kallipolis
Know thyself
For the non believer a miracle is simply a misinterpretation of the facts.
For the believer the classic definition of a miracle was made by Thomas Aquinas who defined it as "something which is beyond the order of created nature" and, therefore, pertains only to divine actions (or supernatural phenomena) "since God alone is not a created being, he also is the only one who can work miracles by his own power."Thus according to the Thomist definition miracles are extraordinary events which are restricted to very specific circumstances. They do not require any interference with the "laws of nature"; for they are, as Thomas Aquinas says, beyond (praetor), not against (contra) created nature.
The order of creation is due to the will of God. A miracle is not contrary to the will of God, rather it is a special extraordinary exercise of the will of God. It is not the case that miracles result in an overturning or, negation of the laws of nature rather a temporary suspension of the natural processes as The Creator orders.
Perhaps the biggest objection against the possibility of miracles is founded upon the assumption that the universe is closed and that nothing out of the course of nature (understood as the sum of all material things) can happen. Hence the assumption that nothing can occur unless it is "preceded by antecedent phenomenal conditions sufficient again to reproduce it", as philosopher John Stuart Mill put it. Thus it could be said that every event must have a quantifiable cause and must, therefore be capable of repetition - should the same chain of cause-and-effect be put in place.
Mill's definition implies that there is nothing but the material world in existence. However such a definition takes no account of the human will, still less the will of God. A chemical experiment can always be reproduced, given the conditions in which it was produced once. But not everything in life is so predictable — and certainly not homo sapiens which exercises free will.
The will of God which brought all that is, or can be into existence may certainly interfere with the ordinary course of nature. But such events are not regular occurrences. Miracles represent an extraordinary inbreaking of the Divine that is not contrary to nature, rather beyond it. Hence miracles are neither random nor arbitrary.
Ultimately the question we are asking about miracles is another form of the so-called problem of evil — or, as it is sometimes posed as a question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" In the case of miracle cures, the question might better be phrased: "Why do good things happen to some people and not to others?"
Sometimes good and extraordinary things do happen to good people which begs the question of those not so blessed. "Why me? Why did God not answer my prayers?"
Miracles provide us with many more questions, than answers particularly for those sick people who remain in need of healing despite their many petitions to God to be healed from their illness.
If we focus too much on the miraculous we may miss the central message of Christianity freighted by the death and resurrection of Christ — the call and vocation to the cruciform life.
The vocation of the Christian is to daily take up the cross and follow Jesus' example of self-giving and sacrifice, revealing the role of the servant — this is the true source of healing for both individuals and communities.
end
For the believer the classic definition of a miracle was made by Thomas Aquinas who defined it as "something which is beyond the order of created nature" and, therefore, pertains only to divine actions (or supernatural phenomena) "since God alone is not a created being, he also is the only one who can work miracles by his own power."Thus according to the Thomist definition miracles are extraordinary events which are restricted to very specific circumstances. They do not require any interference with the "laws of nature"; for they are, as Thomas Aquinas says, beyond (praetor), not against (contra) created nature.
The order of creation is due to the will of God. A miracle is not contrary to the will of God, rather it is a special extraordinary exercise of the will of God. It is not the case that miracles result in an overturning or, negation of the laws of nature rather a temporary suspension of the natural processes as The Creator orders.
Perhaps the biggest objection against the possibility of miracles is founded upon the assumption that the universe is closed and that nothing out of the course of nature (understood as the sum of all material things) can happen. Hence the assumption that nothing can occur unless it is "preceded by antecedent phenomenal conditions sufficient again to reproduce it", as philosopher John Stuart Mill put it. Thus it could be said that every event must have a quantifiable cause and must, therefore be capable of repetition - should the same chain of cause-and-effect be put in place.
Mill's definition implies that there is nothing but the material world in existence. However such a definition takes no account of the human will, still less the will of God. A chemical experiment can always be reproduced, given the conditions in which it was produced once. But not everything in life is so predictable — and certainly not homo sapiens which exercises free will.
The will of God which brought all that is, or can be into existence may certainly interfere with the ordinary course of nature. But such events are not regular occurrences. Miracles represent an extraordinary inbreaking of the Divine that is not contrary to nature, rather beyond it. Hence miracles are neither random nor arbitrary.
Ultimately the question we are asking about miracles is another form of the so-called problem of evil — or, as it is sometimes posed as a question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" In the case of miracle cures, the question might better be phrased: "Why do good things happen to some people and not to others?"
Sometimes good and extraordinary things do happen to good people which begs the question of those not so blessed. "Why me? Why did God not answer my prayers?"
Miracles provide us with many more questions, than answers particularly for those sick people who remain in need of healing despite their many petitions to God to be healed from their illness.
If we focus too much on the miraculous we may miss the central message of Christianity freighted by the death and resurrection of Christ — the call and vocation to the cruciform life.
The vocation of the Christian is to daily take up the cross and follow Jesus' example of self-giving and sacrifice, revealing the role of the servant — this is the true source of healing for both individuals and communities.
end
You just made me spit scotch all over my keyboard.