The relationship between epilepsy and religiosity illustrated by the story of the visionary mystic Wise-Knut

Epilepsy Behav. 2015 May:46:99-102. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.04.017. Epub 2015 Apr 29.

Abstract

The story of Wise-Knut is remarkable. He was born in a poor mountain district in Norway in 1792 and lived for 84years. He had severe and untreated epilepsy with apparent ictal, postictal, and interictal religious symptoms. He heard voices and had religious delusions; a spiritual awakening after a seizure cluster was a turning point in his life. Contemporary biographers have narrated his major life events in detail, but without a precise separation between ictal and postictal spiritual symptoms. Religious and supernatural significance was attributed to his experiences; he himself believed that his extraordinary abilities were a gift from God: "The prophets have had it like myself." His story corroborates the impression that epilepsy may have had a considerable role in the history of religions. However, apart from anecdotes on visionary and healing abilities, his biographies contain nothing that is miraculous or incredible. He falls into the line of various mystics and religious figures of the past that are currently thought to have had epilepsy. Apparently, the advancing understanding of epilepsy and its complications have influenced the dynamic balance between faith, superstition, and rationalism.

Keywords: Epilepsy; Interictal behavior syndrome; Postictal psychosis; Religiosity.

Publication types

  • Biography
  • Historical Article

MeSH terms

  • Epilepsy / history
  • Epilepsy / physiopathology*
  • History, 18th Century
  • History, 19th Century
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Norway
  • Religion and Psychology*

Personal name as subject

  • None Wise-Knut