Monotheism and Religious Experience
Mark Owen Webb
December 31, 2024 DOI: 10.1017/9781108955317 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that interpreting reports of direct experiences of the one God requires first clarifying what religious experiences can and cannot be and what monotheism entails, since these constraints shape what such reports mean for both the experiencer and the recipient. |
Abstract
In the monotheistic traditions, there are people who report having special experiences that justify their monotheistic beliefs. They see, hear, or otherwise experience directly the one true God, ruler of the universe. In order to understand what is going on in these experiences and how we should respond to reports of these experiences, it is important to understand what religious experiences can and can't be, what the claim of monotheism entails, and therefore how what reports of such experiences mean, both for the experiencer and for the recipient of the report.