1. Evaluating William James LO: I will evaluate James’ analysis of Religious Experience Starter: What was William James’ criteria for identifying religious experiences? What were his three conclusions? Homework – Complete research started in class.

2. How do we evaluate? Ask… Is it useful/harmful? What affect would it have it everyone thought/did this? Are there any inconsistencies in the argument?

3. STARTER: A quote to discuss … ‘The question must then be asked; what is our criteria for assessing the authenticity of a religion? The issue here relates to a question of authority. Do we judge a religion in itself with its set of statutes and commands passed on from a religious founder to encompass ultimate authority, or is it rather the experience of the religious adherent which stands as having ultimate authority? My initial response would be that the latter must always be subjected to the former otherwise the experience of the religious adherent may not always be a true enactment of the religion itself. Human experience, like any other human faculty is fallible and open to making mistakes. It is therefore unreliable …to use experience as the sole focus in driving an understanding of the religions in the world. Although experience does play an important role, it is counterproductive to isolate this from its traditional or communal setting … The wider story outside of the experience of the individual must never be lost.’ Evaluating James 1: Empiricism

4. For debate ‘You can’t dismiss traditional religions as second hand.’

5. Does Pluralism work? Read the article by Jonathan Dodson. Note down 3 things said One thing to remember Anything to challenge/disagree with Any questions it leaves you asking Evaluating James 2: Pluralism

6. Evaluating James For If there is a God who is beyond our understanding, then the idea of the noetic is useful because it would take an incomprehensible, powerful God to be able to reveal such knowledge, making it accessible to us, rather than finite limited beings grasping an understanding of this God. Pluralism is useful in its attempt to be all inclusive across religions. This promotes harmony It is good that James is modest in his approach. He never goes as far as to say these religious experiences prove the existence of a particular religions idea of God. This discourages religious arrogance or superiority. It is good to look at other areas of human faculties, such as the psychological, when studying experience. This is more holistic. Against The term ‘mystical experience’ is useful in its focus upon the experience which is beyond our natural ability to understand, but if we can’t understand it have we really said anything useful at all? Pluralism makes no sense because it fails to take seriously the competing truth claims from each religion. E.g. Is Jesus God? (Christian) or Prophet (Islam). Is God Trinity (Christian) or Tawhid (Islam)? If there are psychological explanations for these experiences, then they are no longer religious experiences. Is experience the main source of religious belief? Is James putting too much emphasis on the importance of human experience when it comes to making sense of religion? We know that ‘experiences’ are fallible.

7. Research – Intro to Numinous Paired presentations We will go up to the library and you will all research Rudolf Otto (1869-1937). In addition, see what else you can find out about the following: Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834) Martin Buber (1878-1965) You must present: who they were (background info) what they said in relation to Religious Experience Some of you will be selected to present next lesson.