To what extent should we rely on personal experience in our spirituality?

[Stylteralmaldo]

I am a practicing Catholic and belieive it’s teachings are 100% inspired by the Holy Spirit. I have come to this conclusion based in part by my study of Church history, reading the Bible, and personal spiritual experiences that have helped ease any fears I may have had regarding my faith.

It seems at least to me, that my personal spiritual experiances have been the exclamation point confirming what I have learned and grown to know in my Catholic faith.

The problem is, I don’t think my situation is unique merely because I am Catholic. I have known others who at the very least have claimed to have done their own study of church history, read the Bible, and have their own spiritual experiences that they also rely on yet are not Catholic.

Does anyone have any insight to help me get my arms around this?

Thanks!

 

[stbruno]

In our lives, we all may experience that conversion moment…that aha moment. Like when you hold your new born for the very first time. Or when you notice God walking in your life clearly. It’s amazing. We each experience it in our own way…some people have noticed it after going to regular adoration of the Blessed Sacrament…or they will notice it when they when are struggling with a life threatening illness. Others may experience that mountaintop feeling, out fishing. You never know when it will hit you but be open for it. God surprises us in all kinds of ways. That’s the best part.

 

[KingAlfred]

I am a practicing Catholic and belieive it’s teachings are 100% inspired by the Holy Spirit. I have come to this conclusion based in part by my study of Church history, reading the Bible, and personal spiritual experiences that have helped ease any fears I may have had regarding my faith.

It seems at least to me, that my personal spiritual experiances have been the exclamation point confirming what I have learned and grown to know in my Catholic faith.

The problem is, I don’t think my situation is unique merely because I am Catholic. I have known others who at the very least have claimed to have done their own study of church history, read the Bible, and have their own spiritual experiences that they also rely on yet are not Catholic.

Does anyone have any insight to help me get my arms around this?

Thanks!

It’s hard to invent your own religion. The Church is 2,000 years old, and has been carefully built and maintained by the some of the greatest minds known to Man, under the inspiration and stewardship of God, of course. It’s all-enduring, profound in every aspect of its underlying thought, heroic in its social achievments, and quite frankly, an invincible force in human society and history. Anyone who attempts to replace it in his own spiritual life will be hard-pressed to find or create anything even remotely capable of satisfying the voracious human appetite for religion. At some point, replacement religions will fail to satisfy.

The only field in which I tend to stretch the limits of individual judgment as a Catholic concerns Biblical interpretation. I tend to downplay literal interpretation, and lean in the direction of demytholization. I’m also a believer in non-Marxist, Liberation Theology. Mine is a milder version than what we’ve seen lately on TV in America.

 

[Stylteralmaldo]

"stbruno:

…that aha moment…

For me at least there seem to be several aha moments. It’s been a blessing to me throughout the years and continues to assist me throughout my faith life. It doesn’t mean I have everything figured out - far from it. But when I have questions, generally speaking, the answers have come to me quite quickly - though admittedly, that isn’t case all of the time. God allows me to struggle with some things - probably to help keep me humble.

…Anyone who attempts to replace it in his own spiritual life will be hard-pressed to find or create anything even remotely capable of satisfying the voracious human appetite for religion. At some point, replacement religions will fail to satisfy.

But is that really true? There’s this teaching of the Catholic Church regarding invincible ignorance. That there are those who through no fault of their own are ignorant of the Truth of the Catholic faith. Could it be that they see the 2,000 year history of the Church through different lenses, through no fault of their own, and this sight is confirmed through their spiritual experiences?

 

[KingAlfred]

I am a practicing Catholic and belieive it’s teachings are 100% inspired by the Holy Spirit. I have come to this conclusion based in part by my study of Church history, reading the Bible, and personal spiritual experiences that have helped ease any fears I may have had regarding my faith.

It seems at least to me, that my personal spiritual experiances have been the exclamation point confirming what I have learned and grown to know in my Catholic faith.

The problem is, I don’t think my situation is unique merely because I am Catholic. I have known others who at the very least have claimed to have done their own study of church history, read the Bible, and have their own spiritual experiences that they also rely on yet are not Catholic.

Does anyone have any insight to help me get my arms around this?

Thanks!

I wrestled with this question for years, and finally decided to stop trying to invent my own religion. When I encountered the story and teachings of Martin Luther in college, I instantly became embroiled in a life-long, inner-struggle to confirm the truth of my Catholic religion, or convert to Luther’s theology. It took *decades *to conclude. In the process, I became a minor expert on Luther and his war against the Church. It was a matter of profound personal interest – almost an obsession.

 

[KingAlfred]

For me at least there seem to be several aha moments. It’s been a blessing to me throughout the years and continues to assist me throughout my faith life. It doesn’t mean I have everything figured out - far from it. But when I have questions, generally speaking, the answers have come to me quite quickly - though admittedly, that isn’t case all of the time. God allows me to struggle with some things - probably to help keep me humble.

But is that really true? There’s this teaching of the Catholic Church regarding invincible ignorance. That there are those who through no fault of their own are ignorant of the Truth of the Catholic faith. Could it be that they see the 2,000 year history of the Church through different lenses, through no fault of their own, and this sight is confirmed through their spiritual experiences?

Sure. I was referring to those who at some point actually believed in the teachings of the Church. The old saying, “Once Catholic, always Catholic”, comes to mind. But yes – I know several supposedly Christian people whom I consider incredibly *lost *in life and morals. One actually asked me why I was ‘so religious’. She said, “Catholics aren’t that religious.” She claims to be Catholic herself.