2. Otto has a traditional idea of God – he feels that he is remote,
distant, far away and is ultimately transcendent.
He believes the experience to be a passive one
God is: hidden, a mystery, ineffable, incomparable, attractive
You have to seek God from below who is higher. He is
overwhelming and you will feel repelled by His nature when
experiencing Him
UNDERSTANDING OF GOD
3. As mysterium, the numinous is “wholly other” entirely different from
anything we experience in ordinary life. It induces a reaction of silence.
But the numinous is also a mysterium tremendum. It provokes terror
because it presents itself as overwhelming power. Finally, the
numinous presents itself as fascinans, as merciful and gracious.
"Mysterium tremendum et fascinans" (fearful and fascinating mystery):
"Mysterium": Wholly Other, experienced with blank wonder, stupor
"tremendum":
awfulness, terror, demonic dread, awe, absolute unapproachability, "wrath" of
God
overpoweringness, majesty, might, sense of one's own nothingness in contrast to
its power
creature-feeling, sense of objective presence, dependence
energy, urgency, will, vitality
"fascinans": potent charm, attractiveness in spite of fear, terror, etc.
‘MYSTERIUM TREMENDUM ET
FASCINANS’
4. The word, ‘numen’ refers to God
Otto calls God numinous – you do not know what you are
seeking but will only experience the ‘numinous’.
At this stage you will come to the realisation of a divine
presence
The mysterium tremendum implies three qualities of the
numinous: a. its absolute unapproachability, b. its power, c.
its urgency or energy, a force which is most easily perceived
in the "wrath of God."
NUMINOUS
