Theophany - Epiphany

Ok, so in the references I put up on the Champlain College website for my Liberal Arts religion class, I mentioned several cases of "theophany" - a term I'm using where Karen Armstrong usually says "epiphany" in A History of God. The terms are very closely linked, but not identical.

A "theophany" is a visible manifestation of God or a god. (Etymology: ancient Greek 'theos' - god + 'phainein' - to show).

An "epiphany" is a manifestation of a supernatural or divine being. (Etymology: ancient Greek epiphainein - "to reveal").

(both definitions are from Merriam-Webster's online dictionary).

Now, the word "theophany" is more limited in scope than "epiphany". The latter word also has a more personal, spiritual meaning - a moment of special insight or discovery. So you might say "I was in the shower thinking about my religion class, and I had an epiphany", and you haven't said anything dirty. You have said that something came to you or you had a flash of clarity - something like that. Whereas, if you say you had a theophany in the shower, well, it means that God or a god was showering with you. Ick.

I think Armstrong likes the word "Epiphany" for the old testament theophanies for two reasons: they're not always of God or a god, in which case epiphany is the better word, and (more important) her emphasis as the book develops is on the experience of God in the inner life of the believer and the community of believers. So manifestations of God are more inner than outer. They involve self-exploration more than looking outward to the universe. Or so Armstrong seems to think.