Religious experience and the philosophy of subjectivity: How faith shapes perception of reality
Pharos Journal of Theology May 1, 2025 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.46222/pharosjot.106.3021 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
Catholic theology treats religious experience as a core part of faith, blending personal spiritual encounters with the objective doctrines of the church. This experience extends beyond inner mysticism to include liturgy, sacraments, and prayer, enabling direct contact with God. Analysis of biblical texts shows such experience shapes worldview and behavior, defining life missions. Faith establishes moral guidelines and alters cognitive processes, reshaping reality perception. It integrates material and transcendent realms into a coherent whole and helps believers adapt to hardships by viewing trials as divine plans for spiritual growth.
Study at a glance
| Design | theological, historical, hermeneutical and conceptual analysis |
|---|---|
| Population | Catholic theological texts and biblical texts |
| Key finding | Catholic theology views religious experience as an integral element of faith that combines subjective spiritual experience with objective church teaching, influencing worldview, behavior, and cognitive processes. |
Abstract
In modern philosophical and theological discourse, religious experience is increasingly seen as altering human subjectivity and perception of reality. The purpose of the study was to identify the peculiarities of the Catholic understanding of religious experience, analyse its theological and phenomenological aspects, and determine the impact of faith on worldview orientations and cognitive processes. The study was based on theological, historical, hermeneutical and conceptual analysis. The study found that Catholic theology viewed religious experience as an integral element of faith, combining the subjective dimension of spiritual experience with the objective basis of church teaching. It was not limited to inner mystical experience, but was manifested through liturgical practice, the sacraments, and personal prayer, which provided the believer with the possibility of direct contact with God. An analysis of biblical texts has shown that religious experience influenced a person’s worldview and behaviour, determining his or her future life mission. It was found that faith not only shaped a person’s moral guidelines, but also influenced cognitive processes, changing the way they perceive reality. Faith determined not only the boundaries of spiritual cognition, but also created a holistic picture of existence, in which the material and transcendent were seen as a single coherent world. It also facilitated adaptation to life’s difficulties, as it allowed the believer to understand trials as part of God’s plan and spiritual growth.