Christina M. Gschwandtner. Ways of Living Religion: Philosophical Investigations into Religious Experience. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2024, xxiii + 347 pp.
European Journal for Philosophy of Religion December 20, 2024 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.69574/aejpr.v1i3.40372 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
Religious experiences are best understood not as isolated events but as comprehensive ways of life. The book argues that phenomenology is the most suitable philosophical approach for examining these experiences, which include ascetic, liturgical, monastic, mystical, devotional, compassionate, and fundamentalist forms, mostly within the Christian tradition. The focus is on how these experiences illuminate the human condition rather than on religion's uniqueness.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Religious experiences are best understood as ways of life (Erfahrung) rather than isolated acts (Erlebnis), and phenomenology is the most appropriate philosophical approach for their examination. |
Abstract
This volume offers a philosophical examination of various forms of religious experiences rather than merely concentrating on beliefs or apologetics. The author, Christina M. Gschwandtner, argues that rather than being isolated acts or one-time occurrences ( Erlebnis ), these experiences are best understood as ways of life ( Erfahrung ). According to her, the philosophical approach most appropriate for this type of examination is phenomenology. However, instead of portraying religion as a singular entity, the book provides chapters on ascetic, liturgical, monastic, mystical, devotional, compassionate, and fundamentalist experiences – mostly limited to the Christian tradition. In this instance, Gschwandtner is more interested in exploring how religious events speak to the human condition in general than she is in highlighting the uniqueness of religion. In the opening chapter, the author gives a