Religious experience terms- Philosophy theme 3

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 to turn around

description related

relating to descriptions of mystical experiences as a basis for challenging their authenticity

foundational belief

A belief that needs not further proof to support it

Caroline Franks Davis

A scholar who demonstrated how the authenticity of religious experiences could be challenged

R.F Holland

An 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, whose work relating to empiricism was hugely influential on the 20th century logical positivists. His Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (published after his death) are 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 investigations into religious experience and mysticism

miracle

Act of wonder, variously defined including a violation of the laws of nature (Hume) and an unusual and striking event that evokes and mediates a vivid awareness of God (Hick)

monism

the view that there is only one basic fundamental reality

mystical

Experiences or systematic meditation, 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 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 that was experienced) of mystical experiences as a basis for challenging their authenticity

Rudolf Otto

His book The Idea of the Holy defined the concept of the holy as that which is numinous

passive

Where the recipients of the mystical experience do not bring it about themselves- the actual moment is governed by a being or force external to the will of the recipient

subject related

relating to the subject of mystical experiences as a basis for challenging their authenticity

Subjective

Having his source within the mind

Sufism

the mystical tradition within Islam

Richard Swinburne

British Philosopher and Christian apologist writing on numerous issues in philosophy of 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