God and Dreams: Is There a Connection?

by John Pratt Bingham, Kelly Bulkeley (Foreword by)

Overview

At one time when an individual wanted a direct, personal experience of God that person turned to his or her dreams. The early third century Christian defender of the faith, Tertullian, observed, "Is it not known to all people that the dream is the most usual way that God reveals himself to man?" Yet by the eleventh century, King William II of England states, "They are not good Christians that regard dreams." Why did this reversal of opinion occur, not only in Christian thinking, but in Jewish and Islamic attitudes also? God and Dreams: Is There a Connection? traces the historic connection between God and dreams and examines why this shift happened. While particular attention is given to Jewish, Christian, and Islamic thought, several secular disciplines are discussed also. After investigating the different points of view, an argument is made that the connection between God and dreams still exists.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498271707
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	01/01/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	184
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

John Pratt Bingham is an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Northern California and a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice in Sacramento. He is the author of Inner Treasure: Reflections on the Teachings of Jesus (1989). Connect with John Pratt Bingham at www.binghambooks.com.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements ix

Foreword xi

Introduction: Discerning the Will of God xv

1 Historic Perspectives 1

2 Jewish Perspectives 15

3 Christian Perspectives 34

4 Islamic Perspectives 52

5 A Few Other Religious Perspectives 63

6 Some Non-Religious Perspectives 72

7 Another Perspective 99

Appendix A Six Characteristics of Doing God's Will 111

Appendix B Some Characteristics of a Revelation 114

Bibliography 119

Index 143