OpenUCT :: Browsing by Author "Wayland, Anda"

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Religious experience of the destined human being
(1995) Wayland, Anda; Cumpsty, John S
Six people fitting the above description of "destined human beings" were studied as far as possible from their own work, i.e. writings, paintings, music, speeches, letters, etc. They were studied on two levels, that of their own metier, and then how they retained that holistic quality which enabled them to remain in touch with a greater vision of life and humanity as a whole. They are Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt van Rijn, Johann Sebastian Bach, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, and, as an exception to some things which have been said, Pablo Picasso. It is hoped that this research demonstrates that these people understand humanity and its needs for religion, and that their experiences and interpretations thereof help humanity engage those needs sanely and fruitfully. In other words, they enrich religion as a quest. Different senses of identity, modes of engagement, models of reality, methods of expression are examined, all of which demonstrably fit into Cumpsty's Theory of Religion of Belonging. One of the case studies demonstrates what happens when the sense of belonging is impaired. The thesis takes a very broad view of what constitutes religious experience, but the expressions of the case studies can be considered as religion at its best, or most universal.