realist view
miracles are objectively true result of direct activity of God or of someone empowered by him.
Traditional view
signs from God
Realist view affirmation of faith traditions
miracles at Lourdes have affirmed the catholic faith tradition support belief in God being omniscient
realist view of miracles as an event bought about by a spiritual power working through people
biblical 0 deliverance of Israelites from Captiity in Egypt through Moses
Claimed miracles in Catholic Church
realist view miracles as a violation of natural laws
miracles happen when God intervention interferes with normal workings of the laws of nature
intentional act of Gods will
what does Swinburne say - realist
miracles are exception to the rule ‘an extraordinary event of religious significance brought about by God’
violate laws of nature to reveal something
what does aquinas say realist
defined direct interventions of God over turning natural order
1. Nature can never do
2. Nature can do but not in this order
3. Nature usually does but without using the principle of nature
realist - personal experiences
William James - religious experience were primary source of religious belief
Miracles are good basis for belief in Gods existence more likely to believe something they have experienced
anti realist - miracles are experiencing as
Hick
natural evens which are experienced move us to a religious response
if does break law of nature - not religious
shows understanding of that law wasn’t enough
shows science wasn’t good enough
Holland
based on individuals interpretation of event
allows atheists negative view to have equal value
no way to know which is right or wrong
anti realist - miracles as remarkable coincidences
R F Holland
Train stopping just in time - coincidence
the significant event caries on after the event
fact a explanation for train stopping doesn’t take away significance
Hollands miracles don’t involve law of nature
they are natural occurrences, beneficial in nature and have religious significance
Anti realist - miracles as sign events
Tillich - subjective experience entering on individuals response
sign events of religious significance tells us about god
doesn’t breach any law of nature
Anti realist view - liberal view
interpretation of events
they are natural events seen as signs of God’s goodness without sense of direct intervention or the violation of human law
feeling gratitude after
arguments in favour of realist view - 5
- provides significance to believer
- provides cumulative argument for existence of God- Swinburne
shows that prays are being answered - ‘If there is a God we might well expect that he intervenes’
- the miracle of resurrecting of Jesus is foundational to Christian belief
- Other miracles like Lourdes are important
issues from realist views -4
- Dawkins God of the gaps
- Wiles - If miracles are an intervention of God why do so many suffer
- Concept of violation is accepted - the weight of evidence for law of nature will outweigh the evidence for claimed breach of that law of nature - Hume
- Science rejects concept of laws being capable of being violated. Laws of nature are descriptive and probabilistic - Hick
problems from anti realist - 2
- can be seen as diminishing power of omnipotent God as approach may be patronising.
- if miracles are an intrepation they are a product of peoples brain
Hume
rejects realist view
miracles aren’t impossible just impossible to prove
argument based on empiricism
deity is hidden and unobservable
Humes argument - 4 + conc
- Never been a suffiencent number of witnesses
- Those testifying will have natural tendencies to suspend their reason and support claim
- as nations develop miracle stories disappear due to barbarous nations
- different religions claim to miracles and they clash and cancel each other out
Conclusion - it is a miracle anyone can believe in the traditional view of miracles at all. christainty based on faith not reason
Swinburne
rejects Hume
miracles are exception to the rule they are a 1 of
laws of nature are good general descriptions of how the world works
1. Hume doesn’t say what a suffiencent number is
2. evidence for miracles can be collected from memory modern science
3. difficult to define when people are educated - many people today are still miracles happen
4. Same God could preform miracles -interpreted differently
Wiles - 7 + conc
- anti realist approach
- only miracle is creation
- creation is good no need for further intervention
- God put natural laws in place
- Idea of God intervening for some not others would not be compatible with belief of love and justice from God
- Miracles are trivial - didn’t intervene for extreme
- takes liberal stance on Bible
conclusion - creator and sustainer
strengths wiles - 1
- gives holistic view of Gods activity in world
Challenges wiles -
- are miracles unfair? example of resurrection of Christ clearly breaks law of nature
- we can’t understand why God would inteven for some and not others
