1. Classification of religious experiences
Different types of religious experience

2. This first section is designed to introduce candidates to the nature of religious experience by referring to various forms of religious experience. Each of the four stated forms: visions; conversion; mysticism and prayer should be studied in the light of religious traditions which can exemplify each of these. Centres will find reference to Teresa's types of prayer, as explained in The Interior Castle, useful to refer to. Similarly, centres should refer to Teresa's description of the stages of prayer as explained in the Garden analogy. In each case, (i.e. types and stages) candidates will be expected to be familiar with both of her analogous explanations and be able to give a brief description of each. Centres may focus on one tradition (e.g. Islam) for exemplification of all four forms, although it is equally permissible to draw on examples from several different religious traditions if that is deemed preferable.

3. The nature of religious experience with particular reference to:D
The nature of religious experience with particular reference to:
Visions – sensory; intellectual; dreams. Conversion – individual/communal; sudden/gradual. Mysticism – transcendent; ecstatic and unitive. Prayer – types and stages of prayer according to Teresa of Avila.

4. Visions Definitions - sensory; intellectual; dreams. Examples
Joan of Ark's vision
St Teresa of Avila's vision

5. Definition: Something seen other than by ordinary sight
Usually believed to come from a deity
i.e. God, Jesus or the Virgin Mary
Conveys a message or revelation of some sort

6. What do people have visions of?
Religious figures- St Teresa of Avila, St Bernadette
Places (heaven & hell)
Fantastic creatures / figures ~ Ezekiel
The future

7. Different types of vision
Sensory/ Corporeal visions- where the object is external and conveys knowledge and understanding to the recipient and is only visible to certain people
Dreams/ Imaginative visions- where the image is produced in the persons imagination, the unconscious state where knowledge or understanding is gained through a series of images or a dream-narrative i.e. it is internal
Intellectual visions –brings knowledge and understanding such as revelation from God
Also
Group visions- seen by more than one person
Individual visions- seen only by one person

8. Sensory visions Group visions Individual visions Corporeal visions
Seen by more than one person.
Angel of Mons – First World War – British soldiers saw a vision of St George and a phantom bowman
Seen by only one person
E.g. Bernadette – next slide
Often imaginative or dream based, internal visions
e.g. Wise men/Magi warned in a dream not to return to Herod in Matthew’s Gospel 2:12
Of a material nature, physical

9. Content of visions
Religious figures- St Teresa of Avila’s vision of an angel holding a long spear that seemed to pierce her heart several times and when it was withdrawn it left her ‘completely afire with a great love for God’ , St Bernadette
Places (heaven & hell) Guru Nanak’s vision of God’s court
Fantastic creatures / figures Ezekiel’s vision of four living creatures
The future – John’s visions in the book of Revelation that describes the dead being judged.

10. An example of a famous vision:
Lourdes: is one of the most visited places (pilgrimages) in the world, by Catholics

11. Consolidation
Find and read Genesis 28: What type of vision?

12. Conversion
Definitions – Conversion means ‘to change direction’ or ‘to turn around’. It is a process of change that alters one’s view of the world and one’s personal place in it.
St Paul's conversion
Cat Stevens conversion to Islam
Scholars to research
William James
Moojan Momen
Lofland and Stark

13. Types of conversion Can convert from one religion to another
Can convert to a religion when previously had no faith - Augustine is an example of a moral conversion, in that his wayward life was challenged when he read the words from Romans, which exhorts the reader to abandon the works of the flesh and be clothed with Christ.
Can convert from believing to trusting - John Wesley’s vivid experience that enlivened his faith. He wrote: ‘I felt my heart strangely warmed, I felt I did trust Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins…’

14. Types of conversion Individual Communal
The conversion is of a group of people at the same occasion
The first Pentecost in Acts of the Apostles 2:1–21 (New Testament).
The conversion is of a single person rather than a group
Paul’s conversion, when he saw blinding light and heard the voice of Jesus calling him to ministry. His life was changed forever.

15. PASSIVE The conversion is not deliberately sought but comes upon them unexpectedly. ACTIVE The conversion is deliberately sought, perhaps by going to an evangelistic meeting with the intention of responding to the preacher SUDDEN The conversion takes place suddenly, when a clear decision is made and a particular date can be given for the event. However, there may have been prior sub-conscious development.
GRADUAL The conversion takes place over a length of time possibly even years

16. Mysticism
A mystical experience is one in which the subject becomes overwhelmingly aware of the presence of God Mystical experiences have several common features: • A sense of union with the divine. • A sense of dependence on God. • A sense of separateness from God. • Time is transcended. • ‘Noetic’ experiences (William James) or a ‘showing’ (Mother Julian of Norwich) – something is clearly revealed to the person receiving the experience. • A sense of joy and well-being

17. Paul Tillich described two stages in a mystical experience:
The first is an event or encounter The second is a special understanding of that event as the result of ecstasy, a special way of looking at the event which reveals its religious significance.

18. The nature of mystical experiences
Nature - The experience of oneness with nature. God is everywhere so he can be experienced through the natural world Monistic - The experience of one’s own spirit as the Absolute, the identity of Atman and Brahman. Theistic - Union or communion with a personal Lord. In which the mystic looks inwards on her own experience and understands her own oneness with the divine Introvertive - Where the experience of the mystic is like that of the poet, contemplating outward circumstances.

19. Transcendent; ecstatic and unitive.
Ed Miller created a summary of mystical experiences
Transcendent: not localisable in space or time, takes the experient beyond the realm of normal everyday experience e.g. ‘other worldly’
Escatic: filling the soul with bliss and the closest mortal souls can get to the presence of God
Unitive: uniting the soul with reality, removal of the separation between the individual and God
Plus
Ineffable: not expressible in language
Noetic: conveying illumination, truth, new knowledge

20. Mystical experiences Examples
Scholars to research
Hindu – Yoga Buddhist – meditation Judaism – Kabbahal Islam - Sufism
James
Teasdall
Happold
Pahnke
Stace
Zaehner
Smart
Ottp

21. Prayer
In a sense all religious experience is about prayer i.e. communion with God.

22. Types of Prayer
Blessing - Ephesians 1:3 Adoration - Psalm 95.6 Petition - Colossians 4:12 Asking forgiveness - Luke 18:13 Intercession - 1 Timothy 2:1 Thanksgiving - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Praise - Ephesians 3:20

23. St Teresa of Avila – Scholar’s teachings on prayer
St. Teresa of Avila ( ) was a Spanish mystic and Roman Catholic saint. She had several religious experiences during her life, and wrote about the importance of mystic prayer to religious life. Teresa believed that the purpose of life was union with God, which is also the purpose of prayer. Therefore, the purpose of life is union with God through prayer.
She wrote of the seven types of prayer in her work, The Interior Castle, and the stages of prayer in the analogy of the garden.

24. The Interior Castle
This work describes the ‘seven mansions’ or ‘seven dwelling places’ that each represent a step towards unity with God. It is a guide for spiritual development through service and prayer. Initially, we are introduced to those outside the castle who are described as paralyzed and crippled by sin. This level represents those who are spiritually and morally bound by evil.

25. The Garden Analogy
The analogy is presented in the Autobiography of Teresa of Avila, and gives the metaphor of a garden; with the earth representing the soul and water being the understanding of grace. Teresa stated that “a beginner must look on himself as one setting out to make a garden for His Lord’s pleasure, on most unfruitful soil which abounds in weeds. His Majesty roots up the weeds and will put in good plants instead.”

26. Four stages 1. First Water (mental prayer)
2. Drawing Water (prayer of quiet)
3. Irrigated Garden (imperfect union)
4. Rain (perfect union)