Phenomenology of Conversion: John H. Newman and Aurel Kolnai
This essay considers J. H. Newman’s and Aurel Kolnai’s conversions from a phenomenological point of view. Newman’s conversion or conversions are often cited as classic examples, though he was reluctant to use this notion, preferring to see his journey as a long process, an account of which is provid...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/8/1022 |
| _version_ | 1797583373909098496 |
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| author | Zoltan Balazs |
| author_facet | Zoltan Balazs |
| author_sort | Zoltan Balazs |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This essay considers J. H. Newman’s and Aurel Kolnai’s conversions from a phenomenological point of view. Newman’s conversion or conversions are often cited as classic examples, though he was reluctant to use this notion, preferring to see his journey as a long process, an account of which is provided in his <i>Apologia Pro Vita Sua</i>. His <i>Grammar of Assent</i> is less often cited in this context, but it helps more to make sense of conversion as an <i>experience</i>. Kolnai was a phenomenologist himself. He also provided a personal account of his conversion in his autobiography. The two thinkers’ reflections on conversion are highly congruent, highlighting four dimensions: familiarity or homecoming (conversion makes one at peace with oneself); discovery of reality or real meaning of a notion (of truth, of God, of the scriptures, of the Church); the paramount importance of conscience (the indispensability of the approval of moral authority); the intelligibility of conversion which makes it, in the end, the proper subject of philosophical inquiry. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:38:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-da4d2cf8310d43eba2db24f78f1278dd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:38:03Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-da4d2cf8310d43eba2db24f78f1278dd2023-11-19T02:51:11ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442023-08-01148102210.3390/rel14081022Phenomenology of Conversion: John H. Newman and Aurel KolnaiZoltan Balazs0Institute of Social and Political Sciences, Corvinus University of Budapest, 1093 Budapest, HungaryThis essay considers J. H. Newman’s and Aurel Kolnai’s conversions from a phenomenological point of view. Newman’s conversion or conversions are often cited as classic examples, though he was reluctant to use this notion, preferring to see his journey as a long process, an account of which is provided in his <i>Apologia Pro Vita Sua</i>. His <i>Grammar of Assent</i> is less often cited in this context, but it helps more to make sense of conversion as an <i>experience</i>. Kolnai was a phenomenologist himself. He also provided a personal account of his conversion in his autobiography. The two thinkers’ reflections on conversion are highly congruent, highlighting four dimensions: familiarity or homecoming (conversion makes one at peace with oneself); discovery of reality or real meaning of a notion (of truth, of God, of the scriptures, of the Church); the paramount importance of conscience (the indispensability of the approval of moral authority); the intelligibility of conversion which makes it, in the end, the proper subject of philosophical inquiry.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/8/1022conversionNewmanKolnaifamiliarityrealityconscience |
| spellingShingle | Zoltan Balazs Phenomenology of Conversion: John H. Newman and Aurel Kolnai Religions conversion Newman Kolnai familiarity reality conscience |
| title | Phenomenology of Conversion: John H. Newman and Aurel Kolnai |
| title_full | Phenomenology of Conversion: John H. Newman and Aurel Kolnai |
| title_fullStr | Phenomenology of Conversion: John H. Newman and Aurel Kolnai |
| title_full_unstemmed | Phenomenology of Conversion: John H. Newman and Aurel Kolnai |
| title_short | Phenomenology of Conversion: John H. Newman and Aurel Kolnai |
| title_sort | phenomenology of conversion john h newman and aurel kolnai |
| topic | conversion Newman Kolnai familiarity reality conscience |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/8/1022 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zoltanbalazs phenomenologyofconversionjohnhnewmanandaurelkolnai |