The Concept of Miracle

The concept of miracle has often been regarded as irreconcilable with the concept of natural law. But this contradiction applies only to an understanding of a miracle as a break of natural law. Such a violation would destroy the assertion of natural law, because its universal claim does not permit e...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Pannenberg, Wolfhart 1928-2014 (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Wiley-Blackwell 2002
In: Zygon
Year: 2002, Volume: 37, Issue: 3, Pages: 759-762
Further subjects:B Augustine
B David Hume
B contra naturam
B violation of natural law
B unusual event
B Baruch Spinoza
B Natural Law
B Friedrich Schleiermacher
B Sign
B Contingency
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Summary:The concept of miracle has often been regarded as irreconcilable with the concept of natural law. But this contradiction applies only to an understanding of a miracle as a break of natural law. Such a violation would destroy the assertion of natural law, because its universal claim does not permit exceptions. However, the idea of miracle need not be conceived in this way, though it has often been done since medieval times. Augustine thought of miracles simply as unusual events that contradict our accustomed views of the course of nature but not nature itself. According to that definition of miracle, no contradiction of natural laws need be assumed. It is sufficient to regard unusual occurrences as “signs” of God's special activity in creation.
ISSN:1467-9744
Contains:Enthalten in: Zygon
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1111/1467-9744.00452