Saint Paul's famous revelation may have been 'caused by a form of epilepsy.
I'm reading the new Dan Brown book and came upon this and had to look it up.
While it is impossible to know for certain, many scholars have speculated that Saint Paul may have had temporal lobe epilepsy. They cite his descriptions of ecstatic visions and his mention of a "thorn in the flesh," which he described as a painful physical ailment, as potential evidence for his condition. This theory suggests his religious experiences could have been manifestations of the condition, according to The Independent.
The conversion experience: The account of his conversion on the road to Damascus includes a blinding light and a voice, which are sometimes associated with temporal lobe epilepsy.
"Thorn in the flesh": Paul's writings mention a chronic and painful physical affliction that he pleaded with God to remove, which some believe was a manifestation of epilepsy. He also mentions a "physical ailment" in Galatians 4:13-14.
Ecstatic states: Some of Paul's writings describe being "caught up to the third heaven" or experiencing trances, which can be linked to certain types of epileptic activity, according to the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
Gastaut-Geschwind syndrome: Some researchers have suggested that Saint Paul may have had temporal lobe epilepsy, which is sometimes associated with the Gastaut-Geschwind syndrome, a set of behaviors and personality traits like religiosity and philosophical concerns, notes Dementia & Neuropsychologia.
While it is impossible to know for certain, many scholars have speculated that Saint Paul may have had temporal lobe epilepsy. They cite his descriptions of ecstatic visions and his mention of a "thorn in the flesh," which he described as a painful physical ailment, as potential evidence for his condition. This theory suggests his religious experiences could have been manifestations of the condition, according to The Independent.
The conversion experience: The account of his conversion on the road to Damascus includes a blinding light and a voice, which are sometimes associated with temporal lobe epilepsy.
"Thorn in the flesh": Paul's writings mention a chronic and painful physical affliction that he pleaded with God to remove, which some believe was a manifestation of epilepsy. He also mentions a "physical ailment" in Galatians 4:13-14.
Ecstatic states: Some of Paul's writings describe being "caught up to the third heaven" or experiencing trances, which can be linked to certain types of epileptic activity, according to the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
Gastaut-Geschwind syndrome: Some researchers have suggested that Saint Paul may have had temporal lobe epilepsy, which is sometimes associated with the Gastaut-Geschwind syndrome, a set of behaviors and personality traits like religiosity and philosophical concerns, notes Dementia & Neuropsychologia.
