a two-tiered question.

[Hector's House]

The first tier:
Earlier today, at school a mate and myself posted a question regarding Lewis' conversion, related to the writings of Rudolf Otto and William James. I've done a search for it, and it seems to have gone. Where? I don't know. My first guess is that it may have been deleted by the moderators.

The second tier: asking the question again:

How far do you think Lewis' conversion agrees with what William James and Rudolf Otto write about religious experience?

[carol]

Can you give us a quick summary of what these people wrote? I've never heard of them. (On the other hand, if we don't come up with anything here, info about Lewis' conversion is easily available - eg "Surprised by Joy", his own spiritual autobiography.)

[Bill]

[Hector's House]

[mjmann]

Rudolph Otto wrote a book called The Idea of the Holy, which Lewis named as being one of (the ten) books that most influenced him.

[Karen]

William James (brother of Henry) wrote The Varieties of Religious Experience, a study in the psychology of religion.

[Roonwit]

Someone mentioned Rudolf Otto!!!!! I knew this was one of the best forums on the net!!!!!!!!!!

I love Otto, first read him in college and have recently read Idea of the Holy again...

Otto stated that religion is a group of emotions. You don't follow in a religion because of what you get out of it in a material sense but more in a way of how it makes you feel.

He goes on to explain that everything that we have to say about God is rational. However, everything about God is (in a sense) irrational meaning that to experience the Holy (numinous) can't be described truthfully because how it effects a person can't be described in words.

....... in a nutshell :p

[Paul F. Ford]

[Sven]

[Hector's House]

[Karen]

[Hector's House]

[wood-maid]

[Paul F. Ford]

[wood-maid]

Thanks, that was my question! I'd prefer the original, I think our local Christian bookstore has it. I especially like the scripture references you have, as I noticed when flipping through it. It's nice to have everything all together, to reference.