supernatural

(adjective)

Above nature; that which is beyond or added to nature, often so considered because it is given by God or some force beyond that which humans are born with. In Roman Catholic theology, sanctifying grace is considered to be a supernatural addition to human nature.

Related Terms

Examples of supernatural in the following topics:

  • Magic and Supernaturalism

    • Supernaturalism refers to any belief system with supernatural forces, such as magic, and, in general, is prevalent in all societies.
    • Supernaturalism is perhaps the broadest classification of religious practices, encompassing any belief system dealing with supernatural forces.
    • Most simply, the laws of nature do not bind the supernatural.
    • In popular culture and fiction, the supernatural is whimsically associated with the paranormal and the occult, which differs from traditional concepts in some religions, such as Catholicism, where divine miracles are considered supernatural.
    • The concept 'mana' is a classic example of a supernatural force that imbues objects with powers and authority.

  • The Elements of Religion

    • A conventional social scientific view understands religion as a group's collective beliefs and rituals relating to the supernatural.
    • A third social scientific perspective views religion as the collective beliefs and rituals of a group relating to the supernatural.
    • If we simply focus on beliefs relating to the supernatural, this too may be broad enough to include atheism.
    • However, when belief and rituals of a group relating to the supernatural are coupled together, the scope seems appropriately narrowed.

  • Beliefs

    • Religious belief is a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny.
    • Religious belief is a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny.

  • Theism and Monotheism

    • A deity is a supernatural being thought of as holy, divine or sacred.
    • They are thought to dwell mainly in otherworldly or holy places like Heaven, Hell, the sky, the under-world, or in a supernatural plane or celestial sphere.
    • Deism typically rejects supernatural events (prophecies, miracles and divine revelations) prominent in organized religion.

  • The Sacred and the Profane

    • Goody also noted that "many societies have no words that translate as sacred or profane and that ultimately, just like the distinction between natural and supernatural, it was very much a product of European religious thought rather than a universally applicable criterion."

  • Definitions of Religion

    • The third social scientific definition views religion as the collective beliefs and rituals of a group relating to supernature.

  • Animism

    • Unlike supernatural forces, animist spirits may be inherently good or evil.

  • Religion and Social Support

    • Social scientists have identified a number of mechanisms that might explain why religion might make an individual happier, none of which rest on the explanation of divine intervention or supernatural phenomenon.

  • Functions of Religion

    • We perceive as individuals a force greater than ourselves and give that perception a supernatural face.

  • Charismatic Authority

    • For Weber, charisma applies to "a certain quality of an individual personality, by virtue of which he is set apart from ordinary men and treated as endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities. "