Conversion dreams

Conversion dreams—i.e., dreams prompting a profound transformation of religious belief and identity—have been reported in many different cultural and religious traditions. This essay argues that although such reports may appear to be mere fabrications, the experience of conversion dreams is a legitimate and important phenomenon. The essay provides three examples of conversion dreams reported in Christian contexts and uses research from the fields of religious studies, psychology, and anthropology to demonstrate that such dreams provide a bridge to connect and synthesize religious elements which had been in conflict at both the personal and cultural levels.This essay is based on a presentation made at the Western Regional Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, March 25, 1994, at Santa Clara University.