1. Religious Experience - Miracles
By the end of this lesson you will have:
Re-capped the value of religious experience for the community and the individual
Learnt what a miracle is
Learnt 4 different definitions of miracles according to scholars

2. Spec Check – Letter E AO1 AO2
E. ST Thomas Aquinas (miracles different forms from the usual order), David Hume (transgression of a law of nature), R.F Holland (contingency miracle), Richard Swinburne (religious significance)
Consideration of reasons why religious believers accept that miracles occur; evidence from sacred writings; affirmation of faith traditions; personal experience
* The adequacy of different definitions of miracles
* How far different definitions of miracles can be considered contradictory

3. Re-Cap – The influence of Religious Experience
What is the influence of Religious Experience on the community? C A P
What is the influence of Religious Experience on the individual? S R

4. Miracles What is a miracle?
With your partner jot down as many examples of miracles that you can think of!

5. Miracles Here are some examples of well known miracles
Top 10 miracles that science can’t explain
Make a note of at least 3 to use as examples in your own work

6. A Posteriori Argument
Miracles have been used as an a posteriori argument for the existence of God (the events are so abnormal that they are construed as revelations of supernatural power).
They also relate to the attributes of God – what kind of creator God would intervene in creation in these ways?

7. Definitions: Thomas Aquinas
Catholic 13th Century Saint
TASK: Read page 41 of your workbook and make note of the three definitions of miracle as according to Aquinas
Make note of the distinction between primary cause, secondary cause and double agency
1. Something that God has done that nature can’t (Josh.10.13).
2. Something that God has done which nature CAN do but not in that order (Mark 1.31).
3. Something that God has done without the working of nature which is usually done by the working of nature

8. Definitions: Thomas Aquinas
For Aquinas, miracles could be defined as “Those things,…which are done by divine power apart from the order generally followed in things.”
Thus he is suggesting an interventionist God.

9. Definitions: David Hume
17th Century Scottish Atheist
Hume deals with the issue of miracles in his essay “Of Miracles” (Section 10 in his Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding).
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”

10. Definitions: David Hume
However, having defined a miracle, he goes on the argue that no event could reasonably be proven to be a miraculous intervention by God.
Hume rates his argument very highly: His argument, “If just, will, with the wise and learned, be an everlasting check on all kinds of superstitious delusion, and consequently will be useful as long as the world endures.”

11. Definitions: Swinburne
TASK: Read page 41 of your workbook and summarise Swinburne’s definition in your own words
Q. For Swinburne, what 2 criteria need to be present for a beak in the law of nature to be considered a miracle?
‘A volition of a law of nature by a God that is very powerful rational being who is not a material object’
Swinburne doesn’t think that a miracle should trigger a re-evaluation of the laws of nature
A miracle should fulfill the following criteria:
i) The timescale should be quicker than the norm
Ii) There should be a deeper significance

12. Definitions: Holland
TASK: Read page 42 of your workbook and summarise Holland’s definition
‘a coincidence can be taken religiously as a sign and called a miracle’
For Holland miracles are coincidences that are called ‘miracles’.
It is down to the subject whether or not they interpret a miracle as Divine Intervention.

13. Definitions
TASK: Complete this table with a summary of the key points of each scholar
Scholar
Definition
Aquinas
Hume
Swinburne
Holland

14. Why Religious Believers Accept that Miracles Occur
Why might religious believers accept that miracles occur?
Think of the pictures below for ideas

15. Why Religious Believers Accept that Miracles Occur
1. Because of evidence in scripture
2. Because of faith in God
3. Because of personal experience

16. AO2 practise
Complete one of the following questions as an essay plan in your booklet:
‘The definitions of miracles as stated by the scholars are wholly contradictory’. Assess this view (30)
‘The definitions of miracles are adequate’. Assess this view (30)

17. ‘The definitions of miracles as stated by the scholars are wholly contradictory’. Assess this view (30)
ARE contradictory
AREN’T contradictory
Some of the definitions state that God is the supernatural agent and some don’t see God as the cause
However, they all acknowledge some kind of supernatural intervention beyond human understanding. It’s just whether or not the understanding is attributed to God
Some focus on the timescale of the miracle as part of the definition (i.e. Swinburne) whereas other’s don’t (i.e. Hume)
However, all focus on transcending laws of nature and time is a law of nature – Hume says it is a volition
Some definitions focus on the interpretation of the miracle by the subject whereas others suggest that the miracles are miracles within their own right
However, all definitions use the word ‘transgression’ or ‘volition’ of laws of nature which suggests that there is a common understanding of their occurrence. (apart from Holland)

18. Religious Experience - Miracles
By the end of this lesson you will have:
Re-capped the value of religious experience for the community and the individual
Learnt what a miracle is
Learnt 4 different definitions of miracles according to scholars