3A 2. Visions

What does Corporeal mean?

• Of a material nature, physical

What are dreams - in terms of visions?

• In terms of visions, the unconscious state where knowledge or understanding is gained through a series of images or a dream-narrative, that would not normally be available to the individual in the conscious state.

What does intellectual mean - in terms of visions?

• In terms of visions, that which brings knowledge and understanding to the recipient.

What is sensory - in terms of visions?

• A vision where external objects/sounds or figures convey knowledge and understanding to the recipient.

What are visions?

• The ability to ‘see’ something beyond normal experiences.

• e.g. the vision of an angel - such visions usually convey information or insight concerning a specific religious tradition.

What is a vision + Biblical example + Paul Tillich?

• A vision is a view or message of God.

• Biblical example - Moses seeing a burning bush and hears a voice calling him to a particular mission (Exodus 3).

• Experiences, visual and verbal symbols are given a special interpretation and demand a response from the person who has the experience.

• Paul Tillich identified a feeling of ‘ultimate concern’ as being a characteristic of religious experience.

When does a religious vision occur?

• A religious vision occurs when an individual believes that they have seen or heard something supernatural or a supernatural being.

• There are 3 ways in which the individual may experience a vision.

What are the 3 ways in which the individual may experience a vision?

1. Intellectual vision - Brings knowledge and understanding such as a revelation from God.

2. Imaginary vision - Where something that strengthens faith is seen with the mind’s eye such as Jacob’s vision of a ladder to heaven (Genesis)

3. Corporeal vision - Where the figure is externally present such as St Bernadette’s vision of the Virgin Mary.

What is an example of an intellectual vision?

• Julian of Norwich - 14-15th century mystic.

• In the revelations of Divine Love she recounted one vivid experience.

• There was a thing the size of a hazelnut in her hand and she wondered what it was.

• The answer came ‘It is all that is made’.

• She was marvelled that it continued to exist and didn’t disintegrate.

• Again, her mind supplied the answer ‘it exists both now and forever because God loves it’

• ‘In short everything owes its existence to the love of God.’

Example of an imaginary vision

• Sometimes dreams are considered by individuals to have been visions.

• For example in Matthews Gospel Joseph is warned in a dream to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to protect them from Herod.

Example of a corporeal vision

• St Berndaette having a vision of Mary in front of her.

What makes visions believable/credible?

• If a person relays information that they didn’t or couldn’t have known before.

• Reliability of the person relaying the experience.

• If the experience was supported by other evidence.

• Multiple people having the same vision/type of vision.

What makes them not so believable/credible?

• The person could be seeking attention.

• If there was no important information or revelation.

• Psychology could account for the experience.

• If the person’s life isn’t changed.