The Direct Perception of God through the Sacraments in Christian Education
Jerome W. Berryman, Cheryl V. Minor
Journal of Childhood and Religion May 1, 2026 DOI: 10.65045/001c.161241 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Transformative learning Unconscious mind Perception Experiential learning The symbolic Protestantism Religious experience Comprehension Epistemology Religious education Spiritual development Epiphany Function biology |
| Key points | Argues that Protestant sacraments convey a profound, experiential knowledge of God that complements verbal instruction and nurtures spiritual formation. |
Abstract
This paper examines whether direct perception of the Divine occurs through the Protestant sacraments—bread, wine, and water—and what this implies for Christian education. Integrating theological, philosophical, psychological, and mystical perspectives, it explores how sacraments function beyond rational comprehension as symbolic and transformative vehicles. Theologians debate their role in mediating divine reality, philosophers and psychologists highlight the pre-rational and unconscious dimensions of symbolic meaning, and mystics affirm sacraments as pathways to ultimate reality. The study concludes that sacraments convey a profound, experiential knowledge of God, complementing verbal instruction and nurturing spiritual formation. In a time of symbolic impoverishment, renewed engagement with sacraments restores access to the deeper, creative, and transformative dimensions of faith.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mysticism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The mystical mind: probing the biology of religious experience | 2000 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis | 1983 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy | 1993 | Edited collection of essays | |
| Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mysticism and schizophrenia: A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |