Understanding the Concepts of Impersonal and Personal Religion

In this chapter, the speakers discuss the concept of supernatural power and its two basic ways of conception: impersonal and personal. They explain that the magician's approach to the supernatural is like that of a supernatural engineer, where they seek to command nature by obeying her laws through dreams and visions. On the other hand, the personal approach involves relating to disembodied persons like gods, spirits, angels, and demons in an interpersonal way, such as through prayer and supplication. The chapter also mentions various models of interpersonal relationships that can be used in personal religions, and highlights Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as examples of strongly personal religions.