The Varieties of Religious Experience

By: William James

Narrated by: John Pruden

First published in 1905, The Varieties of Religious Experience is a collection of lectures given at the University of Edinburgh in 1901 and 1902. William James was a psychologist and, as such, his interest in religion was not that of a theologian but of a scientist. In these 20 lectures, he discusses the nature and origin of religious belief.

The average believer is one who has inherited his religion, but this will not do for James's inquiry. He must find those believers who have a voracious religious faith because these people have also often experienced a number of peculiar psychological episodes, including having visions, hearing voices, and falling into trances.

Students of psychology and those interested in the mental process of belief will find these lectures informative.

Public Domain (P)2011 Tantor

A Unique, Empathetic Inquiry

This is a book I will undoubtedly come back to over and over throughout my life. I loved his scientific treatment of the subject and loved his willingness to admit what we just don't know.

Understanding Religious Experience

This book contains lectures given by William James in Scotland in which he examines diverse religious experiences in search of their meaning. The lectures formed a systematic work and are written in a clear way. James’s conception of pragmatism - the emphasis in the experimental method and the idea of meaning that dismiss hard/dogmatic truth - influences the exposition. The lectures deal with many personal expositions of religious experiences - the ways in which they are exposed and their meanings for each and everyone involved. James gives his analysis of these various episodes and tries to elaborate a grand narrative. In search of understanding, one finds tolerance toward the diverse religious attitudes. A book worth reading (listening).

A book about everyone else’s experiences

Thought it would apply beliefs to theories and do a compare and contrast, he just shared other people’s experiences. Meh.

I wasn't religious, and I still am not

I liked the book, and the stories in it were quite fun and interesting. The points of views expressed were thought provoking, although not all that convincing due to my own high preconseptions about religion in general(mainly that I think it's all horseshit gathered together to hold masses of idiots from anarchy).
Still gives a person a perspectives that you hadn't necessarily considered or even thought of before.
Don't overlook this book just because you have an atheist overview on life.

A series of lectures easier to understand by the ear than the eye

I have tried to get through this book in paperback form for decades, and was always stymied by the vocabulary and interwoven concepts. To listen to these lectures out loud, as they were first presented, brings the poetry and multi dimensional experience of William James’ Philosophy to life more than a century after pen was first put to paper. I highly recommend this for anyone on the spiritual journey.

More than 100 years old and still entirely current

This work is a classic, recognized as such when issued as a book more than a century ago and continuing. I recommend it to anyone with any interest in the phenomena of personal religious experience presented by a scientist.

I have been interested in religion since I started Grade 1 at a Catholic school in the exurbs (at that time) of Toronto. I had a sudden conversion experience to what I would now call pantheism at age 18. I am now a member of a Unitarian Universalist congregation.

As a psychologist addressing an audience of eminent theologians and philosophers, James quotes long excerpts from the writings of many men and women about their own religious experience. Sudden conversion to godly devotion is one phenomenon about which such primary material was abundant. My sudden conversion was less dramatic than any of those James recounts.

A fascinating but horrifying phenomenon is the extremes of "asceticism." I heard bits of the legends of Christian martyrs and ascetics from the nuns who taught at my school. Nightmare stuff, still.

Historically, this work came at a very interesting time for the intellectual culture of Europe and the United States. "On the Origin of Species" had been published 40 years before and had been gaining acceptance and respectability continuously. As Darwin knew, his work was a challenge to the authority of the Great Jaweh. In these lectures, the profound changes in the character of the Great Jaweh (generally just called "God") over the centuries are laid out and analyzed scientifically, along with the stories of powerful deities who have come and gone.

Religion and all its varieties

This book is a classic on the philosophy and psychology of religion. Obviously it’s a little dated, but the perspectives of William James and all the great stories he brings together make for a fascinating listen. The book does a good job of broadening horizons of people who may claim special privilege to religious experience. Instead, religious experience is shown to be something universal even if the conclusions and teaching of religious groups are often in conflict. These teachings, according to James, are secondary to the religious experience.

The narrator does a great job. The audio quality is solid. This is a great way to experience the book.

terrific, if you like 19th century psychology

full of extremely interesting thoughts on and insights into religion, which seemed secure enough in their accuracy though I do wish there were a more contemporary version of these theories. overly long and slow, as is the case with nineteenth century academic writing, with a great deal of incomprehensible theory, but on the whole very worth it, and always pleasant to listen to, or tune out

A must read

Absolutely loved this book! I would definitely recommend it for anyone-- as this book covers a variety of perspectives.

Very mixed quality

I found these lectures very mixed. Some sections were incredibly fascinating and well written while others felt very lacking. I almost stopped reading several times but then I would come upon a section I found compelling.