Experiencing the numinous with fear and joy Detail of Religion, a mural in lunette from the Family and Education series by Charles Sprague Pearce, 1897; in the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C. (more) mysterium tremendum et fascinans mysticism Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/mysterium-tremendum-et-fascinans Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Bernard E. Meland Professor of Constructive Theology, University of Chicago, 1945–64. Author of The Realities of Faith and others. Bernard E. Meland , Charles Preston Charles Preston is Associate Editor for Religion at Encyclopædia Britannica. Charles Preston •All Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Aug 19, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Key People: Rudolf Otto (Show more) { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the meaning of mysterium tremendum et fascinans? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The Latin phrase, first coined by German scholar of religion and theologian Rudolf Otto in his book Das Heilige (1917; The Idea of the Holy, 1923), means u201Can awe-inspiring and fascinating mystery.u201D The phrase describes the experience of the holy, or the sacred, that induces awe and trembling, yet is simultaneously enchanting and fascinating." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How did Rudolf Otto describe the numinous? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Rudolf Ottou2019s described the numinous, from the Latin numen (u201Cgod,u201D u201Cspirit,u201D or u201Cdivineu201D), as a particular category of human thought connected to an objective but ineffable reality of the holy (das heilige). Otto deems the experience of the holy to be sui generis (self-created), a human capacity that is not reducible to any other category of human thought. The numinous, according to Otto, is also wholly other and ineffable, beyond rationality and language." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How has Ottou2019s phenomenological approach to religion been received? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Rudolf Ottou2019s phenomenological study of religion has had an immense influence on the study of religion, as has his phrase mysterium tremendum et fascinans. His ideas were influential to foundational scholars in the discipline such as Joachim Wach and Mircea Eliade. His ideas have been received favorably in fields such asmysticism and psychology. Critics, however, note that his work is overly Christian, fails to consider the societal and cultural embedding of religious belief, and attempts a sweeping, global theory of religion that overlooks the subtleties of historical and local specifics." } } ] } Top Questions What is the meaning of mysterium tremendum et fascinans? The Latin phrase, first coined by German scholar of religion and theologian Rudolf Otto in his book Das Heilige (1917; The Idea of the Holy, 1923), means “an awe-inspiring and fascinating mystery.” The phrase describes the experience of the holy, or the sacred, that induces awe and trembling, yet is simultaneously enchanting and fascinating.

　　How did Rudolf Otto describe the numinous? Rudolf Otto’s described the numinous, from the Latin numen (“god,” “spirit,” or “divine”), as a particular category of human thought connected to an objective but ineffable reality of the holy (das heilige). Otto deems the experience of the holy to be sui generis (self-created), a human capacity that is not reducible to any other category of human thought. The numinous, according to Otto, is also wholly other and ineffable, beyond rationality and language.

　　How has Otto’s phenomenological approach to religion been received? Rudolf Otto’s phenomenological study of religion has had an immense influence on the study of religion, as has his phrase mysterium tremendum et fascinans. His ideas were influential to foundational scholars in the discipline such as Joachim Wach and Mircea Eliade. His ideas have been received favorably in fields such asmysticism and psychology. Critics, however, note that his work is overly Christian, fails to consider the societal and cultural embedding of religious belief, and attempts a sweeping, global theory of religion that overlooks the subtleties of historical and local specifics.

　　mysterium tremendum et fascinans, Latin phrase coined by German scholar of religion and theologian Rudolf Otto (1869–1937) to describe the essence of religious experience in his book Das Heilige (1917; The Idea of the Holy, 1923). The phrase can be translated as “an awe-inspiring and fascinating mystery.” It can be further glossed as a mystery (mysterium) before which humanity experiences awe-induced trembling (tremendum) and yet also finds enchanting and fascinating (fascinans); an enigmatic essence to which humans are both repelled and attracted. The phrase has been influential in the study of religion, particularly the subfield of phenomenology of religion, and ...(100 of 804 words)

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