God experience,” “Conversion experience,” “Religious experience” are terms or topics that are much talked about and sought after in the present times especially in the Church. Such “experiences” have been undergone by a few in the course of church history, and no doubt truly experienced by those few; these worthies, have become saints and luminaries in the church. It has always intrigued the author, whether such “experiences” are the “norm”, which is obviously not the case. If so, how does the “ordinary” Christian come into the faith and remain in it? How can he come to the convictions of the contents of the faith? “Were the experiences of Paul and Newman objective or subjective?” Did such “experiences” have a commonality among them? Are such “experiences” relevant to the present day Catholic, to become devoted and remain dedicated all life long? These are some of the questions explored in this work, and some answers arrived in the comparative study of St. Paul’s and Cardinal Newman’s seminal “conversion experience.”
Contents
Foreword Acknowledgements Abbreviations General Introduction
Chapter 1. Clarifying Terms
Section I. Terms With Reference to Experience Section II. Clarifying Terms with Reference to Cognition and Expression of Religious Experience
Chapter 2. The Seminal Conversion Experinece of St. Paul
Chapter 3. The Seminal Experience of Newman
Chapter 4. Comparison of the Seminal Experience of Paul and Newman and Its Comparison with Sensus Fidei, Sensus Fidelium
General Conclusion Bibliography
Fr. Bosco Antony Ryan, is a priest of the archdiocese of Madras Mylapore for the past 20 years; 19 of which have been spent teaching in the major seminary of the diocese, during which he also completed a Masters’ and Doctoral degree in “Spiritual Theology”
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