UNEXPECTED POSSIBLE. A BUILDING-BLOCK APPROACH TO SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES REVISITED
Both spiritual and religious experiences express an “unexpected possible happiness”. Unexpected is defined as a recognition of contingency. Possible is defined as transcendental openness towards possibilities that are considered ultimate. Happiness as a transcending anticipation of ultimate possibi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of the Free State
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Acta Theologica |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/5022 |
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| author | C.A.M. Hermans |
| author_facet | C.A.M. Hermans |
| author_sort | C.A.M. Hermans |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Both spiritual and religious experiences express an “unexpected possible happiness”. Unexpected is defined as a recognition of contingency. Possible is defined as transcendental openness towards possibilities that are considered ultimate. Happiness as a transcending anticipation of ultimate possibilities. Spiritual experiences are characterised by the recognition of contingency, transcendental openness and happiness. Spiritual experiences can be religious, but not necessarily so. Religious experiences include a reference to God as ultimate. Next, the author presents insights from neuropsychology and cognitive science, which assist in understanding human processing of surprise in embodied, cultural and social practices. Finally, five building blocks of spiritual and religious experience are formulated. Results from empirical research are presented to substantiate the concepts presented in the building blocks and the layered structure of these experiences. The author concludes by presenting four challenges and suggestions for further research.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-71fce3ba4b604fde80cef3d5a3480140 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1015-8758 2309-9089 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | University of the Free State |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Theologica |
| spelling | doaj-art-71fce3ba4b604fde80cef3d5a34801402025-02-11T09:45:02ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892020-12-0110.38140/at.vi.5022UNEXPECTED POSSIBLE. A BUILDING-BLOCK APPROACH TO SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES REVISITEDC.A.M. Hermans0Radbound University Both spiritual and religious experiences express an “unexpected possible happiness”. Unexpected is defined as a recognition of contingency. Possible is defined as transcendental openness towards possibilities that are considered ultimate. Happiness as a transcending anticipation of ultimate possibilities. Spiritual experiences are characterised by the recognition of contingency, transcendental openness and happiness. Spiritual experiences can be religious, but not necessarily so. Religious experiences include a reference to God as ultimate. Next, the author presents insights from neuropsychology and cognitive science, which assist in understanding human processing of surprise in embodied, cultural and social practices. Finally, five building blocks of spiritual and religious experience are formulated. Results from empirical research are presented to substantiate the concepts presented in the building blocks and the layered structure of these experiences. The author concludes by presenting four challenges and suggestions for further research. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/5022Spiritual experiencesReligious experiencesContingencyTranscendental openness |
| spellingShingle | C.A.M. Hermans UNEXPECTED POSSIBLE. A BUILDING-BLOCK APPROACH TO SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES REVISITED Acta Theologica Spiritual experiences Religious experiences Contingency Transcendental openness |
| title | UNEXPECTED POSSIBLE. A BUILDING-BLOCK APPROACH TO SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES REVISITED |
| title_full | UNEXPECTED POSSIBLE. A BUILDING-BLOCK APPROACH TO SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES REVISITED |
| title_fullStr | UNEXPECTED POSSIBLE. A BUILDING-BLOCK APPROACH TO SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES REVISITED |
| title_full_unstemmed | UNEXPECTED POSSIBLE. A BUILDING-BLOCK APPROACH TO SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES REVISITED |
| title_short | UNEXPECTED POSSIBLE. A BUILDING-BLOCK APPROACH TO SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES REVISITED |
| title_sort | unexpected possible a building block approach to spiritual and religious experiences revisited |
| topic | Spiritual experiences Religious experiences Contingency Transcendental openness |
| url | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/5022 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT camhermans unexpectedpossibleabuildingblockapproachtospiritualandreligiousexperiencesrevisited |