Philosophy of Religion: Nature of Religious experiences

Who was William James?

Philosopher and psychologist, also a pluralist and theorised about the nature of religious experiences.

What did William James state about religious experiences?

They exist across religions, with similar features and their experiences are often called mystic and intense.

What are the 4 requirements of a religious experience according to William James?

It must be:

• Ineffable

• Noetic

• Transient

• Passive

Explain what is meant by ineffable

Hard or even impossible to describe in words

Explain what is meant by noetic

Knowledge or insight is gained by the religious experience.

Explain what is meant by transient

The experience is temporary

Explain what is meant by passive

The experience happens to a person but they do not influence it or cause it.

Define pluralist

Believing religions can co-exist

What is a pragmatist?

Someone who views philosophy as if it has a good effect it is evidence of its truth.

What is a pragmatic example William James gives for religious experiences?

He uses an example of an alcoholic who gives up alcohol after a religious experience. Due to pragmatism, he believed this proved religious experiences.

What is a defence against the God Helmet?

There could be a natural explanation to cross-cultural similarities; our brains may hallucinate similarly due to evolution.

How does James counter the hallucination counter?

The experiences can’t just be hallucinations as they are life changing.

Counter to James’ counter-argument about life changing religious experiences

Though the experience may be life changing it could still be just a hallucination as if that person believes it is religious.

How does Otto define religious experiences?

Experiencing something numinous, wholly other, felt emotionally not rationally.

Define mysterium

Inexplicable awe at mystery of experience.

Define tremendum

The awe at being around a superior being.

Define fascinans

Despite fear being drawn to the experience.

What did Otto believe about numinous experiences?

That they were the true core of religion, all religions should have encounters with the divine.

Who was Rudolf Otto

A protestant theologian who believed religious experiences were a direct line to God, and that too much emphasis was placed on God being known through reason.

What was Persinger’s God Helmet.

A machine that manipulated brain waves to cause subjects to experience ‘religious experiences’ or meta-sensory hallucinations. Therefore suggesting these experiences are caused by the brain.

Criticism of Persinger’s God Helmet

A brain wave manipulation could be how God creates these experiences.

List the 5 types of religious experience

• Visions

• Voices

• Corporate

• Numinous

• Conversion

Outline visions

Can occur when someone is awake or dreaming and involve ‘seeing things’

Give 2 examples of visions

• St Teresa of Avila saw Christ in ‘inner visions’

• The Prophet Muhammad receiving the Qur’an from Angel Jibrail

Outline voices

Hearing a voice that has no explanation i.e., does not come from a person or yourself, whether mental or aloud, a voice having profound effect.

Give 2 examples of voices

• The Prophet Muhammad heard a voice when given the Qur’an

• St Bernadette saw and heard the virgin Mary

2 criticisms of visions/voices

• Often impacted more heavily by physical factors i.e., fasting

• Cannot directly prove these are from God

Outline corporate

Experiences happening en masse or to multiple people at once.

Give an example of a corporate religious experience

The Toronto Blessing in 1994 in which entire congregations experienced mass hysterical reactions to the Holy Spirit.

Give 3 strengths of corporate experiences

• More people so more reliable

• More verifiable as public so witnesses

• Affects can be lifechanging

Give 3 criticisms of corporate experiences

• More likely to be mass hysteria according to sceptics

• Do not match to the bible which states the Holy Spirit would not cause disorder during public worship

• Some within the group may be lying to be involved/fit in

Outline numinous

Experience awe and wonder at God’s transcendence.

Give a quote suggesting the numinous

• Isaiah 6:3-5 “The whole earth is full of his glory […] I am a man of unclean lips and I live among people of unclean lips and my eyes have seen […] the LORD Almighty.”

Give 2 criticisms of numinous experiences

• Confusing regarding how knowledge of God within religion is learnt if inexpressible

• To say all experiences are numinous as Otto does limits experiences drastically

Outline conversion

Causes someone to change beliefs.

Did William James support conversion?

Due to pragmatism yes he did.

What does psychology imply about conversion?

Edward Starbuck found many parallels between ‘finding God’ and simply discovering our own identities during adolescence.

What is a criticism of the psychological approach to conversion?

It fails to address the cause, and correlation does not explain causation.