Numinous Experiences Flashcards
(9 cards)
What is a numinous experience ?
-A numinous experience is a profound feeling of awe and wonder in the presence of an almighty and transcendent God
-It involves a deep awareness of human smallness and limitation when confronted with a holy, powerful, and completely other being
Who is Rudolf Otto?
-a German Lutheran theologian and philosopher of religion
-One of the most influential accounts of religious experience is found in the work of Rudolf Otto
What did Otto believe about about numinous experiences ?
-He argued that the essence of religion lies in an encounter with the numinous
-For Otto, this refers to an experience of a being who is wholly other, utterly beyond the natural world, evoking feelings that cannot be reduced to rational thought or emotion
What is quote from Otto about numinous experiences?
-He describes this encounter as “mysterium tremendum et fascinans”: a mystery that provokes both trembling dread and deep fascination
-The individual is overwhelmed by a sense of awe and humility in the face of something infinitely greater than themselves
-Otto explains that this produces a “creature-feeling” — a realisation of one’s smallness in the presence of divine majesty.
What is a biblical example of numinous experiences ?
-A biblical example of this can be seen in Luke, where Peter falls at Jesus’ feet and cries, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord,” recognising both the holiness before him and his own unworthiness
-Otto believed such reactions show that numinous experience cannot be reduced to moral or doctrinal content
-It is about a direct encounter with the transcendent that inspires both fear and devotion
Who was Friedrich Schleiermacher?
a 19th century philosopher, widely regarded as the father of modern liberal theology
How did Otto build on Schleiermacher’s ideas?
-Otto’s ideas were heavily influenced by Friedrich Schleiermacher, who also saw personal experience as the core of religion
-Schleiermacher described religious experience as the feeling of absolute dependence, a deep awareness of human finitude in contrast with the infinite
-He rejected the idea that religion begins with doctrine or morality and instead claimed it is rooted in an innate God-consciousness
What did Schleiermacher believe about religious experiences being self authenticating ?
-According to Schleiermacher, religious experiences are self-authenticating: they are genuine in themselves and do not need to be measured against external standards like Scripture or Church teaching
-This view places emotional and existential awareness at the heart of faith.
How did Otto extend Schleiermarcher’s idea about self authenticating experiences?
-Otto extended this idea, but insisted that the numinous is not just about dependence but a qualitatively unique experience that confronts the individual with a reality that is both terrifying and beautiful
-As Otto wrote, “There is no religion in which it does not live as the innermost core, and without it no religion would be worthy of the name”, referring to the numinous as the essential feature of true religion
-Together, Otto and Schleiermacher highlight that religion is first and foremost an experience of the divine, where the human soul is met by something greater, leaving a lasting impression of awe, humility, and love
