The Sound of a Small Whisper: Ordinary Religious Experience
Open Theology June 2, 2017 Kugelmann Robert
An ordinary religious experience, unlike a numinous one, does not involve an overwhelming sense of the Divine and can be easily ignored. This phenomenological psychological inquiry describes an experience of having been guided in making a decision, recognized only at the moment of realization. The realization revealed the decision as part of a larger drama transcending the immediate experience. The world of this moment included sensing the sky as an elemental dome, with allusions to the Noah story, perceived symbolically rather than literally. The social, historical, and theological contexts for this experience are examined. Theological and psychological reflection indicate the experience continues in memory, thought, and action long after the initial moment, with an essential admonition to transcend egocentricity.