spiritual help- revelation through reading scriptures
John wisdom
parable of the gardener:”Two people return to their long neglected garden and find, among the weeds, that a few of the old plants are surprisingly vigorous. One says to the other, ‘It must be that a gardener has been coming and doing something about these weeds.’ The other disagrees and an argument ensues. They pitch their tents and set a watch. No gardener is ever seen. The believer wonders if there is an invisible gardener, so they patrol with bloodhounds but the bloodhounds never give a cry. Yet the believer remains unconvinced, and insists that the gardener is invisible, has no scent and gives no sound. The skeptic doesn’t agree, and asks how a so-called invisible, intangible, elusive gardener differs from an imaginary gardener, or even no gardener at all.”[1]
what is the parable of the gardener about
proposition and non propositional knowledge- both men are given the same information, however choose to understand the information they are given differently.
propositional
if an individual believes in propositional revelation they believe the bible reveals divine truth in propositional form; for example, “And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.” (Genesis 1:4) means that God actually said “Let there be light”, and then light appeared. It’s a literal interpretation.
non-propositional
individuals of the non-proposition persuasion believe divine truths are revealed via metaphor, so the creation story isn’t to be interpreted as a set of true propositions but as an allegory revealing a divine truth that must be distilled by biblical study.
keith ward
RE have an element of ‘divine self-disclosure’- gives individuals understanding of Gods supreme nature
revelation during the transfiguration
jesus is the message as well as the messenger
revelation through his death
sacrificial love and how much god loves us
propositional from the book
the communication of some truths by God through supernatural means- the content of this revelation is a body of truths expressed in statements of propositions - for example muhammad received the Qu’ran
non-propositional from the book
refers to the moment of ‘realisation’ coming at the end of a period of reflection, for example, buddhist scriptures emerged from the Buddha himself rather than from a transcendent source
present
benny hill- leader of charismatic movement- claims he has words of knowledge from god
