Special revelation is a theological

Theology

Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...

 term used mainly by evangelical scientists and theologians which refers to the belief that knowledge of God

God

God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....

 and of spiritual matters can be discovered through supernatural

Supernatural

The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...

 means, such as miracle

Miracle

A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...

s or the scriptures, a disclosure of God's truth through means other than through man's reason.

Evangelical theologians use the term "special revelation" for the belief in God's intervention to make God's will and knowledge available that would not otherwise be available through general revelation

General revelation

General revelation is a term used by theologians which refers to a universal aspect of God, of God's knowledge and of spiritual matters, discovered through natural means, such as observation of nature , philosophy and reasoning, human conscience or providence or providential history...

. They believe that disclosure of this "special revelation" is at specific times to specific persons, and believed by Christian Theologians

Christian theology

- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...

, to have been generally given through scripture, miracles, and through the person and ministry of Jesus Christ.

Other means by which God reputedly gave special revelation were by "divine voice or writing", "angel

Angel

Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...

s", "prophet

Prophet

In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...

s", "visions" "dream

Dream

Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, philosophical intrigue and religious...

s", "divine dictation", "inspiration

Revelation

In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing, through active or passive communication with a supernatural or a divine entity...

" and "Spirit's guidance or guidance from the Holy Ghost

Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...

". When reviewing these examples, one can see that they refer to direct revelation

Direct revelation

Direct revelation is a term used by some Christian churches to express their belief in a communication from God to a person, by words, impression, visions, dreams or actual appearance. Direct revelation is believed to be an open communication between God and man, or the Holy Spirit and man, without...

, which is now the third type of revelation. It is to note, that special revelation by way of "self-disclosure through the Bible", is not to be confused with personal communication from God.

Special revelation is a contrast to general revelation

General revelation

General revelation is a term used by theologians which refers to a universal aspect of God, of God's knowledge and of spiritual matters, discovered through natural means, such as observation of nature , philosophy and reasoning, human conscience or providence or providential history...

, which refers to the knowledge of God and spiritual matters which reputedly can be discovered through natural means, such as observation of nature, philosophy and reasoning, conscience or providence.

The purpose of Special Revelation is to impart the knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ, salvation and the atonement. Essentially it is knowledge and understanding, "that is requisite to salvation, that is, an explicit knowledge of Christ and his gospel."

The forms of special revelation as considered by mainstream Christianity are

1. Personal Experience
2. Miracles
3. Prophecy
4. The Earthly Life of Jesus Christ
5. The Scriptures (as a source of special revelation). "In divine affairs, we are saved by the grace of Christ from our sins and guilt before God [if we obey the special revelation] (Those Who Have Never Heard, p. 92)."."

See also

• General revelation
  General revelation
  General revelation is a term used by theologians which refers to a universal aspect of God, of God's knowledge and of spiritual matters, discovered through natural means, such as observation of nature , philosophy and reasoning, human conscience or providence or providential history...
  
  
• Continuous revelation
  Continuous revelation
  Continuous revelation or continuing revelation is a theological belief or position that God continues to reveal divine principles or commandments to humanity...
  
  
• Private revelation
  Private revelation
  In the teaching of the Catholic Church, a private revelation refers to visions and revelations from God to a specific Christian which have taken place since the completion of the New Testament...
  
  
• Direct revelation
  Direct revelation
  Direct revelation is a term used by some Christian churches to express their belief in a communication from God to a person, by words, impression, visions, dreams or actual appearance. Direct revelation is believed to be an open communication between God and man, or the Holy Spirit and man, without...
  
  
• Theophany
  Theophany
  Theophany, from the Ancient Greek , meaning "appearance of God"), refers to the appearance of a deity to a human or other being, or to a divine disclosure....
  
  

External links

• Scripture and general revelation, by Andrew S. Kulikovsky at the Creation Ministries International
  Creation Ministries International
  Creation Ministries International is a non-profit young Earth creationist organisation of autonomous Christian apologetics ministries that promote a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis...
  
   website - a discussion of the evangelical
  Evangelicalism
  Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
  
  notion of revelation in contrast to the common understanding.