Visions
When one says they have had a ‘vision’, the individual believes they have seen or heard something supernatural.
QUASI-SENSORY EXPERIENCES – CAROLINE FRANKS DAVIS
- Rel exp with physical sensation of one of the five sense modalities are ‘quasi-sensory’ experiences.
- These include visions and dreams, voices and other sounds, smells, tastes, the feeling of being touched, heat, pain, and the sensation of rising up (levitation.) (Smell e.g. Zeitoun, Cario Egypt)
- Frequently discussed type of quasi-sensory exp is the apparent vision of a spiritual being who gives the subject advice (e.g. Lourdes)
- 1) ‘Quasi-sensory elements are taken to representations of a spiritual entity which is actually present (real image) e.g. Marian Apparitions E.G. In Garabandal (spain 1961-65) when 4 girls have over 2,000 visions of the Virgin Mary, accompanied by many miracles and signs. The message given was for others to understand the importance oc conversion and believing in God, prayer, penance, faith and leading a good life.
- 2) ‘The quasi-sensory elements of a religious experience are considered to be like ‘pictures’ send by a divine being + requiring interpretation’ - like ‘film’ age – sent by a person. E.g. Julian of Norwich having a vision of a lord and servant which helped her understand God better.
- 3) ‘The quasi-sensory elements have no particular religious significant – e.g. light warmth’
- (READ SHEET IN FILE FOR MORE DETAIL)
GROUP VISIONS
Visions seen by more than one person. E.g. Betania, Venezuela 1976-1980. The principle visionary, Maria Bianchini, first had private revelations consisting of visions and messages from the Virgin Mary in 1976, who announced herself as he ‘Reconciler of Nations.’ In 1984 the apparitions became public, witnessed by large crowds, but no words were communicated.
- Or e.g. the Marian apparitions at Medjugorje where six teenagers all had multiple experiences of Mary.
INDIVIDUAL VISIONS
Only seen by one person. This happens in the vast majority of cases.
E.g. Ones claimed by Bernadette of Lourdes. Mary appeared to her from the interior of a grotto. Bernadette lost any fear she may have had and fell to her knees to pray before the rosary. After both she and the lady had completed these prayers, the lady slowly withdrew to the interior of the grotto and disappears. Bernadette claimed to have experience 18 visitations from Mary over a 6-month period; not knowing wh the lady was until the last apparition.
During the apparitions, Mary instructed Bernadette to dig a hole in the ground and drink and bathe in it. This hole later turned into a spring of water, which Mary promised would be a healing spring for all who came to use its waters. Mary also asked Bernadette to tell the local priest to have a chapel built in honor of her appearances there.
CORPOREAL VISIONS
- One in which the object is external but only visible to certain people.
- There are usually visions of angels that are not appearances just in the mind.
Corporeal visions: e.g. Mary told Bernadette that the water from the spring had the power to heal the sick.
e.g. The Annunciation LK 1:26-38 - The angel Gabriel sent by God to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, named Mary. Intros vision the angel seem to have much more of a physical presence - it is not a dream, but doesn’t just sound like her imagination.
IMAGINATIVE VISIONS
- Where the image is produced in the persons imagination and has no existence external to the person.
- ‘Pictures send by a divine being that often require some type of interpretation’ (2nd element of quasi-sensory exp)
E.g. Peters Vision - Acts 10 - He fell into a trance and saw heaven thrown open like a big sheet, containing all animals which he did not eat. But God said ‘What God has made clean, you have no right to call profane’.
If they are genuine then they have been brought about by a super natural agent. These visions are like ‘pictures’ sent by a divine being often require some interpretation. (2nd element of quasi-sensory exp)
Examples of people who have had individual visions:
- Bernadette Of Lourdes
- Nicky Cruz (image vision)
- moses and the burning bush
- Annunciation
- Peters vision
- Ezekiel’s vision
Examples of group visions:
- Medjugorgie (1931, 4 girls + 2 boys)
- Akita
- Fatima (1917 - 3 shephard children, miracle of the sun)
INTELLECTUAL:
Where one can come to understand divine truths and have a revelation
e.g. Julian of Norwich (mystic) - Shown something the size of a hazelnut. From this she understood: God creates, sustains and loves all things.
