Religious Experience Flashcards
(35 cards)
What are the 3 types of religious experience
Mystical, corporate, conversion
Who was William James
One of the leading thinkers in religious experience, 19th century American philosopher and psychologist
What were the Gifford lectures
Set of lectures given by James which were published as The Varieties of Religious Experience
How does James respond to the fact that religious experience tends to support the religion of the individual
He said that there is a distinction between the experience itself and how it is interpreted
According the James, what are the four common features of mystical religious experiences
Passive
Ineffable
Noetic
Transient
What did William James mean by fruits not roots
We should judge whether experiences are genuine based on the ye effects they have rather than what caused them
How does James’s psychological background influence his views
He accepts psychological explanations, but argues that psychology may not be the whole explanation. It may also point to the existence of something larger
What are James’s 3 key principles
Pragmatism, pluralism, empiricism
What is pragmatism
The idea that a theory must be treated as true if it works in practice. Truth isn’t fixed, but the effects make it true
What is pluralism
The idea that there is truth in all faiths
What does James say about conversion experiences
Conversion experiences are the strongest evidence for divine because their observable effects are the greatest
What is Swinburne’s principle of testimony
We should assume people are telling the truth unless we have good reason to believe otherwise e.g they are untrustworthy
What is Swinburne’s principle of credulity
Unless we have overwhelming evidence to the contrary, we should believe that things are as they seem to be
What is a mystical experience
Give us a sense of oneness, unity with God
What is a numinous experience
Causes us to feel fear and wonder, makes us aware of the transcendence and otherness of God
Who was Julian of Norwich
14th century, had a series of visions, one being Christ bleeding in front of her, caused her to feel an overwhelming sense of God’s love and went on to write Revelations of Divine Love
Who was st Teresa of avila
16th century catholic nun, experienced visions, one being a spear on fire piercing her side and leaving her with an immense feeling of elation and love
What are the two types of conversion experience
Volitional = gradual
Self-surrender = sudden
Give an example of a conversion experience in the bible
St Paul, on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians he saw jesus in a vision and then converted to Christianity
What does Edwin Starbuck say could be an explanation of conversion experiences
Most conversions occur between ages of 15 and 24, so it is simply a side effect of the anxieties associated with adolescence as people find their sense of identity
How does Sigmund Freud explain conversion experiences
They are hallucinations as a product of childhood insecurities
How did Anthony flew explain conversion experiences
Religious experiences are interpreted in terms of our background, which is why people in Britain tend to convert to christianity, whereas people in Saudi Arabia would be more likely to convert to islam
What is a corporate religious experience
Experiences shared by a group of people
What is an example of a biblical corporate experience
Pentecost - descent of holy spirit on apostles after resurrection and ascension of jesus, strong winds filled the room, they spoke in tongues
