Miracles

Question 1

Realism

Answer 1

Realists understandings of the world say that
Scientific theories give us true depictions of the world
The world exists the way it is - regardless of what we think about the matter

Question 2

Realist understandings of miracles

Answer 2

They are real events that are brought about by God

Here, God is transcendent and inobservable

Question 3

Anti realism

Answer 3

Anti realism says we can’t have knowledge of a mind independent world because the world is observed by senses and interpreted by the mind

Question 4

Anti realist understandings of miracles

Answer 4

A miracle is seen as something that lifts the spirit or transforms a community - but it doesn’t necessarily break a law of nature
A religious person may see anything as miraculous because of the psychological effect it has on them

Question 5

Juliane Koepcke case study

Answer 5

In 1971, she was the sole survivor of a plane crash in the Peruvian Rainforest
This is regarded as a miracle that she survived

Question 6

1950 Nebraskan Church Case study

Answer 6

Each choir member was late to practice for a different reason
This meant none of them were there when the Church exploded due to a gas leak
This is regarded as a miracle because it is such an extreme coincidence

Question 7

Problem with Realist understandings of miracles

Answer 7

Why would God save these people but ignore others in similar situations?

Question 8

Importance of Miracles to Catholics

Answer 8

You have to have verified miracles to be a saint
Lourdes and its importance in Pilgrimage
Jesus’ resurrection - a miracle you have to believe in to be a Christian

Question 9

Paul Tillich belief on God

Answer 9

God is not a ‘being’ but a ‘Being-itself’

Question 10

Paul Tillich belief on Miracles

Answer 10

Miracles are not interventions in the world by a transcendent God because this would reduce them to superstition and sorcery
They are unusual, astonishing events
They dont break any law of nature
They point to the mystery of existence
They are signs and symbols within a religious experience

Question 11

John Hick view on miracles

Answer 11

A miracle is any event that is experienced as a miracle
They are ordinary/natural events seen through the eye of faith
They make us become conscious of God acting in us

Question 12

Holland view on Miracles

Answer 12

The train driver who faints so puts his foot on the breaks for the train - which means he doesn’t run over the child
This story proves an event doesn’t have to violate a law of nature to be thought of as a miracle

Question 13

The mother in Holland’s miracle story

Answer 13

It is a ‘beneficial coincidence ‘ that she ‘interprets in a religious fashion’
She interprets what happened as God’s response to human need

Question 14

Humes quote on a wise man

Answer 14

‘A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence’

Question 15

Humes definition of miracles

Answer 15

He defines a miracle as a violation of a law of nature by God - he has a realist approach

Question 16

Humes critique of miracles

Answer 16

A violation of natural laws is far less likely than a person lying/not understanding their sense experience
It is always more likely that the witnesses are mistaken or that they are lying than that a miracle has occurred

Question 17

Hume belief on what a good witness should be

Answer 17

Good education
Good integrity
Good character, not sensationalist
From an educated and developed nation

Question 18

Wiles belief about language about miracles

Answer 18

Language about miracles is symbolic not literal

God does not act in the world through miracles

Question 19

Wiles understanding of God’s intervention

Answer 19

There has been a misunderstanding about God brought about by Hume that God is an agent controlling the chain of causes as a whole - this is not true. God does not intervene.

Question 20

Miracles seen as highly selective

Answer 20

It must be an immoral God who saves some but ignores the rest

Question 21

The only miracle for Wiles

Answer 21

Creation itself

Question 22

Biblical support for Wiles

Answer 22

Jesus refuses to do miracles for Satan which proves that God does not intervene to perform miracles

Question 23

Real value of a miracle for Wiles

Answer 23

Its personal and religious value to each person

Question 24

Biblical significance of miracles

Answer 24

The miracles of Jesus all point towards the central miracle of God’s resurrection of Jesus
For St Paul, If the resurrection is not true then religious faith is vain and futile because if Christ is not raised then there can be no human resurrection from the dead

Question 25

Realist Miracles and the inconsistent triad

Answer 25

If God is intervening in miracles then this means he is willing, able and does intervene in the world through revelation - this solves some of the problem of the problem of evil

Question 26

Anti realist significance of miracles

Answer 26

Their significance is primarily personal and psychological

For Holland they are events with deep personal significance

Question 27

Wiles significance of miracles

Answer 27

They are events that reveal something of God’s intentions for the world
Eg. Miracles in the New Testament are about inspiring people to overcome evil and suffering

Question 28

Exodus example of miracles

Answer 28

God sends 10 plagues to smite the Egyptians

God gives the power to the prophet Moses which proved his care for the Jewish people and his ultimate power

Question 29

Hume quote against testimony about miracles

Answer 29

‘No testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle until the testimony be of such a kind that its falsehood would be MORE miraculous’

Question 30

Hume quote on scientific laws

Answer 30

‘If there appears to be an exception to a law of nature, then the law expands to include the exception’

Question 31

Natural laws as descriptive

Answer 31

They sum up what we have observed

So if there appears to be an exception to a law of nature then the law expands to include the exception

Question 32

Natural laws as probabilistic

Answer 32

Natural laws show what is likely to happen rather than what is going to happen
‘It is logically possible that truly anomalous events occur and if they do strictly scientific explanation will have to ignore them or set them to one side for a moment at least’

Question 33

Hume and Tacites

Answer 33

Hume claims there are ‘no properly attested miracles’ by ‘men of sufficient good sense, integrity, education and learning’
But he claims the Roman Historian Tacitus is ‘greatest and most penetrating genius’ ‘so free from nay tendency to credulity’
So why should Tacitus’ testimony on the miracles performed by Emperor Vespasian be rejected by Hume?

Question 34

Hume and religion quote

Answer 34

‘Religion is founded on faith not reason’