Essays on Religious and Political Experience

The precise nature and relationship between religious and political experiences has been the subject of much controversy and debate in recent years. It is well known that some religious experiences have been used to justify terrible political violence and ideologies, causing serious problems in the social and political life of modern citizens. The purpose of this book is to study the nature of religious experiences and work out their spiritual and political implications. Unlike spiritual experiences that limit themselves to the lives of the individual at a personal level, political experiences tend to have vast social consequences. This book advances the argument that religious experiences on many occasions have contributed immensely to spiritual and social progress, and that they must not be confused with political prejudices and motivated ideologies of some disgruntled individuals.