conversion religious experience

Question 1

what is it/does it alter?

Answer 1

• way of life from one set of convictions to another e.g. a non-believer to a believer
• perspective in a fundamental way
• speech, praise worship etc.

Question 2

example of St Paul

Answer 2

He was travelling to persecute Christains when he was thrown off his horse and heard a voice say, ‘𝐒𝐚𝐮𝐥, 𝐒𝐚𝐮𝐥, 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐞?’ He was blinded & tended by Christians. The he could see again & Saul became Paul - the greatest missionary and was martryed for his beliefs

Question 3

example of William Vecera (young british soldier) -

‘𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞’

Answer 3

(gradual process) after he left the army, he wanted to get to know God properly and had a desire to change his life. He went to confession for the first time in years and ‘𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐝’𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭’

Question 4

example of St Ignatuis of Loyola (A knight of Basque origin)
‘For the greater Glory of God’

Answer 4

brought up Catholic but not devout in his practice - (changed over a long period)
- long recovery from a war wound; needed 3 horrific surgeries; psychological issue? Had a personality change, all the glory he once wanted for himself, he wanted to seek for God. He founded an order, ‘𝐀𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐦 𝐃𝐞𝐢 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐦.’

Question 5

William James’ view on conversion

Answer 5

assumes that a conversion to religious life will provide a sense of wholeness & intergration ‘𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲’

Question 6

criticisms of conversion

Answer 6

• might be converted from religion to athiesm/agnosticism and feel a sense of liberation if the practice or truth seemed oppressive, mistaken or absurd, That change would be as life-changing as any leap into faith

Question 7

example: the testimony of Nicky Cruz

Answer 7

• was part of a gang, got aways from abusive parents, had no hope & a bad mindset; became ruthless himself
• pastor told him there was hope and told him about love
• had an exp that Jesus cried and hugged him; changed his life
• proof as it was long-term (got married and had 4 girl) was a drastic change, nothign else could have caused it