Let's talk about miracles. Can people in an age of science believe in miracles? What are miracles?
I want to offer three ways people might think about miracles ( You are encouraged to expand this list in the 'comments').
1. Miracles don't really happen. This view would contend that events which appear to be unexplainable and thus are attributed to God are simply events which are currently unexplainable. As our knowledge increases, science will be able to explain the 'miracle'. This is a variation of the God of the Gaps argument.
2. Miracles are or will be explainable and consistent with what we know about how nature works. But God is present in a particular way( for example the timing of an event) which makes the event a miracle. God works within natural processes, in particular and unique ways.
3. God sometimes intervenes in supernatural ways. God is the one ultimately in control, not the laws of nature, and so while the laws of nature may normally be operative, that doesn't exclude supernatural actions by God.
These three points are, obviously, the barest of a bare bones discussion about miracles. It seems to me that all three could be correct. Some things we call miracles, aren't. Some miracles occur within the constraints of natural processes. Sometimes God intervenes directly and supernaturally in human activities.
So readers, what do you think?
What are miracles?
Do miracles happen?
How do we know when something is a miracle?
I'm looking forward to reading what you think!
Showing posts with label miracles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label miracles. Show all posts
Friday, January 06, 2012
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