Religious Experience

• What are corporate experiences?

  Experienced by a large group simultaneously i.e. the Toronto Airport
• What are numinous experiences?

  Spiritual or mystical experiences that evoke a sense of awe, wonder, and connection to something greater than oneself.
• What are mystical experiences?

  Overwhelming presence of God. Understanding of spiritual truth. Sense of mystery/otherness.
• What are conversion experiences?

  A drastic or simple change in a person's behaviour or characteristics i.e. Paul -> Saul, Nicky Cruz
• Schliermacher's criteria: Experience is at the heart of faith, experiences are 'self-authenticating' and require no testing, experience should have priority
• William James' criteria: Must have at least two of the following: Ineffability - impossible to express, Noetic Quality - important truth/revelation, Transcience - short lasting, may have long lasting effects, Passivity - not in control of situation/recipient.
• Otto's criteria: Must have; 1 - mystery, 2 - ultimate importance, 3 - both attractive and dangerous. 'Mysterium tremendum et fascinans' - awe inspiring and fascinating mystery.
• Swinburne's criteria: They have no reason to lie, we should believe. Principle of Testimony - should believe others, Principle of Credulity - should believe self.
• Conversion of Paul: Hater of Jesus. Became injured and Jesus nurtured him back to health. Converted to follower - now Saul
• Nicky Cruz: Gang member with bad childhood turned preacher.
• Toronto Airport: Group worship visited by Jesus. All began barking/screaming/dancing. Now been commercialised.
• Other ways they are understood: Near death experience (symptoms align). Freud - infantile neurosis (imagining God as a father figure).