What is a Miracle?

(a) What is meant by the term miracle? (4 marks)

A miracle can be defined as, `a transgression of a law of nature by a particular violation of a deity," Hume. It describes supernatural events, which defy the universal laws of nature. This could be a man rising from the ground against the law of gravity. J.L. Mackie has a similar point of view and suggests that miracles occur when the world is interfered with, by something that is not of natural order. Some doctors have said that a particular event would not be a miracle, unless the impossible has taken place. I would agree with the doctors' point of view, that if a man was terminally ill and then suddenly 100% healthy the next day when he woke up from his sleep, and that would surely be a miracle.

The term miracle usually refers to an event with great significance. This purpose is important to theists because it demonstrates God's power, love and compassion. Swinburne says that events with no deep ultimate purpose would not naturally be described as miracles.

(b) Comment on the view that the arguments against miracles are stronger than those in support of them. (16marks)

It is easy to think that the argument in support of miracles is weak due to the number of criticisms there are and therefore conclude that the views against miracles are stronger. However, there are strong arguments in support.

There are testimonies in the Bible of Jesus' resurrection. These are eyewitnesses who have recorded the incident giving proof that miracles must exist. Christians would argue that miracles are real and can happen because God created everything and therefore he has prerogative to intervene. It also displays God's character, which is a loving and forgivin...

... middle of paper ...

...to walk on the moon. And people, in time, have come to do what earlier generations would have rightly taken to be impossible on the basis of their experience." If miracles were really impossible, all new scientific discoveries would also not be possible.

Another philosopher called Holland expresses that "a coincidence can be taken religiously as a sign and called a miracle. He does not overlook the fact that miracles do occur but he sees them in a different approach to others. I do however, that miracles are coincidences with great significance behind them, as if a Christian would say that a deity has brought this to occur. In conclusion, the argument for miracles remains strong because it has not be totally disproved. They are spontaneous events and there have been no alternative explanation put forward for these incidences, other then it was a miracle.