Miracle
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2008-07-11T13:24:25Z
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A '''miracle''', is a fortuitous event believed to be caused by interposition of [[divine intervention]] by a [[supernatural]] being in the [[universe]] by which the ordinary course and operation of [[Nature]] is suspended, or modified. It is [[derivation (linguistics)|derived]] from [[the]] old [[Latin]] word ''miraculum'' meaning "something wonderful".
Many [[folktales]], [[religion|religious]] texts, and people claim various events which they refer to as "miraculous". It is disputed whether there are [[scientific method|scientifically confirmed]] occurrences of miracles. Miracles are not subject to controlled experimentation and the mechanism of occurrence is not recognized by the scientific community. One aspect of some miracles which makes them almost impossible to verify is the fact that they are often manifested only to small groups of individuals, and sometimes several centuries ago.
People in different faiths have substantially different [[definition]]s of the word "miracle". Even within a specific religion there is often more than one usage of the term.
Sometimes the term "miracle" may refer to the action of a [[supernatural]] being that is not a god. Thus, the term "divine intervention", by contrast, would refer specifically to the direct involvement of a deity.
In casual usage, "miracle" may also refer to any [[probability|statistically unlikely]] but [[good and evil|beneficial]] [[Phenomenon|event]], (such as the survival of a [[natural disaster]]) or even to anything which is regarded as "wonderful" regardless of its likelihood, such as [[birth]]. Other miracles might be: survival of a fatal illness, escaping a life threatening situation or 'beating the odds'.
== Miracles as supernatural acts ==
In this view, a miracle is a violation of normal [[physical law|laws of nature]] by some supernatural entity. Some scientist-theologians like [[John Polkinghorne|Polkinghorne]] suggest that miracles are not violations of the laws of nature but "exploration of a new regime of physical experience".<ref>[[John Polkinghorne]] ''Faith, Science and Understanding'' p59</ref>
The logic behind an event being deemed a miracle varies significantly. Often a religious text, such as the [[Bible]] or [[Quran]], states that a miracle occurred, and believers accept this as a fact. However, the eminent late philosophist Dr. [[C.S. Lewis]] noted that one cannot believe a miracle occurred if one had already drawn a conclusion in one's mind that miracles are not possible at all. He cites the example of a woman he knew who had seen a ghost, and yet she discounted her experience; claiming it to be some sort of hallucination (because she did not believe in ghosts).
Many conservative religious believers hold that in the absence of a plausible, parsimonious scientific theory, the best explanation for these events is that they were performed by a supernatural being, and cite this as evidence for the existence of a god or gods. However, Richard Dawkins criticises this kind of thinking as a subversion of [[Occam's Razor]].<ref>''[[The God Delusion]]''</ref> Some adherents of [[monotheistic religion]]s assert that miracles, if established, are [[evidence]] for the existence of an [[Omnipotence|omnipotent]], [[Omniscience|omniscient]], and benevolent god.
==Miracles in religous texts==
===In the Hebrew Bible===
The descriptions of most miracles (in Hebrew - '''''Neis''''', נס''') in the [[Tanakh]] (Hebrew Bible) are often the same as the common definition of the word: God intervenes in the laws of nature.
A literal reading of the Tanakh shows a number of ways miracles are said to occur: God may suspend or speed up the laws of nature to produce a [[supernatural]] occurrence; God can create matter out of nothing; God can breathe life into inanimate matter. The Tanakh does not explain details of how these miracles happen.
The Tanakh attributes many [[physical phenomenon|natural occurrences]] to God, such as the [[sun]] rising and setting, and [[rain]] falling.
Today many [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jews]], most Christians, and most Muslims adhere to this view of miracles. For example, the Christians say that when the [[Virgin Mary]] became pregnant, it was something her fiance Joseph understood to be remarkably unusual, because Joseph knew that it was impossible for a woman to become pregnant without having sex with a man. The Christians say that Joseph would have cancelled his wedding if an [[angel]] had not informed him about the miracle that had happened to Mary. This view is generally rejected by non-Orthodox Jews, liberal Christians and Unitarian-Universalists. Biblical stories are interpreted by some as [[alegory]] or using [[figures of speech]]: In this view the "miracle" in the story may not have been intended to be taken literally. For example, they say that the pregnancy of Mary was probably a reference to something like her "being pregnant with happiness" because of the upcoming wedding.
Many events commonly understood to be miraculous may not actually be instances of the impossible,as commonly believed. For instance, consider the parting of the Sea of Reeds (in [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] ''Yâm-Sûph''; often mistranslated as the "Red Sea"). This incident occurred when [[Moses]] and [[Israelite]]s fled from [[slavery|bondage]] in [[Egypt]], to begin their exodus to the promised land. The book of [[Exodus]] ''does not'' state that the Reed Sea split in a dramatic fashion. Rather, according to the text God caused a strong [[wind]] to slowly drive the shallow waters to land, overnight. There is no claim that God pushed apart the sea as shown in many films; rather, the miracle would be that Israel crossed this precise place, at exactly the right time, when Moses lifted his [[Staff (stick)|staff]], and that the pursuing Egyptian [[army]] then drowned when the wind stopped and the piled waters rushed back in. Though this view is highly contended by more fundamental Christians who find it hard to believe that a "shallow" sea could drown an Egyptian Army with horses and chariots, contesting that it was a mighty miracle and an act of God on both sides of the crossing.
Most events later described as miracles are not labeled as such by the Bible; rather the text simply describes what happened. Often these narratives will attribute the cause of these events to God.
=== In the New Testament ===
The descriptions of most miracles in the Christian [[New Testament]] are often the same as the commonplace definition of the word: God intervenes in the laws of nature. In [[St John]]'s [[Gospel of John|Gospel]] the miracles are referred to as "signs" and the emphasis is on God demonstrating his underlying normal activity in remarkable ways.<ref> see e.g. [[John Polkinghorne|Polkinghorne]] op cit. and any pretty well any commentary on the Gospel of John, such as [[William Temple]] ''Readings in St John's Gospel'' (see e.g. p 33) or [[Tom Wright (theologian)|Tom Wright]]'s ''John for Everyone''</ref>
Jesus is recorded as having turned [[Wedding at Cana|water into wine]]; creating matter out of nothing, and thus [[Feeding the multitude|turning a loaf of bread into many loaves of bread]]; and [[Lazarus|raising the dead]]. Jesus is also described as [[Resurrection of Jesus|rising from the dead]] himself, God his father having raised him. Jesus explains in the [[New Testament]] that miracles are performed by [[faith]] in God. "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “move from here to there” and it will move." ([[Gospel of Matthew]] 17:20). After Jesus returned to heaven, the book of Acts records the disciples of Jesus praying to God to grant that miracles be done in his name, for the purpose of convincing onlookers that he is alive. ([[Acts]] 4:29-31).
===In the Qur'an ===
{{main|Islamic view of miracles}}
Miracle in the [[Qur'an]] can be defined as a supernatural intervention in the life of human beings. <ref name="EoQ"> Denis Gril, ''Miracles'', [[Encyclopedia of the Qur'an]] </ref> According to this definition, Miracles are present "in a threefold sense: in sacred [[history]], in connection with [[Muhammad]] himself and in relation to revelation."<ref name="EoQ"/> The Qur'an does not use the technical [[Arabic]] word for miracle (''Muʿd̲j̲iza'') literally meaning "that by means of which [the Prophet] confounds, overwhelms, his opponents". It rather uses the term 'Ayah'(literally meaning sign). <ref name="EoI"> A.J. Wensinck, ''Muʿd̲j̲iza'', [[Encyclopaedia of Islam|Encyclopedia of Islam]] </ref> The term ''Ayah'' is used in the Qur'an in the above mentioned threefold sense: it refers to the "verses" of the Qur'an (believed to be the divine speech in [[Natural language|human language]]; presented by [[Muhammad]] as his chief Miracle); as well as to miracles of it and the signs( particularly those of creation).<ref name="EoQ"/><ref name="EoI"/>
In order to defend the possibility of miracles and God's omnipotence against the encroachment of the independent secondary causes, medieval Muslim theologians rejected the idea of [[Causality|cause and effect]] in essence, but accepted it as something that facilitates humankind's investigation and comprehension of natural processes. They argued that the nature was composed of uniform atoms that were "re-created" at every instant by God. Thus if the soil was to fall, God would have to create and re-create the accident of heaviness for as long as the soil was to fall. For Muslim theologians, the laws of nature were only the customary sequence of apparent causes: customs of God.<ref>Robert G. Mourison, The Portrayal of Nature in a Medieval Qur’an Commentary, Studia Islamica, 2002</ref>
== Aristotelian and Neo-Aristotelian views of miracles ==
[[Aristotle]] rejected the idea that God could or would intervene in the order of the natural world. [[Jew]]ish neo-[[Aristotelian]] [[philosophy|philosophers]], who are still influential today, include [[Maimonides]], [[Samuel ben Judah ibn Tibbon]], and [[Gersonides]]. Directly or indirectly, their views are still prevalent in much of the religious Jewish community. <!-- Christian and Muslim neo-Aristotelian philosophers should also be discussed in this section; also please note if their works are still studied and accepted today, and if so, by whom. -->
== Miracles as events pre-planned by God ==
In rabbinic [[Judaism]], many [[rabbi]]s mentioned in the [[Talmud]] held that the laws of nature were inviolable. The idea of miracles that contravened the laws of nature were hard to accept; however, at the same time they affirmed the truth of the accounts in the [[Tanakh]]. Therefore some explained that miracles were in fact natural events that had been set up by God at the beginning of time.
In this view, when the walls of [[Jericho]] fell, it was not because God directly brought them down. Rather, God planned that there would be an [[earthquake]] at that place and time, so that the city would fall to the Israelites. Instances where rabbinic writings say that God made miracles a part of [[creation (theology)|creation]] include [[Midrash]] ''Genesis Rabbah'' 5:45; Midrash ''Exodus Rabbah'' 21:6; and [[Talmud|Ethics of the Fathers/Pirkei Avot 5:6.]]
== Spinoza's View of Miracles ==
In Spinoza's [[Theologico-Political Treatise]] he talks about miracles as those events of whose causes we are ignorant. Nor does he suggest we should just treat them as having no cause or of having a cause immediately available. Rather the miracle is for combating the ignorance it entails, it becomes a political project.
== David Hume's views of miracles ==
According to the philosopher [[David Hume]], a miracle is "a transgression of a law of nature by a particular volition of the Deity, or by the interposition of some invisible agent." <ref>[http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/miracles/ Miracles] on the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy</ref>
== Nonliteral interpretations of the text==
These views are held by both classical and modern thinkers.
In [[Book of Numbers|Numbers]] 22 is the story of [[Balaam]] and the talking [[donkey]]. Many hold that for miracles such as this, one must either assert the literal truth of this [[Old Testament|biblical story]], or one must then reject the story as false. However, some Jewish commentators (e.g. [[Saadiah Gaon]] and [[Maimonides]]) hold that stories such as these were never meant to be taken literally in the first place. Rather, these stories should be understood as accounts of a [[prophet]]ic experience, which are [[dream]]s or [[vision (religion)|visions]]. (Of course, such dreams and visions could themselves be considered miracles.)
[[Joseph H. Hertz]], a 20th century [[Meforshim|Jewish biblical commentator]], writes that these verses "depict the continuance on the subconscious plane of the mental and moral conflict in Balaam's soul; and the dream apparition and the speaking donkey is but a further warning to Balaam against being misled through avarice to violate God command."
== As products of creative art and social acceptance ==
In this view, miracles do not really occur. Rather, they are the product of creative story tellers. They use them to embellish a hero or incident with a theological flavor. Using miracles in a story allows characters and situations to become bigger than life, and to stir the emotions of the listener more than the mundane and ordinary.
== As misunderstood commonplace events ==
[[Littlewood's law]] states that individuals can expect miracles to happen to them, at the rate of about one per month. By its definition, seemingly miraculous events are actually commonplace. In other words, miracles do not exist, but are rather examples of low probability events that are bound to happen by chance from time to time.
== Claims of Miracles in Christendom ==
[[C.S. Lewis]], [[Norman Geisler]], [[William Lane Craig]], and other Christian apologetics have argued that miracles are reasonable and plausible. For example, C.S. Lewis says that a miracle is something that comes totally out of the blue. If for thousands of years a woman can become pregnant only by sexual intercourse with a man, then if she were to become pregnant without a man, it would be a miracle.<ref>{{cite web| title =Are Miracles Logically Impossible?| Publisher =Come Reason Ministries, Convincing Christianity| url =http://www.comereason.org/phil_qstn/phi060.asp| accessdate =2007-11-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title =“Miracles are not possible,” some claim. Is this true?| publisher =ChristianAnswers.net| url =http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t011.html| accessdate =2007-11-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title =A Jurisprudential Analysis Of Hume’s “in Principal” Argument Against Miracles| | author =Paul K. Hoffman| publisher =Christian Apologetics Journal, Volume 2, No. 1, Spring, 1999; Copyright ©1999 by Southern Evangelical Seminary| url =http://www.ses.edu/journal/articles/2.1Hoffman.pdf| accessdate =2007-11-21}}</ref>
=== Claims of Miracles in the Catholic Church ===
The [[Catholic Church]] recognizes miracles as being works of [[God]], either directly or through the prayers and intercession of a specific [[Saint]] or Saints. There is usually a specific purpose connected to a miracle, i.e. the conversion of a person or persons to the Catholic faith or the construction of a church desired by God. The Church tries to be very cautious to approve the validity of putative miracles. It requires a certain number of miracles to occur before granting [[sainthood]], with particularly stringent requirements in validating the miracle's authenticity. [http://jcgi.pathfinder.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,982807,00.html] The process is overseen by the [[Congregation for the Causes of Saints]] [http://www.30giorni.it/us/articolo.asp?id=3664].
The Catholic Church claims to have confirmed the validity of a number of miracles, some of them occurring in modern times and having withstood the test of modern [[Scientific method|scientific scrutiny]]. Among the more notable miracles approved by the Church are several [[Eucharistic miracle]]s wherein the [[Sacramental bread|Sacred Host]] is transformed visibly into [[Christ]]'s living [[transubstantiation|Flesh and Blood]], bleeds, hovers in the air, flies around, radiates light, and/or displays the image of [[Christ]]. The first example of the Host being visibly changed into human flesh and blood occurred at [[Lanciano|Lanciano, Italy]] around 700 A.D. Unlike some miracles of a more transient nature, the Flesh and Blood remain in Lanciano to this day, having been scientifically examined as recently as 1971.
Another alleged miracle is the [[Miracle of the Sun]], which occurred near [[Our Lady of Fatima|Fátima, Portugal]] on October 13, 1917. Anywhere between 70,000 and 100,000 people, who were gathered at a [[Cova da Iria|cove]] near Fátima, witnessed the sun dim, change colors, spin, dance about in the sky, and appear to plummet to earth, radiating great heat in the process. After the ten-minute event, the ground and the people's clothing, which had been drenched by a previous rainstorm, were both dry. There are numerous reports of the details from both religious and secular sources, but there are many discrepancies.
In addition to these, the Catholic Church attributes miraculous causes to many otherwise inexplicable phenomena on a case-by-case basis. Only after all other possible explanations have proven inadequate may the Church assume Divine intervention and declare the miracle worthy of veneration by the faithful (the Church does not, however, enjoin belief in any extra-Scriptural miracle as an [[Articles of Faith|article of faith]] or as necessary to [[salvation]]).
=== Protestant Claims===
There have been numerous claims of miracles in Christendom. Mainline [[protestant]], [[Evangelical]], [[Pentecostal]] and [[Charismatic]] Christians accept spiritual gifts, including healing and the working of miracles.
Some of the types of miracles that are claimed to occur in modern times are healings, casting out demons, multiplying food, etc.
== Miracles in Other Religions ==
Followers of the Indian [[guru]]s [[Sathya Sai Baba]] and [[Swami Premananda]] claim that they routinely perform miracles. The dominant view among skeptics is that these are predominantly [[sleight of hand]] or elaborate [[magic trick]]s.
Some modern religious groups claim ongoing occurrence of miraculous events. While some miracles have been proven to be fraudulent (see [[Peter Popoff]] for an example) others (such as the [[Holy Fire|Paschal Fire in Jerusalem]]) have not proven susceptible to analysis. Some groups are far more cautious about proclaiming apparent miracles genuine than others, although official sanction, or the lack thereof, rarely has much effect on popular belief. <!-- Any addition here of the names of purported miracle-mongers as if they worked genuine miracles is plainly NPOV and will be reverted. -->
== See also ==
* [[Miracles of Jesus]]
* [[Intercession of saints]]
* [[Miracles at Lourdes]]
* [[Divine Providence#In Jewish thought|Divine Providence In Jewish thought]]
* [[Cessationism]]
* [[A Course in Miracles]]
* [[Occasionalism]]
* [[Signs and wonders]]
* The [[Lourdes effect]]
== Notes and references ==
{{reflist}}
* Colin Brown. ''Miracles and the Critical Mind''. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984. (Good survey).
* Colin J. Humphreys, ''Miracles of Exodus''. Harper, San Francisco, 2003.
* Krista Bontrager, [http://www.reasons.org/resources/apologetics/its_a_miracle.shtml?main#_edn8 It’s a Miracle! Or, is it?]
* Eisen, Robert (1995). ''Gersonides on Providence, Covenant, and the Chosen People''. State University of New York Press.
* Goodman, Lenn E. (1985). ''Rambam: Readings in the Philosophy of Moses Maimonides''. Gee Bee Tee.
* Kellner, Menachem (1986). ''Dogma in Medieval Jewish Thought''. Oxford University Press.
* [[C. S. Lewis]]. ''Miracles: A Preliminary Study''. New York, Macmillan Co., 1947.
* [[C. F. D. Moule]] (ed.). ''Miracles: Cambridge Studies in their Philosophy and History''. London, A.R. Mowbray 1966, ©1965 (Good survey of Biblical miracles as well).
* Graham Twelftree. ''Jesus the Miracle Worker: A Historical and Theological Study''. IVP, 1999. (Best in its field).
* Woodward, Kenneth L. (2000). ''The Book of Miracles''. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-684-82393-4.
* M. Kamp, MD. Bruno Gröning. The miracles continue to happen. 1998, ([http://www.bruno-groening.org/english/mwf/buchauszug/defaultb-auszug.htm Chapters 1 - 4])
== Bibliography ==
*[[Harry Houdini|Houdini, Harry]] ''Miracle Mongers and Their Methods: A Complete Expose'' [[Prometheus Books]]; Reprint edition (March 1993) originally published in 1920 ISBN 0-87975-817-1.
== External links ==
* [The history of thinking about miracles in the West. http://www.smajournalonline.com/pt/re/smj/fulltext.00007611-200712000-00016.htm;jsessionid=L3cCMp2sQTVn8gkyqgnkgqbGmfRxQJ7sXmt09MHTQZhRY9nTl4Kw!536197444!181195628!8091!-1
* [http://www.miraclesofthequran.com/ About the miracles of the Quran]
* [http://www.backtoislam.com/?cat=68 God's Miracles, Islamic perspective]
* [http://www.mukto-mona.com/Articles/yuktibaadi.htm An Indian Skeptic's explanation of miracles: By Yuktibaadi] compiled by [[Basava Premanand]]
* [http://www.cdk.si/grz/relig_ic_e.htm Religious miracles]
*[http://www.55a.net/firas/english/ The Quran Miracles Encyclopedia]
*[http://www.islamicmedicine.org/medmiraclesofquran/medmiracleseng.htm Medical Miracles of the Quran]
* [http://www.skepdic.com/miracles.html Skeptic's Dictionary on miracles]
* [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/miracles/ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry]
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=248167 Why Don't Miracles Happen Today? - A Jewish view on miracles nowadays] chabad.org
* [http://home.regent.edu/ruthven/cess.html On the Cessation of the Charismata] — the problem of miracles today.
* Andrew Lang, [http://www.psychanalyse-paris.com/823-Science-and-Miracles.html "Science and 'Miracles'"], ''The Making of Religion'' Chapter II, Longmans, Green, and Co., London, New York and Bombay, 1900, pp 14-38.
* {{CathEncy|wstitle=Miracle}}
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