Private Revelations and the Web. Analysis using the Example of Vassula Ryden

The theme of this article is the problem of private revelations presented on the Internet, and it is based on the example of Vassula Ryden. Ryden has been a visionary for two decades. Although the visions she presents are addressed primarily to Catholics, the Roman Catholic Church consistently refuses to accept her revelations as real ones. Despite this, Ryden is active in promoting her revelations in the real and the virtual world. The article shows two main contexts which influence research on private revelations on the Web: religious and communicative. It focuses on the communication aspect (the way the Internet is used) and the religious aspect (which is in permanent conflict with the doctrine of the Church to which she refers). Modern spirituality inspired by private revelations can be built individually on the basis of the main traditional religions. This not only reflects the changes to today’s spirituality, but in this way also builds it.

The theme of this article is the problem of private revelations presented on the Internet, and it is based on the example of Vassula Ryden. Ryden has been a visionary for two decades. Although the visions she presents are addressed primarily to Catholics, the Roman Catholic Church consistently refuses to accept her revelations as real ones. Despite this, Ryden is active in promoting her revelations in the real and the virtual world. The article shows two main contexts which influence research on private revelations on the Web: religious and communicative. It focuses on the communication aspect (the way the Internet is used) and the religious aspect (which is in permanent conflict with the doctrine of the Church to which she refers). Modern spirituality inspired by private revelations can be built individually on the basis of the main traditional religions. This not only reflects the changes to today’s spirituality, but in this way also builds it.