What is Supernatural?
The term Supernatural refers to a phenomenon or entity that is not restricted by the laws of nature. This term was derived from Medieval Latin ‘supernaturalis’, Latin super (above, beyond, or outside of) + natura (nature). The Supernatural is featured in various contexts ranging from folklore to religion. It has also featured in a secular context, for instance, in the cases of superstition or belief in the paranormal.
This term is primarily characterized by non-physical entities such as Demons, angels, gods, and spirits. It is also attributed to abilities including magic, levitation, telekinesis, precognition, and extrasensory perception. According to Naturalism, nothing in this world exists beyond the material world, so approaches such as Supernaturalism come under the umbrella of Skepticism.
History
The word ‘Supernatural’ is a relatively modern concept. The origin and development of this concept can be traced to dialogues from Neoplatonic philosophy in the third century AD. The concept of the Supernatural was developed through Christian theology in later centuries. In the twelfth century, a medieval scholastic philosopher Peter Lombard asked essential questions about causes beyond nature. He was the first to utilize the term ‘praeter naturam’ in his writing.
Thomas Aquinas was a critical theologist who worked in the scholastic period. He distinguished Supernatural activities into three categories — ‘above nature,’ ‘beyond nature,’ and ‘against nature.’ This characterization sharpened the distinction more than the early Church Fathers. Thomas Aquinas used the term ‘Supernaturalis’ in the 1,200s. The discourse on ‘nature’ is diverse and unsettling. Some of these discourses hint that even miracles are natural, and even natural magic is a part of the world.
Supernatural Concepts
Deity
The term Deity is used for a Supernatural being considered sacred or divine. According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, deity refers to “a god or goddess (in a polytheistic religion).” C. Scott Littleton, an American anthropologist, elaborates on the term deity as “a being with powers greater than those of ordinary humans. However, these beings interact with humans, positively or negatively, and in ways that carry humans to new levels of consciousness. These levels are mainly beyond the grounded preoccupations of ordinary life.”
A female deity is a goddess, and a male deity is a god. The way in which a particular religion worships deities can be used for their categorization. Religions that accept only one deity (predominantly referred to as God) are known as Monotheistic religions. Religions that accept multiple deities are known as Polytheistic religions. Additionally, Henotheistic religions are one the ones that accept one supreme deity, along with some others. In this religion, all other deities are considered equivalent aspects of the same divine principle. Lastly, there is no supreme eternal creator deity in nontheistic religions but a pantheon of deities. These deities live, die, and are reborn like all other living beings.
A deity isn’t necessarily omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent, or eternal. However, the monotheistic God has these qualities in himself. The God in this context is primarily masculine, while other religions refer to their deities in various ways. They can be masculine, feminine, androgynous, and even gender-neutral.
Angel
An angel refers to a Supernatural being. This being is found in various mythologies and religions. In Zoroastrianism and Abrahamic religions, angels are often considered benevolent celestial beings. These heavenly beings act as intermediaries between God, Earth, and Heaven. The meaning of the word ‘angel’ has extended itself to notions of spirits and figures found in other religious traditions and conventions.
The theological study of angels is referred to as ‘angelology.’ Angels have a lot of roles assigned to them, such as carrying out God’s tasks and protecting or guiding human beings. Hierarchies within Abrahamic religions often characterize angels. These hierarchies vary in a spectrum of beliefs. These rankings are given specific names or titles, such as Gabriel or ‘Destroying angel.’
Prophecy
Prophecy refers to a process of communicating messages that a god communicates to a prophet. These messages involve interpretation, inspiration, or a revelation of divine will. They hint at the events concerning the prophet’s social world and future events.
Through the course of time, many systems and rules have been proposed about prophecy. The concept of prophecy is not limited to just one culture or religion. The process of a prophecy is a common property of all ancient societies worldwide.
Karma
Karma refers to an individual’s work, action, or deed. It is based on the spiritual principle of cause and effect. According to this principle, the intent and actions of a person (cause) are the influence behind the future of that individual (effect). This principle suggests that Good intent and good deeds contribute to future happiness and good Karma. While on the other hand, evil intent and bad deeds contribute to future suffering and bad Karma.
The philosophy of Karma is said to be originated in ancient India’s Vedic civilization. This philosophy is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in various Indian religions such as Buddhism, Jainism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Sikhism. This philosophy stipulates that the Karma of the present affects one’s future in the current life. It also affects the nature and quality of an individual’s future life – one’s saṃsara.
Heaven
Heaven is a Supernatural concept that refers to a common cosmological, religious, or transcendent place. This is where beings such as gods, angels, spirits, saints, or venerated ancestors reside. Besides living, these beings are also said to originate and be crowned here.
Some religions believe that celestial beings can descend to Earth or incarnate. Other possibilities are that earthly beings can ascend to heaven in the afterlife or, in exceptional cases, enter heaven alive.
Spirit
A spirit is another example of a Supernatural being, often but not always a non-physical entity. Some examples of Supernatural beings are fairies, ghosts, and angels. An individual’s ‘spirit’ can also denote a ‘ghost,’ which is a manifestation of the spirit of a dead person. In English Bibles, ‘the Spirit’ is specifically used to denote the Holy Spirit.
The twin concepts of an individual’s spirit and soul often overlap as both are either distinguished with or given priority over the body. Notably, both the spirit and soul are believed to survive bodily death in some religions. The term “supernatural” refers to things or people that aren’t subject to the rules of nature. This word is used to describe things that aren’t real, like angels, demons, gods, and spirits. Magic, telekinesis, levitation, precognition, extrasensory perception, and other abilities that are said to be in or provided by these beings are also included. Nature, on the other hand, has had many different meanings since the ancient world. The term “supernatural” came into use in the mediaeval period and didn’t exist in the ancient world. Folklore and religion often use the supernatural as an explanation, but it can also be used in more secular situations, like when people believe in superstitions or believe in the paranormal. Naturalism is a philosophy that says there is nothing outside of the natural world. As a result, it is sceptical of supernatural claims.