Miracles - Definitions

Miracles - Definitions

1. 1. an event which violates the laws of nature brought about by the actions of God. TRADITIONAL most popular view, example within the bible. 1. jesus walking on water 2. water turning into wine 3. healing of a paralysed person 4. raising from the dead.

2. 2. A miracle is an event that has religious significance. An every day event such as the birth of a babe, can be seen as miraculous, shows something about God OR wonders of the world.

   • R.F Holland - a miracle is nothing more than a extraordinary, coincidence that is seen in a religious way. A miracle is an interpretation, which is subjective and varies from person to person

3. 3. A miracle is an event caused by God- Thomas aquinas - ' Those things, which are done by divine power apart from the order generally followed in things'. This seems to mean events in which something is done by God, which nature could not do.

   • Define miracles as 1. events in which God does something which nature can do but no in that order' 2. when God does what is usually done by the working nature, but without operation of the principle of nature
   • PROBLEM - we can never know when a miracle has occurred, or are we just using God to fill in the gaps of knowledge.
     • 1. Is it fundamentally possible for miracles to occur 2. how can we verify that a miracle has occurred
     • we do not have absolute knowledge about everything in the world.