Miracles

Question 1

How did Aquinas define a miracle?

Answer 1

an event that goes beyond nature and natural power, it has a divine cause.

Question 2

who can perform miracles according to Aquinas?

Answer 2

god alone can perform miracles

Question 3

how did David Hume define a miracle?

Answer 3

Hume describes a miracle as ‘a violation of natural law’

for Hume a miracle has to break the laws of nature and express divine cause. e.g raising someone from the dead

Question 4

what two views of law of nature does Hume present?

Answer 4

hard interpretation: assume laws of nature cannot be altered, if miracles violate what cannot be altered, then miracles are impossible

soft view: natural laws not fixed, but rather can have exceptions, therefore regular natural laws can be altered by intervention of god. makes belief in miracles not impossible

Question 5

how does R.F. Holland define a miracle?

Answer 5

claims it doesn’t need to break laws of nature or gods intervention. but rather is ‘a remarkable and beneficial coincidence that is interpreted in a religious way’.
it can only be spoken about against a religious background. its the interpretation of the event
(Contingency miracles)

Question 6

what illustration does Holland use to demonstrate his view?

Answer 6

a child caught between rail tracks, with a train approaching, the mother could see both the train and the Boy. however the train suddenly started to slow down and stopped about a metre from the boy. the mother claimed it a miracle, even though the reason was the driver had a heart attack and passed out.
to a religious person this doesn’t break the laws of nature but is still a miracle.

Question 7

how does Swinburne define a miracle?

Answer 7

similar to Hume in that a miracle is where god has intervened. but makes two changes

• Swinburne calls it ‘an occurrence of a non-repeatable counter instance to a law of nature’
• miracles hold some deeper religious significance than just breaking laws of nature, must contribute to divine purpose. miracles also seen as signs from god

Question 8

what are some examples of biblical miracles?

Answer 8

• Jesus walks on water
• death and raising Lazarus from the dead
• Jesus rises from the dead and ascension

Question 9

how does Hume challenge credibility of witness?

Answer 9

1. no miracle has sufficient number of witnesses, there would need to be number of educated witnesses and would have a lot to lose if found out to be lying
2. people are prone to look for marvels and wonders as they. are people feel good
3. the sources of miracles are from ignorant people, focused on testimony of those in distant past and no miracles of biblical nature in present day