Abstract

PAIVA, Geraldo José de. Psychological studies of religions experience. Temas psicol. [online]. 1998, vol.6, n.2, pp. 153-160. ISSN 1413-389X.

The historical roots of the concept of religious experience are sought in the works of Scheleirmacher, Otto, and James, as a basis for a discussion of the epistemological, cognitive and affective compounds of that concept. The immediate character of religious experience, as knowledge and/or as affection, is discussed, and attention is paid to its emotional density. Some factorial models and a psycho-social theoretical model of religious experience are then presented. Some classifications of religious experience are proposed, according to its content, perceived personal interaction, and process complexity. Finally, some notions that common language associates to religious experience are discussed, such as spirituality, mysticism, and the experience of the sacred.

Keywords : experience; mysticism; psychology of religion; religious experience; the sacred.

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