An Investigation and Analysis of Religious Experience Argument Put Forward by Friedrich Schleiermacher

ABSTRACT: Religious experience argument introduced by Friedrich Schleiermacher results from the dominant law on the relationship between god and humans in Christianity. Religious experience argument is formed in accordance with Christianity’s definition of god’s relationship with humans. As Schleiermacher believes, because this argument is based on religious experience rooted in sensation, it is fault-free (infallible). Yet, as ontological argument, this argument has reached rational affirmation of god’s existence from god’s concept. Religious experience results into knowledge, a knowledge in forming of which, non-epistemological factors such as pragmatic, psychological and sociological factors are influential and that becomes substantiated by rational justifications in foundationalism tradition. Understanding the causality and creativity relationships is abstract and rational. Against what is claimed, basics and fundamentals of religious experience argument are not fault-free and like all rational and empirical beliefs are subject to fault. Although the scope of religious belief formation in religious experience is outside intellect and action, it doesn’t go higher or beyond interference by intellect and action.