Religious Experience

Question 1

What are the TWO different types of R.E

Answer 1

Direct- Feeling of making contact with GodIndirect- Inherent experience of God

Question 2

Name and describe 7 types of R.E according to CAROLINE FRANKS DAVIES in “The Evidential Force of Religion”

Answer 2

1- Awareness - seeing God’s work in creation2- Quasi- sensory - Vision/ Audio experience from God3- Numinous - Overwhelming4- Regenerative - Compulsion to convert5- Mystical - Sense of ultimate reality and unity with God6- Revelatory - Receiving enlightenment from God7- Interprative - Having prayers answered

Question 3

What does ANDREW GREELY say about R.E

Answer 3

Creates feeling of inner peace, compassion for other & sense of joy

Question 4

What does H.D LEWIS say about R.E (quote)

Answer 4

‘Not just a feeling.. but a conviction… that something must be”

Question 5

Who coined the phrase numinous

Answer 5

RUDOLPH OTTO

Question 6

What is OTTO’s saying about R.E (latin phrase)

Answer 6

Mysterium (evokes silence) tremendum (terror) et fascinas (merciful & gracious)

Question 7

Define Propositional & Non- Propositional R.E

Answer 7

Propositional- God communicates divine messageNon- Propositional- Non verbal, visions, divine inspiation

Question 8

What were events at Fatima

Answer 8

• 1917 in Portugal- Mary appeared to 3 children, given visions of future- 70,000 people say ‘sun dancing’

Question 9

When was the Toronto Blessing

Answer 9

1994

Question 10

What is suffism

Answer 10

Mystical experience within ISLAM

Question 11

What does PAUL TILLICH say about R.E

Answer 11

Two Stages:1) Event2) Special understanding of event

Question 12

What are the 4 characteristics of RE according to WILLIAM JAMES in “Varieties of Religious Experience”

Answer 12

1) Ineffability- defies description2) Noetic Quality- Revelation of universal truths3) Transiency- brief but important4) Passivity- Feeling of being taken over

Question 13

What does Jonathan Edwards refer to RE

Answer 13

• Religious AFFECTION- Evoke radical change, over long period of time

Question 14

Explain 3 reasons to support RE according to SWINBURNE in “Is there a God?”

Answer 14

1) Reasonable to support that God would interact with his creation.2) PRINCIPLE OF CREDULITY- Should trust our senses3) PRINCIPLE OF TESTIMONY- Should believe what others say is true

Question 15

What is the HISTORICAL ARGUMENT

Answer 15

Experiences of KEY individuals must be true

Question 16

What is the CUMULATIVE ARGUMENT

Answer 16

Volume of numbers

Question 17

What is VARDY’S critique of RE (and ALL theistic arguments)

Answer 17

Dependent upon one’s presuppositions

Question 18

What does JOHN HICK say about RE & who supports him

Answer 18

• May be easily interpreted another way- Dawkins (Darwinian world is simpler)

Question 19

Who says that events can be ‘see as’ different (Rabbit Duck)

Answer 19

WITTGENSTEIN