Scholarly/intellectual background and supernatural experiences - anyone else after Paul?

[TruthSeek3r]

Question: Have there been any Christians with a scholarly/intellectual background who had an overtly supernatural conversion or supernatural experiences after their conversion?

The apostle Paul is the first example that comes to mind, given (1) his scholarly background as a former Pharisee and (2) his supernatural conversion on the way to Damascus, as well as all the miracles, signs and wonders he performed during his apostolic ministry. Have there been any others? What about more recent times?

Note: by scholarly/intellectual background I mean someone with a strong intellectual formation. That certainly includes people with a doctorate in a theological/philosophical field, but also engineers, physicists, mathematicians, scientists, etc., and, in general, anyone with evidence of "intellectual prowess".

Note: by overtly supernatural I mean any kind of experience which would be hard to explain away as coincidence, random chance or mere psychology/suggestion.

 

[Abaxvahl]

Question: Have there been any Christians with a scholarly/intellectual background who had a overtly supernatural conversion or supernatural experiences after their conversion?

The apostle Paul is the first example that comes to mind, given (1) his scholarly background as a former Pharisee and (2) his supernatural conversion on the way to Damascus, as well as all the miracles, signs and wonders he performed during his apostolic ministry. Have there been any others? What about more recent times?

Note: by scholarly/intellectual background I mean someone with a strong intellectual formation. That certainly includes people with a doctorate in a theological/philosophical field, but also engineers, physicists, mathematicians, scientists, etc., and, in general, anyone with evidence of "intellectual prowess".

Note: by overtly supernatural I mean any kind of experience which would be hard to explain away as coincidence, random chance or mere psychology/suggestion.

St. Thomas Aquinas comes to mind immediately. He studied and wrote some of the greatest works of theology and philosophy for years, then had a divine experience in which he ceased to write again and died later. IIRC it was heard during it by another brother that the Lord said that he had written well of Him.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Question: Have there been any Christians with a scholarly/intellectual background who had a overtly supernatural conversion or supernatural experiences after their conversion?

The apostle Paul is the first example that comes to mind, given (1) his scholarly background as a former Pharisee and (2) his supernatural conversion on the way to Damascus, as well as all the miracles, signs and wonders he performed during his apostolic ministry. Have there been any others? What about more recent times?

Note: by scholarly/intellectual background I mean someone with a strong intellectual formation. That certainly includes people with a doctorate in a theological/philosophical field, but also engineers, physicists, mathematicians, scientists, etc., and, in general, anyone with evidence of "intellectual prowess".

Note: by overtly supernatural I mean any kind of experience which would be hard to explain away as coincidence, random chance or mere psychology/suggestion.

1) Yes


2) This was in the aftermath of being in the Charismatic movement


3) I got to say I was and still am put off by the anti-intellectual bent of that movement and have even had threads here talking about that.

Anti-intellectualism and hostility to Theology

 

[Mark Quayle]

Question: Have there been any Christians with a scholarly/intellectual background who had an overtly supernatural conversion or supernatural experiences after their conversion?

The apostle Paul is the first example that comes to mind, given (1) his scholarly background as a former Pharisee and (2) his supernatural conversion on the way to Damascus, as well as all the miracles, signs and wonders he performed during his apostolic ministry. Have there been any others? What about more recent times?

Note: by scholarly/intellectual background I mean someone with a strong intellectual formation. That certainly includes people with a doctorate in a theological/philosophical field, but also engineers, physicists, mathematicians, scientists, etc., and, in general, anyone with evidence of "intellectual prowess".

Note: by overtly supernatural I mean any kind of experience which would be hard to explain away as coincidence, random chance or mere psychology/suggestion.

"Hard to explain away" by whom? There are many who have a scholarly/intellectual background who find more amazement that their desire for God surpasses all other things, and at the witness of the Spirit of God within them, than that they had some kind of vision/ revelation/ life-changing experience. Worse, any claims, even along with witnesses to the event, made concerning such a thing are automatically discarded as bogus by those who will not believe. They use all the three (coincidence, random chance or mere psychology/suggestion) plus other explanations for the 'event' such as "You are lying, being greedy, seeking fame....etc." Not many scholarly/intellectual people care to go through all that. Nor, as it was necessary in Paul's case as verification that he was an apostle of Christ, is it necessary to establish the veracity of mission of any intellectual/scholarly person nowadays —there are no more apostles speaking new revelation. The canon is closed.

Doubtless, many have not made public, things that have happened to them along the lines you describe. None of the scholarly/intellectual category immediately come to mind. In fact, the ones I have heard (not related to scholarly/intellectual people) I am skeptical of and most of which I outright disbelieve —not that I don't think they saw or experienced something, but I disbelieve the claims of what they take the experience to be or to mean.

And not to call myself intellectual/scholarly, but the astounding life-changing vision/whatever-that-was that I had, years ago, did not affect me nearly as much as the ongoing grace of Christ on my behalf.

 

[Mclachlan]

Dr James Tour, a distinguished professor in the science field had a supernatural encounter with the risen Christ.
View his testimony here:

 

[Carl Emerson]

I hope I am not out of order - on the face of it my return to Christ and subsequent privilege to be associated with the miraculous would seem to fit the category you are interested in. I was a computer engineer and an academic in Phenomenology of Religion and Sociological research.

I am not seeking attention but I am being honest about my journey.

I was not a prominent academic I have only one research paper with my name. I am currently still working in with projects at a university level in the field of electronics. I am currently working on a global communication system to give early response to natural disasters and people groups under pressure.

I continue to see healings occur through prayer and folks released from spiritual bondage.

I am sure there will be others on CF who might fit your category of interest better than I do.

 

[tturt]

Derek Prince was a Greek scholar at Cambridge. After his life changing experience, he spent over 50 years in ministry, authored 6o+ books, etc. The Man behind the Ministry can be viewed on youtube.

 

[ss51]

The work of Derek Prince is still a very valuable source of truth for walking in the power and authority of Christ.
I as well experience the supernatural working of God on a regular basis.
From the first chapter of Genesis we are shown how we were always intended to experience God, not merely meet once a week to hear someone talk about Him.

 

[tturt]

Since he knew several languages including Hebrew and lived in Israel,, was through, dedicated, and had a learning attitude, it enabled him to understand Scripture better.

 

[ss51]

His teaching is timeless, i appreciate him.

 

[spiritfilledjm]

Jack Hayford is one that comes to mind. He is the guy behind the Spirit-Filled Life Bible and graduated from Life Pacific University and Azusa Pacific University. He has a great testimony on when he was miraculously healed of an illness as a baby and later of polio.

 

[ss51]

Got to see him once, he was indeed a great and humble man of God.

 

[spiritfilledjm]

My professor for my preaching and teaching the Bible class at Regent University pointed me towards J. Rodman Williams. He wrote "Renewal Theology: Systematic Theology From a Charismatic Perspective."

 

[Pioneer3mm]

My professor for my preaching and teaching the Bible class at Regent University pointed me towards J. Rodman Williams. He wrote "Renewal Theology: Systematic Theology From a Charismatic Perspective."

Three-volume Systematic Theology.
- The first complete Systematic Theology..from a Charismatic perspective.
---
I have a single volume (published..later).

 

[spiritfilledjm]

Three-volume Systematic Theology.
- The first complete Systematic Theology..from a Charismatic perspective.
---
I have a single volume (published..later).

The most widely available one, the one that is available for a somewhat reasonable price on Amazon (about $90) is all 3 volumes in one book.

 

[Pioneer3mm]

The most widely available one, the one that is available for a somewhat reasonable price on Amazon (about $90) is all 3 volumes in one book.

It was published 'as a single volume'..in 1996.
- That is the one I have.
---
Charismatic movement had an impact on/influence..
- My spiritual journey..in1970's.