WJEC Philosophy — Theme 3
Religious Experience — Flashcard Set
Question Answer
What is a vision? Where a person sees an object, sound or figure that is not part of
normal reality but the person believes they have a religious
origin.
What are the four types of vision? Sensory visions: Group
Sensory Visions: Individual - dream based
Sensory visions: individual - corporeal
Sensory visions: intellectual
Example of a group vision. Fatima - the Virgin Mary, appeared 6 times to 3 shepherd
children and told them messages of wanting peace in Russia
Example of Individual dream based vision? Joseph’s vision when engaged to Mary, about her pregnancy
Example of Individual corporeal vision. The appearance of angels e.g. the shepherds when Jesus was
born
Example of intellectual vision. When wise men were warned in a dream not to return to King
Herod
What a conversion? A process of change that alters a person’s view of the world
What key features of conversion did William Can be passive or active
James outline? Conversions can often be transforming - often more spiritual or
ethical
Can either be fast or slow
Often involuntary
What are the 5 different types of conversion? Atheist to Faith
Faith to Faith
Inner self
Deepening of faith
Moral
What is a mystical experience? About a feeling a union with God. The experience can be
powerful, but the person finds it hard to explain the experience
What 5 features did Ed Miller argue that Transcendent - fleeting in nature
mystical experiences have? Ineffable - not easily expressible
Noetic - conveys a deep truth
Ecstatic - fills the soul with bliss
Unitive - uniting spiritual soul with reality
What are the 3 main types of mystical Unitive - involves the removal of separation between individual
experiences? and God
Transcendent - takes the person beyond the realm of everyday
experience
Ecstatic - feeling of powerful joy
, Question Answer
What is Teresa of Avila’s approach to Through her four stages of prayer (refers to them as 7 mansions)
religious experience?
What is stage 1 of Teresa’s 4 stages of Found in the fourth metaphorical mansion, is the prayer of
prayer? consolations from God a.k.a the Prayer of Quiet. Described as a
state where the human will is completely captivated by God’s
love. ‘Sleep of faculties’
What is stage 2 of Teresa’s 4 stages of Within the fifth mansion describes the next stage as the prayer of
prayer? simple union. God places himself in the interior of the persons
soul
What is stage 3 of Teresa’s 4 stages of The sixth mansion is commonly known as the stage of ‘spiritual
prayer? marriage’. Include feelings of painful longing, spiritual
happiness and visions. Wanting to spend every possible moment
alone with God above all other things
What is stage 4 of Teresa’s 4 stages of Seventh and final mansion: highest possible state of prayer. Soul
prayer? has reached a state of union with God a.k.a ‘mystical marriage’.
Person is in complete unity with God
Who are the main scholars for mystical William James and Rudolf Otto
experience?
What was the name for William James’ “Varieties of Religious Experience’ 1902
book?
What are the four characteristics of mystical Ineffability - cannot explain
experience? Noetic quality - allows insight into faith
Transiency - does not last long
Passivity - mystics life will often be changed after experience
What is the name of Otto’s book? The Idea of the Holy
What is the human predisposition for Otto believed that humans naturally seek out the numinous, as it
religious experience? is part of humanities natural inclination to seek spiritual.
What is mysterium tremendum? The only way to sum up the intensity of the experience, meaning
terrible mystery
What is the name of Caroline Franks-Davis’ ‘The Evidential Force of Religious Experience' 1989
book?
What are the three challenges to the validity Description-related challenges
of religious mystical experience highlighted Subject-related challenges
by Frank-Davis? Object-related challenges
Explain criticism: religious experiences are Science demands that for anything to be true, it must be verified
subjective by empirical evidence
Mystical experiences are impossible to verify
Religious Experience — Flashcard Set
Question Answer
What is a vision? Where a person sees an object, sound or figure that is not part of
normal reality but the person believes they have a religious
origin.
What are the four types of vision? Sensory visions: Group
Sensory Visions: Individual - dream based
Sensory visions: individual - corporeal
Sensory visions: intellectual
Example of a group vision. Fatima - the Virgin Mary, appeared 6 times to 3 shepherd
children and told them messages of wanting peace in Russia
Example of Individual dream based vision? Joseph’s vision when engaged to Mary, about her pregnancy
Example of Individual corporeal vision. The appearance of angels e.g. the shepherds when Jesus was
born
Example of intellectual vision. When wise men were warned in a dream not to return to King
Herod
What a conversion? A process of change that alters a person’s view of the world
What key features of conversion did William Can be passive or active
James outline? Conversions can often be transforming - often more spiritual or
ethical
Can either be fast or slow
Often involuntary
What are the 5 different types of conversion? Atheist to Faith
Faith to Faith
Inner self
Deepening of faith
Moral
What is a mystical experience? About a feeling a union with God. The experience can be
powerful, but the person finds it hard to explain the experience
What 5 features did Ed Miller argue that Transcendent - fleeting in nature
mystical experiences have? Ineffable - not easily expressible
Noetic - conveys a deep truth
Ecstatic - fills the soul with bliss
Unitive - uniting spiritual soul with reality
What are the 3 main types of mystical Unitive - involves the removal of separation between individual
experiences? and God
Transcendent - takes the person beyond the realm of everyday
experience
Ecstatic - feeling of powerful joy
, Question Answer
What is Teresa of Avila’s approach to Through her four stages of prayer (refers to them as 7 mansions)
religious experience?
What is stage 1 of Teresa’s 4 stages of Found in the fourth metaphorical mansion, is the prayer of
prayer? consolations from God a.k.a the Prayer of Quiet. Described as a
state where the human will is completely captivated by God’s
love. ‘Sleep of faculties’
What is stage 2 of Teresa’s 4 stages of Within the fifth mansion describes the next stage as the prayer of
prayer? simple union. God places himself in the interior of the persons
soul
What is stage 3 of Teresa’s 4 stages of The sixth mansion is commonly known as the stage of ‘spiritual
prayer? marriage’. Include feelings of painful longing, spiritual
happiness and visions. Wanting to spend every possible moment
alone with God above all other things
What is stage 4 of Teresa’s 4 stages of Seventh and final mansion: highest possible state of prayer. Soul
prayer? has reached a state of union with God a.k.a ‘mystical marriage’.
Person is in complete unity with God
Who are the main scholars for mystical William James and Rudolf Otto
experience?
What was the name for William James’ “Varieties of Religious Experience’ 1902
book?
What are the four characteristics of mystical Ineffability - cannot explain
experience? Noetic quality - allows insight into faith
Transiency - does not last long
Passivity - mystics life will often be changed after experience
What is the name of Otto’s book? The Idea of the Holy
What is the human predisposition for Otto believed that humans naturally seek out the numinous, as it
religious experience? is part of humanities natural inclination to seek spiritual.
What is mysterium tremendum? The only way to sum up the intensity of the experience, meaning
terrible mystery
What is the name of Caroline Franks-Davis’ ‘The Evidential Force of Religious Experience' 1989
book?
What are the three challenges to the validity Description-related challenges
of religious mystical experience highlighted Subject-related challenges
by Frank-Davis? Object-related challenges
Explain criticism: religious experiences are Science demands that for anything to be true, it must be verified
subjective by empirical evidence
Mystical experiences are impossible to verify
