Miracles Flashcards
what is a realsit?
- real event caused by God
- miracles are evidence of Gods existence and of his care for the world
what are the 3 realist examples of miracles?
- miracle as an extraordinary coincidence of a beneficial nature
- an event bought about by the power of God/spiritual power
- as a violation of natural law
whats an example of miracle as a coincidence?
- gas explosion at West Side Baptist Church
- would’ve killed the choir
- but they were all late for different reasons
why is the realist definition of a miracle limited?
- it only describes the event, it doesn’t make any claims about a supernatural power in the event
examples of a miracle as an event brought about by the power of God?
- Bible contains numerous accounts of God acting through persons in this way
- they invite belief in God and strengthen faith
a miracle as a violation of natural law?
- Humes 3 parts to his definition:
- a miracle as a transgression of a law of nature
- an act of will
- by the deity
problem with a miracle being a violation of natural law?
- modern science simply doesn’t accept this understanding of natural law
- doesn’t accept natural law can be violated
what does it mean by saying natural law is descriptive?
- a law of nature cannot dictate what must happen
- they sum up what we observe
- they can’t be broken
if an event doesn’t conform to what scientific law predicts what are the possibilities?
- evidence for that law is faulty
- there’s an unknown factor, the law doesn’t take into account
- the law is inadequate and needs to be adapted
what conclusion does Hick support with?
- if there’s an exception to a law of nature, the law expands to include the exception
Hicks view if an event is currently seen as a miracle?
- ‘god of the gaps’
- what might currently be seen as miracles of healing will probably turn out to be brought about in a naturalistic way by some unknown power of human mind
why may natural laws be considered probabilistic?
- they show what is likely to happen rather than what is going to happen
what is an anti-realist?
- deny that we can have knowledge of a mind independent world
- mind is our only means of understanding anything
what would an anti realist say about miracles?
- the idea of miraculous intervention in this world by a transcendent God isn’t sensible
- miracles are mental states or attitudes, understood in terms of pysch/socio
what does Paul Tillich say about miracles- as sign events?
- miracles are sign events that cannot be divorced from their religious context
how does Tillich define a miracle?
“astonishing, unusual, shaking, without contradicting the rational structure of reality…points to the mystery of being…received as a sign event in an ecstatic experience”
what does Tillichs definition of a miracle suggest?
- has to be astonishing without breaking any law
- point to the mystery of a being
- has to be a sign/symbol
what does R.F Holland say about miracles?
- there is nothing miraculous about coincidence, expect the way they’re interpreted
RF Hollands example?
- child gets stuck on a train track in his toy car
- driver of train can’t stop in time
- brakes of train are applied
- nothing supernatural, driver had fainted and applied brakes
what makes RF Hollands account a miracle?
- for the mother as its a beneficial coincidence which she interprets in a religious fashion
whats Humes critique of miracles start with?
- knowledge is based on sense experience
- the more evidence we have for an event, the higher its probability
how does Hume define a miracle?
“a transgression of a law of nature by a particular violation of the deity, or by the interposition of some invisible agent”
what does Hume believe as an empiricist?
- all knowledge depend upon experience and that the laws of nature are therefore based on the maximum amount of uniform evidence
what is Humes main inductive argument against miracles?
- the more improbable the claim, the more reliable the witness needs to be
- the most improbable event would be a violation of natural law
- therefore, the reported event is maximally improbable
- probability of witness lying or mistaken is always greater
what is Humes supporting argument from psychology?
- no witness account would convince us their not lying or mistaken
- surprise and wonder from miracles is enough to make people of common sense less than sensible
what is Humes overall complaint about miracles?
- their part of the psychology of belief
- spiral of self delusion
what are criticism from Wiles about miracles?
- God doesn’t act in the world through miracles
- If god acted in this interventionist way selectively, then
he becomes morally responsible for not stopping evil - if God intervened to same some but not others, the problem of evil wouldn’t be solved
instead what does Wiles argue?
- should take anti-realist approach
- Jesus engages in actions to prevent evil,
- Jesus refuses to perform a miracle if there’s no - religious context
- God doesn’t intervene from above to perform miracles
what one miracle does Wiles suggest?
- that of creation itself
- God creates the universe and leaves to work through its natural laws
the value of miracles as faith- realist?
- central miracle of the new testament is the resurrection of Jesus
- this is the foundation of christian faith
God intervenes providentially as a demonstration of power and love- realist?
- God is believed to care for his creation
- God has both the power and love to act in this world
miracles as actions of an all loving, all powerful God raises the problem of evil: realist
- why an all powerful/loving God would allow evil
- why be so selective
what is Wards answer to the problem of evil and miracles?
- it has universal significance, discloses something of Gods intentions
- sees God as ‘tinkering with his creation’
miracles as a different understanding of religion:
anti-realist
- Tillich- God is being itself
- they’re sign events
- profound personal and psychological significance
Wiles- anti-realist
- as events which reveal something of Gods intentions
- inspire to overcome evil and suffering
