Aspects of Religious Experience in the Thought of Norman L. Geisler and Friedrich Schleiermacher

In contemporary thought, the philosophy of religion has risen again despite attempts to remove God from the sphere of philosophical concerns. This paper explores the concept of general religious experience, defined as the totality of consciousness underlying particular experiences that is accessible to most people, with the lowest level of general religious experience being called primary consciousness. Religious experience includes transcendence in the sense of the object of religious experience, without putting the equivalent sign between the Transcendent and the Christian idea of God. This paper aims to examine the characteristics of religious experience, its relationship with other forms of human experience, and its significance in human consciousness and behavior. By examining these aspects, this study intends to contribute to the ongoing dialogue between philosophy and religious studies, offering insights into the enduring relevance of religious experience.