Phenomenon Of Prophecy Research Articles

Маймонид, Герсонид и Крескас о пророках и пророчестве

R. Moshe ben Maimon (1136–1204), R. Levi ben Gershom (1288–1344) and R. Hasdai Crescas (1340–1410/12) in their main philosophical works consider the phenomenon of prophecy as something that gives rise to philosophical questions and requires philosophical understanding. The definition of prophecy as an emanation from God that is emanating into the intellect of the individual, and the definition of a prophet as a person who performs miracles and conveys messages leading people to some good goal, and these miracles and messages can vary in degree, are common to all three thinkers based on ideas of peripatetic philosophy. However, despite the fact that each of these thinkers primarily focuses on the same corpus of texts (the texts of the Tanakh and Talmud), the emphasis that the philosophers make creates significant differences in their concepts. For example, the views of these philosophers differ on how the test of the truth of a prophet can be carried out, as well as whether all prophetic predictions should (and can) be fulfilled. In the paper we distinct two roles of prophetic knowledge. They are the prognostic role and the pedagogic one. We demonstrate that Crescas highlights the prognostic function of the prophecy, but for Gersonides the pedagogic one is brought to the forefront. We also demonstrate, that prophecy is a doxastic practice with overrider system.

The Phenomenon of Prophecy in Proletarian Revolutionary and Soviet Quasi-Religious Culture

The Phenomenon of Prophecy in Proletarian Revolutionary and Soviet Quasi-Religious Culture

Establishing the Necessity of Prophethood in Islamic Theology

Prophecy, one of the pillars of religion, is one of the main areas of interest in Islamic theology. The delivery of the elements of religion and civilization to the societies was realized with the doctrine of prophethood. The prophets sent to almost every society guided the need for belief in human nature to be met healthily with the religious phenomenon shaped within the framework of the principle of tawhid and belief in the hereafter. Almost unanimously accepted in the Kalam literature that all prophets preached the religious doctrine, the essence of which was the belief of oneness and which did not change until the last prophet. The encounter of Muslims with different religions and ideas is the primary reason Muslim scholars put prophecy on their schedule. The internal and external factors faced by the Islamic thought also provided the opportunity to ground the prophethood in terms of mental and transmission and to develop a defense reflex against objections to it. Theologians tried to prove the institutional necessity of prophethood against the criticism and disapproval of other religions and thoughts identified with Sümeniyye/Berâhime and that human experience in the world cannot render the accumulation of prophethood meaningless and unnecessary. On the other hand, it has been discussed whether it is permissible or obligatory for Allah to send a prophet within the framework of the essential qualities of Allah within the scope of prophecy and theological schools. It is known that these discussions are handled on the axis of salah/aslah. While Mu'tazila founded the institution of prophethood with authority, The Maturidis, within the framework of the understanding of wisdom, emphasized the institutional necessity of prophethood for human beings and refused to be obligatory to Allah. One of the periods in which criticism and objections to the phenomenon of prophecy intensified in almost every period of history is the recent period of new scientific theology. It is seen that the threatening activities of the positivist and materialist thought of the West toward spirituality intensify, especially with suspicions and accusations against prophethood. The experimental studies of 19th-century Western scientists and philosophers on the soul and similar subjects, scientific explanations on issues such as hypnosis, magnetism, genius, communication between living things and instinct, and Muslim thinkers attempted to prove the revelation scientifically. The effort to respond rationally and scientifically to objections to prophethood with a defensive reflex draws attention as a different grounding attempt. The aim of this paper, which deals with the grounding of prophecy in the theological literature, is to determine how prophecy was grounded within the scope of the new scientific theology from the first period of Islamic thought. In the study, the information obtained from the literature related to the documentary source compilation, which is a data scanning technique, was evaluated by descriptive method by making classification and grouping. In the study, it was concluded that the prophecy issues brought up by social facts were tried to be justified by the theologians with a defensive approach, and the objections to prophecy were tried to be answered and proved more rationally than justifying the transmission. In addition, due to being the focus of criticism, theologians almost in every period, Hz. It is noteworthy that they made the defense of prophecy in the particular of the prophet.

Scribes as Sages and Prophets: Scribal Traditions in Biblical Wisdom Literature and in the Book of the Twelve ed. by Jutta Krispenz

Reviewed by: Scribes as Sages and Prophets: Scribal Traditions in Biblical Wisdom Literature and in the Book of the Twelve ed. by Jutta Krispenz Elena Di Pede jutta krispenz (ed.), Scribes as Sages and Prophets: Scribal Traditions in Biblical Wisdom Literature and in the Book of the Twelve (BZAW 496; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2021). Pp. viii + 300. $114.99. The articles in this volume focus on the intertextual relationships between the Book of the Twelve and the biblical wisdom literature. From a historical point of view the question is certainly important, although it is probably difficult to give a definitive answer. The book takes up the question of intertextual relationships by initiating a change of perspective in relation to earlier studies. In the past, this issue was explored in terms of the influence of one movement on the other, most often, moreover, in the sense of the influence of wisdom texts on prophetic texts without necessarily asking the opposite and complementary question of the influence of prophetic texts on wisdom texts. This collection, therefore, does not attempt to assess influence but "confluence" (see M. Sneed's article, p. 17: "places where the sapiential and prophetic traditions merge") between these two currents. The question of possible intertextual links between prophetism and wisdom is thus positively renewed. It may have a bearing on the understanding of the formation of the Hebrew Bible itself in the context of the scholarly circles and schools in which these traditions were transmitted. The volume opens with an introduction in which Krispenz lays the methodological [End Page 525] foundations of the whole. She thus seeks first to define whether there is a "school" of wisdom and a category of texts—biblical in particular—that can be defined as "wisdom." Indeed, she writes, "[O]ur perception of and our view on wisdom in the Hebrew Bible has changed dramatically. It has changed in such a way that all the traditional assumptions pertaining to this part of the Bible need to be scrutinized" (p. 5). The change of perspective also applies to prophecy, which is addressed in the second part of the introduction. Today, indeed, the prophetic books, including the Twelve, are considered literature, and the truth of these texts is no longer sought only in their oldest parts. Moreover, the extrabiblical information shows how complex and multifaceted the phenomenon of prophecy is. This double change of approach and perspective forces "a fresh look at the relationship between wisdom texts and prophetic texts" (p. 6). This requires an understanding of scribal activity and the role of tradition (oral and written) in the composition of the Bible. The overall perspective of the whole is to understand how the wisdom texts relate to prophetic thinking. In the background, a culture or a scribal perspective emerges that the twelve contributions that make up the volume seek to illustrate. Mark Sneed ("Inspired Sages: Massa' and the Confluence of Wisdom and Prophecy") examines the question of the "confluence" between prophetic and wisdom thinking from the term maśśāʾ in Proverbs (esp. chaps. 30 and 31) and its use in the prophetic books. Helmut Utzschneider ("Die Mündlichkeit der biblischen Schriftprophetie: Versuch einer Bestandsaufnahme") investigates the link between orality and writing in Joel 1 and 2. He shows that the prophetic texts can be understood as dramatic settings whose "naturally" oral form influenced the rhetoric and aesthetics of their written form. As the title of his contribution indicates ("Amos and Wisdom"), Rainer Kessler studies the parallels between Amos and the wisdom texts. These parallels indicate a very important social change in the eighth century, which provoked the harsh criticism of the prophets and the wise men against the powerful. Amos and Proverbs are interested in similar questions but do not provide the same answers. Krispenz ("Hosea – the Wise Prophet?") takes as her starting point the fact that the first of the Twelve is both "prophetic" (Hos 1:1) and "sapiential" (Hos 14:10). She then examines the typical markers of wisdom present in this prophetic book. Thomas Krüger ("Prophetie, Weisheit und religiöse Dichtung im Buch Habakuk") shows the variety of traditions that meet in Habakkuk. This confluence outlines a theodicy in line with the...

Profecía e intelecto. En torno a una problemática en la filosofía judía medieval (Haleví, ibn Daud, Maimónides)

El estudio del fenómeno de la profecía es tema de enorme relevancia y singularidad en el pensamiento judío medieval. Representa el fascinante punto de encuentro entre la inmanencia del intelecto humano y el mundo transcendente de la divinidad. Nuestro objetivo en el presente artículo es indagar en esta problemática, desde su comprensión como concepto teológico y como fenómeno intelectual de la conciencia con evidentes implicaciones epistemológicas. Lo haremos atendiendo a los prestamos e influencias de esta filosofía, fundamentalmente de los pensadores islámicos, y focalizando nuestra reflexión en las tres aportaciones que consideramos más significativas y relevantes a la cuestión de los pensadores judíos hispanos, las de Yehudá Haleví, Abraham ibn Daud y Maimónides.

Prophecy in the Ancient Levant and Old Babylonian Mari

AbstractThis article serves as an introduction to the historical phenomenon of prophecy in the Ancient Levant and Old Babylonian Mari. Of particular focus is the terminology for prophetic personnel, prophecy as a system of communication, the link between prophecy and monarchy at Mari, and the question of biblical prophetic books and their relationship to prophetic practice. The ancient evidence is surveyed in an effort to elucidate a comparative investigation across the Ancient Near East. This includes narratives and books in the Hebrew Bible, and extra‐biblical sources from the sites of Lachish and Deir 'Alla in the larger Levant. Additionally, the Old Babylonian archives of the 18th century BCE kingdom of Mari (Tell Hariri, Syria) illuminate how prophecy is part of a larger system of royal correspondence in antiquity. The article offers the most up‐to‐date literature on prophecy at Mari and also introduces new work on third‐party intermediaries, those individuals who relay prophets' messages to their recipients.

Феномен израильско-иудейского пророчества и элементы античного «философского профетизма» в «осевую эпоху»

The article makes an attempt to reveal a number of the most significant features of the Israeli-Judah prophecy (VIII–VI cent. BCE), which in effect turned out to be the key worldview phenomenon of the first half of the “axial epoch” in the history of mankind, when “man of such a type appeared, which has survived to this day” (K. Jaspers). The mission of the Hebrew prophet is much broader than a simple prediction of the future, for his prophecies touch upon the whole basic spectrum of man’s spiritual and material life: questions of life and death, theology and worship, ethical norms, problems of domestic and world politics, social and economic antagonisms, legal conflicts, family relationships, he develops elements of eschatology, etc. It is possible that the phenomenon of prophecy in Ancient Israel and Judah correlates with the processes associated with the appearance of a new type of state in the historical arena – the empire. Comparison with the types of prophecy, common in Ancient Greece, demonstrates the difference in the areas that are subject to the prophetic wisdom of Greece and Israel. Only in the image of Socrates, created by Plato, we see the traces of prophetic and mediumship chosenness, which gives him wisdom precisely in the spiritual realm of human existence. However, despite the strong influence that Plato’s texts had on the evolution of European philosophy and culture, they did not become the “style” of Western thought. Starting with Aristotle, it clearly distinguishes the discourses of “mythologists” and “theologians” from the “first philosophy”

Paul, Plutarch and the Gender Dynamics of Prophecy

This article compares two first-century authors, Paul and Plutarch, on the mechanics of inspiration and the role of gender in the prophetic process. Paul's First Corinthians and Plutarch's Delphic Dialogues (De Pythiae oraculis and De defectu oraculorum) were written by men who were observers of and commentators on the religious phenomenon of prophecy – that is, the communication of divine messages through human speakers. They also make statements about women that indicate that gender influenced their perceptions of prophecy. When these authors discuss prophecy at the conceptual level, gender does not affect their arguments, but when they turn to actual women prophets, they introduce ideas about gender and sex that shape their views of the prophetic process and the women who prophesy.

The Prophet as Intellectual and Vice Versa: A Psychoanalytical Interpretation of the Phenomenon of Prophecy

This article aims to give the phenomenon of prophecy a rational-conceptual foundation which can help further its understanding in historic, present, and future societies. This will be achieved, mainly, by reinterpreting it via some concepts of psychoanalysis as developed by Freud and Jung. It is argued that prophecy equates to the ability of persons to connect with the unconscious layers of their psyche, at the bottom of which is Absolute Mind or God. This realm, similar to the philosophers' realm of abstraction, is characterized by timelessness, or eternity, and is contrasted with the time-bound nature of consciousness. Prophecy itself is defined as the application of principles from timeless reality in the immanent world, rather than as the ability of divination. Thus, the role of the historical prophet is similar to that of the modern public intellectual. To illustrate this, a multidisciplinary approach will be applied, applying perspectives from philosophy, theology, and, to a smaller extent, cultural anthropology.

The Prophets (review)

Reviewed by: The Prophets Richard Simon Hanson The Prophets, by Abraham Joshua Heschel. New York and Evanston: Harper and Row, and Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1962. As I worked my way afresh through The Prophets I realized again why this was such a popular textbook in seminary curricula for several decades of the twentieth century. Heschel’s thorough treatment of the subject recommends it as a basic interpretation of classical prophecy. His conservative appreciation of the biblical material as it stands is a comfort to cautious minds, and his keen insights stretch readers to understanding beyond familiar points of view. As a textbook it proved to be both safe and exciting for those training to be either pastors or rabbis. I think of the book as two series of lectures. The first is composed of compact studies of seven prophets from the classical era and is prefaced by a chapter titled “What Manner of Man is the Prophet.” The second and larger series seeks to understand the phenomenon of prophecy in general but with particular emphasis on the Israelite Biblical tradition. Heschel holds a special reverence for the prophets. In treating their message as the heart of the Bible’s witness, he plants himself solidly in Reform Judaism’s legacy of considering the prophets to be the core of Judaism’s contribution to the world, in contrast to the Orthodox position that puts the Torah at the center. In “What Manner of Man is the Prophet,” he says, “The significance of Israel’s prophets lies not only in what they said but in what they were” and writes that the prophet “is a person, not a microphone” and also a “poet, preacher, patriot, statesman, social critic, moralist.” The seven prophets Heschel focuses on in his first series are Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and the Second Isaiah. In each chapter he discusses the life and message of the prophet in the context of his historical and political circumstances. Aiming for nothing less than “an understanding of what it means to think, feel, respond and act as a prophet,” Heschel brilliantly recreates the ancient world of these great men. One of the distinctive features of Heschel’s approach to the prophets is the way he sees the prophets as a singular, unified phenomenon. From his analysis of the prophets, he abstracts a composite type whom he calls “the [End Page 197] prophet.” While his descriptions of “the prophet” tend to elevate the role into a Platonic, universal ideal, Heschel never loses sight of the historical relevance of the classical prophets’ work. Heschel sees them as the “first men in history to regard a nation’s reliance on force as evil”: Why were so few voices raised in the ancient world to protest against the ruthlessness of man? Why are human beings so obsequious, ready to kill and ready to die at the call of kings and chieftains? Perhaps it is because they worship might, venerate those who command might, and are convinced that it is by force that man prevails. The splendor and pride of kings blind the people. The Mesopotamian, for example, felt convinced that authorities were always right. . . . The prophets repudiated the work as well as the power of man as an object of supreme adoration. They denounced “arrogant boasting” and “haughty pride” (Isa. 10:12), the kings who ruled the nations in anger, the oppressors (Isa. 14:4–6), the destroyers of nations, who went forth to inflict waste, ruin, and death ( Jer. 4:7), the “guilty men, whose own might is their god” (Hab. 1:11). . . . (p.167) When the prophets appeared, they proclaimed that might is not supreme, that the sword is an abomination, that violence is obscene. The sword, they said, shall be destroyed. They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war any more. Isaiah 2:4 Heschel also gives them credit for having a historically progressive view of social justice: The threat of punishment is one of the most prominent themes of the prophetic orations. Yet the prophets themselves seem to have...

Arab Prophets of the Qur'an and Bible

Recent scholarship on the Qur'an has noted the need for more attention to the historical content of the Qur'an, and in evaluating how the historical study of the Qur'an compares to the long tradition of Biblical studies in Europe and North America. This paper examines the question of the historicity of the Qur'an's contents with particular attention to how historical information in the Qur'an has traditionally been used and compared to the historical narrative drawn from Biblical scholarship by Muslim exegetes. In particular, this study focuses on the question of the ‘Arab’ prophets Hūd, Sālih, and Shucayb: of all the prophets mentioned by name in the Qur'an, only these three appear not to be mentioned in the Bible, and, as such, they provide a helpful example with which to examine the treatment of historical materials in the Qur'an. In addition to Islamic exegesis, this paper uses a number of non-Qur'anic literary sources, and archeological findings, to demonstrate that there is a fair amount of evidence external to the Qur'an for the historicity of the Arab prophets, suggesting the need for a much more varied and wider consideration of the phenomenon of prophecy in the ancient world as the common heritage of the religions of the Book.

Jesus – prophetic emissary of God

The present study examines three models of research, all reaching the same conclusion, namely that Jesus was a prophet. The aim is to determine what their point of origin in research was, to determine on what basis they have grounded their research and conclusions, and to draw a comparison between both the routes they have chosen and their destinations at the end of these routes. This study likewise detects similarities between Jesus and the prophets of the Old Testament and considers the possibility that the cadre of classical prophecy may be one that describes the ministry of Jesus, if not fully, then at least to a large extent. Lastly the phenomenon of prophecy is examined to test their conclusions and to try to determine whether any research gaps that may have been left, need to be filled.

Expectancy in Renaissance Italy: Prophecy and Prognostication Around 1500

This article examines the phenomenon of prophecy and prediction in the exceptional climate of expectancy that distinguished the close of the fifteenth century in Italy, and in the period of intense eschatological and astrological activity and dispute that ensued at the start of the following century. Both optimistic neo-Platonic hopes and fearsome predictions of tribulation mark the century's close, draw on the planetary conjunction of 1484, and merge with the Joachimist tradition in the anticipation of Antichrist. Savonarola's prophetic mission dominates the 1490s and gives rise to a plethora of eschatological activity in the new century. This provokes a forceful reaction from the Church which is itself, however, not free from such excesses. Prediction through divinatory astrology elicits a more reasoned reaction from Giovanni Pico whose confutation of stellar divination published in 1496 sparks off a heated polemic and is reflected later in the controversy on the conjunction of 1524. Such phenomena should not serve prejudiciously as a measure of presumed rational human progress; they could instead be interpreted as reflecting a shared consciousness that survives to the present day.

Expectancy in Renaissance Italy: Prophecy and Prognostication Around 1500

This article examines the phenomenon of prophecy and prediction in the exceptional climate of expectancy that distinguished the close of the fifteenth century in Italy, and in the period of intense eschatological and astrological activity and dispute that ensued at the start of the following century. Both optimistic neo-Platonic hopes and fearsome predictions of tribulation mark the century's close, draw on the planetary conjunction of 1484, and merge with the Joachimist tradition in the anticipation of Antichrist. Savonarola's prophetic mission dominates the 1490s and gives rise to a plethora of eschatological activity in the new century. This provokes a forceful reaction from the Church which is itself, however, not free from such excesses. Prediction through divinatory astrology elicits a more reasoned reaction from Giovanni Pico whose confutation of stellar divination published in 1496 sparks off a heated polemic and is reflected later in the controversy on the conjunction of 1524. Such phenomena should not serve prejudiciously as a measure of presumed rational human progress; they could instead be interpreted as reflecting a shared consciousness that survives to the present day.

Prophecy in Carthage: Perpetua, Tertullian, and Cyprian by Cecil M. Robeck, Jr.

494 BOOK REVIEWS spective or orthogonal drawings of buildings, and mosaic floors. The first four chapters are devoted to the evidence of synagogues, while the last six describe the finds relative to churches. Thus the survey is tipped in favor of church remains . The author explains that the purpose of the book is to fill out the reader's understanding of ancient Judaism and Christianity by showing how Jewish and Christian beliefs came to expression in the construction ofplaces of worship. Not only does the author lead the reader through the architectural remains of these buildings,but he introduces the reader to preliminary issues in synagogue and church building research. The issues for synagogue research include theories of the origins of the synagogue,"activities" in the sense of worship, and theories of synagogue design. He introduces the reader to recent studies of the effect of"regionalism" on religious practice. This is one of the few places in the book where the author opens the door to understanding Judaism—and therefore Christianity—as a multiplex entity with various expressions in various places. The issues for church building research include theories of the origins of the church building, the architectural style of the church building, typical features of a church building, the regional distribution of churches before Constantine, and churches before Constantine (caves, private homes, and synagogues, none of which are extant). The book is equipped with a glossary and a brief bibliography. The "Sources of Illustrations" on pages 140-141 serves as an adjunct to the bibliography, which is noticeably obsolescent. For instance, one should not list M. Avi-Yonah and E. Stern (editors),Encyclopedia ofArchaeological Excavations in the Holy Land (1977), but its successor: E. Stern et al. (editors), The New Encyclopedia ofArchaeological Excavations in the Holy Land (4 vols;Jerusalem, 1993). In all fairness to the author, it is listed on page 140 as the source for illustration 6. This is a very valuable little book and should be required reading for students embarking upon the study of churches and synagogues, be they undergraduate or graduate students. It is also valuable for scholars not conversant with the material culture of either ancient Judaisms or Christianities who hope to update their knowledge in this area. James E Strange The University ofSouth Florida, Tampa Prophecy in Carthage:Perpetua, Tertullian, and Cyprian. By Cecil M. Robeck, Jr. (Cleveland, Ohio: The Pilgrim Press. 1992. Pp. xii,329. $29.95.) The phenomenon of prophecy in the New Testament and early Christian literature has not always received its due. That imbalance is beginning to receive correction through such good research as that by David Aune, David Hill, and BOOK REVIEWS 495 Christopher Rowland. We may now also add the name of Cecil Robeck, who in this book undertakes the task of providing a historical and theological account of prophetic gifts in North African Carthage during the first half of the third century. Robeck investigates the Passion ofPerpetua and the writings of Tertullian and Cyprian to determine what factors gave rise to the visions and oracles reported by these authors, what backgrounds account for their symbolism, and what factors influenced their interpretations and applications. Robeck, wisely (I think), eschews any attempt to explain psychologically the prophetic gifts mentioned in these signal figures of early North African Christianity. In his introduction he distinguishes between "prophetic function" (interpretation, application , and effect on other Christians) from the "prophetic person," and he makes clear that this book concerns itself only with "prophetic function" (p. 4). In the conclusion, however, Robeck contends that certain psychological factors were at work in the visions and oracles and that further work"in psycho-history and/or psychoanalysis would be helpful." Having read a little ofthat already,I am not so sure. Overall Robeck presents an insightful and balanced analysis of the prophetic material found in the writings of Perpetua,TertuIlian, and Cyprian. He evinces a thorough familiarity with the primary sources and the secondary scholarship and is judicious in his own argument and conclusions. While he certainly at times engages other scholars in debate, a strength of the book is Robeck's concentration on the texts themselves. Since the author declares himself to be...

Die profete in huidige Ou-Testamentiese navorsing: tendense en vooruitsigte

The prophets in recent Old Testament scholarship: trends and prospectsIn this contribution various themes in recent Old Testament prophetic studies are discussed. These include: the title "prophet", the prophets in a sociological-anthro­pological perspective; the prophets and Israel’s religious history, historical and canonical prophecy, and the relationship between the ancient Near Eastern and the Israelite phenomenon of prophecy.

The Blinding Emerald: Ibn al-Rāwandī's Kitāb al-Zumurrud

Muslim heresiographers present Ibn al-Rfwandi (3rd/9th cent.) as a heretic who denied the phenomenon of prophecy. In modern scholarship some doubts have been raised concerning the validity of this negative image of Ibn al-Rawandi. The present study is an attempt to reexamine the sources on Ibn al-Rawandi and his Kitab al-Zumurrud. In particular, it offers an analysis of the fragments relating to the discussion of the mubahala verse in the K. al-Zumurrud. This analysis shows that the K. al-Zumurrud was written as a dialogue with the Manichaean Abu 'Isa al-Warraq, a dialogue in which Ibn al-Rawandi took the role of the defender of the possibility of prophecy. Nevertheless, it is argued, Ibn al-Rawandi was indeed a heretic who denied the possibility of prophecy, and the K. al-Zumurrud was written in order to expound his heretical views.

A Psychological Paradigm for the Interpretation of the Charismatic Phenomenon of Prophecy

This article is set in a two-fold context: theological and psychological. The theological context assumes both the general validity of present day charismatic experience and the propriety of examining such experiences scientifically. The psychological context is basically holistic, constructed eclectically from the insights of Freud, Horney, Allport, Maslow, Jung, and more recent efforts of transcendental psychology. The thesis of this article is that the present day experience of charismatic prophecy can be understood (mechanistically) in terms of the recently studied phenomena of hypnagogic imagery. The article proceeds by describing first prophetic experience (both Old Testament and present day) and then hypnagogic imagery and the hypnagogic state, followed by a discussion of the possible relationship between the two types of experience. The approach of this article is not experimental but theoretical and hypothetical. The proposed hypothesis seems susceptible of specific experimental follow-up.

Pour une lecture marxiste du prophétisme: champ autre et champ outre

The Marxist theory of religious phenomena has preferred to emphasize their function in social relationships. An analysis of the phenomenon of prophecy enables us to verify the status of the religious in neutralizing social contradictions ; but, beyond putting dominated classes in place through prophetic practice and discourse. this analysis is an invitation to view the implementation of agencies leading these classes to their death. The prophetic process which ran through the Calvinist religious field in Languedoc-Cévennes for a generation (from the repeal of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 up until 1715) allows us to verify this double hypothesis. As a necessary practice in breaking up subordinate classes in order to put itself forward as a social class and thus settle into historical legitimacy, prophecy concurrently brings into play agencies which, pushing the work of negating the dominated classes to the limit, lead to the death of the newly formed field. The violence of prophetic mechanisms which alone allows for leaving the religious field and making the political autonomous plus the excessiveness of these same mechanisms which dissolve any posture of positivity : between these two horizons is a social movement which presents the Marxist sociologist with the question of history and its negative route.

The Ghost Dance of 1890 and the Nature of the Prophetic Process

The phenomenon of prophecy is discussed in terms of a model concerned with the dynamics of the prophetic act itself. This model provides the framework for a study of the origin, transmission, and alteration of the doctrine of the Ghost Dance of 1890 in which the interaction between the supernatural, the prophet, his disciples, and the people is of central importance. It has been widely recognized that the phenomenon of prophecy tends to occur in times of stress or crisis. In the Old Testament, for example, all the prophetic figures known to us from the books of Samuel and Kings, as well as the great canonical prophets, carried on their work in times marked either by the stress of major internal cultural change or that of civil or foreign wars. On a more general level this recognition can be seen in the vast literature dealing with prophetic under such rubrics as revitalization movements and crisis cults. Discussions of prophecy have tended to focus either on its normative aspects or on a description of the socio-cultural results of a population's response to a particular prophet's activity. The first of these are concerned with prophecy as the word of God, the true revelation of the divine will, and therefore seek to locate a particular prophetic movement within a broad theological context. Attention is thus directed primarily toward the content of the prophet's message. The second approach, typified by the title of James Mooney's classic study, The Ghost Dance Religion and the Sioux Outbreak of 1890, views the prophet's activity in the context of the cultural-historical upheaval out of which it arises and to which it contributes. At a more general level, this approach leads to the classification of various types of responses to 37