Being in the Presence of God: A Study of Subjective Religious Experience

What does it feel like to be in the presence of God?

This book examines the claims of subjective religious experience and their role in shaping confidence in God's relational nature. Drawing on theology, philosophy, and Christian meditative practice, it engages with classic thinkers such as Schleiermacher, William James, and Whitehead to explore whether some predominantly religious forms of direct experience may reliably be thought to transcend ordinary sensory life.

Peter Hooton gives prominence to a process view of the universe that weaves God and experience into the basic structure of reality. In this and other ways, he makes a compelling case for the authenticity of mystical perception and its significance for faith. The book also addresses critiques of religious subjectivism, showing how these do nothing to diminish the case for direct divine-human interaction.

Ideal for students, scholars, and anyone intrigued by the possibility of non-sensory encounters with God.