Revelation

Revelation is the process of disclosing truth or knowledge through communication with a deity or supernatural entity. In the fields of religion and theology, this concept explains how humans might access divine wisdom. People use this term to describe how the sacred enters the human world. It is a central idea for many belief systems across history. Some thinkers view it as a way to understand the nature of existence. Others see it as a direct bridge between the creator and the created.

Thomas Aquinas, a famous philosopher, categorized individual revelation into two distinct types. The first is general revelation, which occurs through the study of the natural world. By observing physics, cosmology, or nature, an individual might deduce certain truths about a god. The second type is special revelation, which involves spiritual knowledge gained through supernatural means. This includes miracles or the study of sacred scriptures. Special revelation provides specific details that general revelation cannot reach. For example, many Christians believe the Trinity is known only through special revelation. These two forms are often seen as complementary rather than contradictory.

There are different ways these messages are delivered to people. Verbal revelation involves a deity communicating direct, propositional content to a person. In Orthodox Judaism, some believe the first five books of Moses were dictated by God. The prophet Isaiah described receiving messages through visions of God speaking to angels. In this way, the prophet writes down the dialogue he observes. Another perspective is non-verbal propositional revelation. This idea suggests that people are divinely inspired without a literal spoken word. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel noted that the Bible often uses evocative language to suggest these experiences. This approach avoids trying to describe the act in purely empirical or physical categories.

Some religious traditions focus on public revelation, where a deity speaks to a large group. The Book of Exodus describes Yahweh giving the Ten Commandments to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. In Christianity, the Book of Acts describes the Day of Pentecost. During this event, the Holy Spirit descended on disciples in the form of fire. The Lakota people hold traditions where Ptesáŋwiŋ spoke directly to establish their religious ways. Similarly, Aztec legends mention Huitzilopochtli speaking to the people upon their arrival in Anáhuac.

Specific methods of recording these messages are vital to many faiths. In the Bahá'í Faith, central figures like Bahá'u'lláh received many written communications. Because these words were often spoken with extreme rapidity, scribes used a shorthand called "revelation writing." This allowed the amanuensis to capture the words at the speed of utterance. After the dictation, the revelator would personally review and approve the drafts. Today, the International Bahá'í Archives in Haifa, Israel, hold approximately 15,000 of these items. Many of these include the original handwriting of the figures themselves.

Different religious groups hold varying views on the nature of sacred texts. Many Christians believe the Bible was written by human authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Some scholars discuss the concept of biblical inerrancy, meaning the text is without error in its original form. Others discuss biblical infallibility, which may focus on error-free teachings regarding faith and practice. The Catholic Church holds a doctrine regarding the inerrancy of Scripture. They believe God speaks through men in a human fashion to communicate truth for salvation.

How humans know these truths is a major question in epistemology, the study of knowledge. Members of Abrahamic religions, such as Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, distinguish between true and false prophets. A person who experiences direct contact with the divine is often called a prophet. A person who has a deep, personal encounter with the divine is often called a mystic. While all prophets might be considered mystics, not all mystics are prophets. This distinction helps scholars categorize different types of spiritual encounters and their roles in society.