Would you believe me if I said I saw a unicorn? Think, pair, share Would you believe me if I said I saw a unicorn? Would you believe it if my GCSE class said they saw the unicorn with me?

Corporate religious experiences

Learning Outcomes To be able to describe what a corporate religious experience is. To be able to evaluate whether corporate experiences are genuine or not.

Corporate religious experiences One of the most intriguing types of religious experience is a corporate religious experience that happens simultaneously to a number of people. These experiences mean being affected in ways that seemed strange to many; uncontrollable laughter, weeping, rolling on the floor and making animal noises.

Case study of a corporate religious experience Use the ipads to research in detail and evaluate the Toronto blessing…. Stretch yourself task: Research other examples of Corporate religious experiences e.g. Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal or ‘The Miracle of the Sun’.

Genuine or not? Corporate religious experiences may seem more impressive as there are a number of people having the experience. All other experiences are private and impossible to verify. Ultimately such experiences should be judged on what effects are produced. Are the experiences life changing in a positive way?

Genuine or not? Supporters of the blessing saw these events as sign of God doing things in a different way. Corporate exps look convincing because many people have them, most other exps other than these are private and cant be explained. Such experiences should be judged on the effects they produce, are they life changing? Shouldn’t be based on how strange or unreliable it seems. But sceptics and critics suggested these experiences, especially Toronto Blessing, are mass hysteria. Other critics of the Toronto Blessing argue that it doesn’t fit with Biblical experiences and isn’t the way God works. Some criticisms specify that because it is a group experience, it is possible that the feelings are caused because they are in a group, humans are social people and they tend to enjoy things more as a group. So may be this isn’t God showing himself, it could all be psychological.

Are corporate experiences genuine? Arguments for… Arguments against… Remember to: Use PEEL Include Key Thinkers Stretch yourself: Include your own opinion!

‘Corporate religious experiences are just a form of mass hysteria’ A:Give one reason supporting this statement. B: Give one reason supporting this statement. B:Give one reason supporting this statement.