The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature

The Varieties of Religious Experience is unique for the equal weight it gives all religious experiences and the broad definition it provides of religion itself. James explains that religion is any feeling that gives the individual a sense of connection with the divine. The latter part of this definition also has an all-encompassing description: The divine represents anything that symbolizes primal truth. Under this large umbrella, the divine may represent a god, science, philosophy, nihilism, morality, or any other system of belief. All parts of the religious experience are entirely individual and personal, yet the wide range of religious experiences hold many similarities.

James proposes that universal experiences of religion bring people back to an emotional equilibrium. He divides individuals into two categories: healthy-minded and morbid-minded. The most lasting religions are those which appeal to both categories of people. James suggests that morbid-minded individuals always see the discontinuity and evil in the world, while healthy-minded people are focused solely on goodness. The morbid-minded exhibit a division of spirit that is unified through emotional stimulus. Religious revelations and conversions are extreme emotional experiences that help to unify individuals’ aims and bring them back to their equilibrium.