Theme 3 Key terms Flashcards
Asceticism
Deliberate self-denial of bodily pleasures for the attainment of spiritual fulfilment
Charismatic
Christians of various groups who seek an ecstatic religious experience, often including speaking in tongues
Conversion
To change direction or turn around
Description-related
Relating to descriptions of mystical experiences as a basis for challenging their authenticity
Foundational belief
A belief that needs no further proof to support it
Caroline Franks Davis
A scholar who demonstrated how the authenticity of religious experience could be challenged
R.F Holland
A English Philosopher who advocated that miracles could be explained as a set of coincidences. They do not break natural laws but are seen as having religious significance
David Hume
- 18th Century philosopher who’s work relating empiricism was hugely influential on the 20th century logical positivists
- His book, dialogues concerning natural religion published after his death, is particularly influential on the development of the philosophy of religion
Immanent
- Existing or remaining
- In theology it refers to God’s involvement in creation
Ineffable
Defies expression, unutterable, indescribable, indefinable
William James
19th/20th Century American psychologist renowned for investigation into religious experience and mysticism
Miracle
- Act of wonder
- Hume described it as a violation of the laws of nature
- Hick described it as an unusual and striking event that evokes and mediates a vivid awareness of God
Monism
The view that there is only one basic and fundamental reality
Mystical
Experiences or systematic mediation, which causes a heightened awareness of the divine or an ultimate reality.
Noetic
Gaining special knowledge or insights that are unobtainable by the intellect alone; usually as a result of a mystical experience
Numinous
An experience of the holy; something wholly other than the natural world and beyond comprehension
Object-related
Relating to the object (that was experienced) of mystical experiences as a basis for challenging their authenticity
Rudolf Otto
In his book, the idea of the Holy, he defined the concept of the holy as that which is numinous
Passive
Where the recipients of the mystical experience do not bring about it themselves - the actual moment is governed by a being or force external to the will of the recipient
Subject-related
Relating to the subject (recipient) of mystical experiences as a basis for challenging their authenticity
Subjective
Having its source within the mind
Sufism
The mystical tradition within Islam
Richard Swinburne
- British Philosopher and Christian Apologist writing on numerous issues in philosophy in religion.
- On the topic of miracles, he argued that miracles not only broke the laws of nature but also had religious significance
Transcendent
Having existence outside the material universe
Transient
The experience may be short-lived but the effects tend to last much longer than the experience itself
Veridical
When the object of the experience actually exists as a reality and not just in the imagination
Vision
Something seen other than by ordinary sight