sign in sign up
<<
Home , Miracle

Miracles, Divine Action, and the Christian Perspective Colton McCoy Department of Biology; College of Arts and Abilene Christian University

After exploring various definitions for and its characteristics in Christian thought, I will consider modes of action for carrying out such events in light of an overarching position that ‘miracle’ must be defined in relation to a higher purpose. Determining what this purpose is presents greater concerns than either definitions of miracle or mechanisms of divine action in carrying out miracles.

In an introductory biology course my something foreign must enter into the professor explained the function of the natural word and have its effect there. Just spleen in the immune system as an organ as white blood cell activation in the spleen is that white blood cells enter so they can be not the whole story when it comes to splenic activated to combat antigens in the body. At activity, a miracle’s effect in nature is not all the time, I was satisfied with this there is to address when it comes to description; later, I took an immunology miracles. The miracle must enter . The course and quickly learned that things were white blood cell must come into the spleen. not as simple as I had first heard. For a The interface between the two is white blood cell to enter the spleen, there is where the concept of divine action becomes a complicated process that occurs in the important. It seems that most philosophers vessel walls of the spleen involving all sorts and religious thinkers prefer to speak of of cell adhesion molecules that latch onto miracles in terms of their activity in nature even more types of molecules present on the to the neglect of the mechanism for divine vessel wall and eventually arrest the motion action responsible for their existence in of the white blood cell. The white blood cell nature. I would like to discuss here that is then able to enter the spleen through a mechanism of divine action. Perhaps it will process involving numerous cell signaling complement C.S. Lewis’ take on miracles in molecules and the invagination of the vessel nature as well as the Christian perspective wall. At this point, the cell is inside the on miracles in the and today. spleen and can become activated as described by my introductory biology course Defining Miracle professor. There is even more detail The flippancy with which we use the involved than what I have just described to word miracle and its ubiquity in the English finish the story. vernacular have created an atmosphere of surrounding the entire concept. An Analogy? This is made especially evident when one Perhaps there is an analogous tries to objectively examine what constitutes process for miracles to occur. C.S. Lewis a miracle. People often speak of “the miracle defines a miracle as of life,” which, for most, is really just a interference in the natural world1. In order manner of expressing wonder at the for a miracle to take place which conforms astronomical odds against our existence. to the Lewis definition of the word, Before any one of us developed into just a

1 Lewis, 1947

Dialogue & Nexus | Fall 2014-Spring 2015 |Volume 2 1

Miracles fetus, we were a sperm and an egg. A single The former take nature to be the whole of sperm outraces hundreds of millions of reality. They say that nothing exists apart others to reach the egg and combine the from nature and therefore it may not be genomes of the two parents. Then, as if that invaded by any outside entity. The latter were not incredible enough, after a period of believe nature is not the whole of reality, 9 months we each develop eyes and ears and and that there exists outside of nature a nervous system which is now capable of another reality or even multiple realities. contemplating that entire process. All the The naturalist view leaves no room for while, the planet on which each of us were in miracles for if nature is all that conceived is spinning at 460 meters per there is, it cannot be interfered with by an second during that very act and, more outside source. It is what scientists might incredible still, it is the only one (to the best call a closed system. The supernaturalists of our knowledge) within hundreds of light view nature as an open system which gives years capable of supporting organic life. possibility to the occurrence Upon investigation of the etymologic because it makes the claim that nature is not origins of the word miracle, it should be no the entirety of reality. surprise many regard the aforementioned I should be clear by saying, as Lewis events as miraculous. The English miracle, does, that to be a supernaturalist is not to be derives its meaning from the Latin a Christian and to be a naturalist is not the miraculum, meaning ‘to wonder at.’2 same as being an atheist. Both views leave Spontaneous remission of a cancer (i.e. its room for the belief in a , which may or unexplained and unpredicted disappearance may not turn out to be the God of Christian from the body) is often denoted miraculous . The Christian naturalist and the because of the 1 in 100,000 odds of Christian supernaturalist would most likely occurring in a given patient; it amazes us. have very different images of God. The We wonder at the remission of the death naturalist in a God that is not sentence (although not wondering at its outside of reality, but within, which equally improbable cause). produces a view of God as the sum of the Events are labeled miraculous when, parts of nature just as a grandfather clock is from our experience, we cannot explain why the sum of cogs, wood and glass. they happened the way they did; we only The argument against is know that it is thus. The uncertainty felt the subject for another paper, but I believe it within seems to be reflected in the varied is very difficult to reconcile with the definitions of the word. For the purpose of timelessness of God, the incarnation, and the this paper I will assume the C.S. Lewis Gospel stories, among other doctrines definition of the word (a supernatural foundational to the Christian . interference in the natural world), as I Supernaturalism, which we will discuss believe it to be the most valid and in line here, lends itself to a view of God who is with popular Christian and secular thought. wholly discrete and apart from nature. It supports a creatio continua, i.e. the ongoing The C.S. Lewis Position involvement of God in the universe that is In his book Miracles, C.S. Lewis accepted by most theologians. makes a distinction between what he calls Supernaturalism seems to be the most the naturalists, who do not believe in congruent with many elements of the miracles, and the supernaturalists who do.3 Christian faith and is the one held by Lewis.

2 Sezgül, 2013 3 op. cit. ref. 1

Dialogue & Nexus | Fall 2014-Spring 2015 |Volume 2 2

Miracles

Lewis says that it would be a of a law which applies almost all of the time. to assume that miracles, as in violations of The third, which Lewis subscribes to, is the natural laws, occur for the supernaturalist. belief that the law of nature has inherent Supernaturalists believe that there is a being truth associated with it, and it is thus mere that created what we know as nature, and nonsense to suggest that something may this power could also have created multiple occur which is out of accordance with that natures subject to different natural laws than law. the ones which we are subject to. Lewis It can be easily seen that the first two refers to multiple realities as being like two beliefs described in the previous paragraph books by the same author4. Characters in the do not bar miracles from happening. two books have no relation to one another Although something may have happened in except for their common derivation in the some particular manner yesterday, it does mind of the author. Likewise, our reality not follow that the same should occur today. may have no relation to another save for its And just because the apple falls downward a common origin in the mind of the Creator. hundred million times, does not mean that it The point at which these realities overlap, or may not race towards the sky every now and the divine being influences nature is the then. point at which a miracle takes place. Much of the controversy surrounding However, their bumping into one another or the definition of “miracle” stems from a the hand of the divine dipping into nature is disagreement on whether it must be a entirely dependent on the will of the divine. violation of the law of nature or not. Hume, The creator may choose to make this happen for example, said that miracles are in or may choose not to. complete contradiction to the law of nature, At this point it is important to and that because an “unalterable experience discuss what is meant by “the laws of has established these laws” nothing can nature.” Lewis asserts that there are three happen that contradicts them5. Lewis admits general beliefs about the law of nature. The that the final belief, which implies the first is to believe that the laws we observe, uniformity of the natural law in space and say Newton’s laws, are just facts and that time, seems to pose a threat to the possibility although these are the laws we observe, of miracles for the same reason that Hume there is no inherent truth associated with suggests. It is at this point he claims that a them. This is to say that given some miracle, contrary to popular belief (and that different initial condition in the creation of of Hume), is not an event that defies the law the universe, the law, for all we know, could of nature. be completely different (perhaps even Rather than a deviance from a law of opposite) of what it is now. The second is to nature, Lewis says that a miracle is the hold that natural law is simply the law of overlapping of two realities in which the averages in practice. The implication is that activity of the supernatural power is what we observe is really just what occurs completely subject to, and even dependent the majority of the time. Imagine dropping on, the natural law. In reference to the an apple from atop a tall building. The miracles of Christ, Lewis says, “miraculous apple, you rightly predict, should fall to the wine will intoxicate, miraculous conception ground every time. But what if, 1 time in will lead to pregnancy…” This is to say that 10999 the apple were to come rocketing up once God decides to influence reality toward your face? This would be a violation (however he may choose to do so), the

4 ibid. 5 op. cit. ref. 2

Dialogue & Nexus | Fall 2014-Spring 2015 |Volume 2 3

Miracles events that follow have a completely natural appear as if natural law were broken when explanation6. At any given moment, we may the water initially turned to wine, I would not be able to explain a certain miracle. But suggest that rather than being broken, the given all relevant facts surrounding the natural law was superseded. We see the event, and if enough is known about the same take place in our judicial system. laws governing that event, it is right that we There are times when dealing with laws should expect to eventually have a logical pertaining to civil rights where a federal law explanation. overrides a state law. If a state has in place a Many might suggest that the law that treads on the civil rights of one of of has made it more its citizens, the state almost certainly faces impossible to believe in miracles. Lewis, trouble at the federal level. The federal law however, asserts that a greater awareness of is greater; it takes precedence. With the natural law, which is achieved through miracles, let us liken the laws governing scientific investigation, increases our ability nature to the state laws, and those governing to know that if some supernatural power the supernatural to the federal laws. When a interferes in nature, what we had predicted supernatural power supersedes a natural law, as the outcome of any particular event must the supernatural law overrules the natural deviate from our initial prediction. In other law resulting not in a violation of the natural words, the more we know about cancer, the law, but rather in the adherence to the more we know when something incredible supernatural law. This is where the has happened that seems to defy the doctor’s metaphor breaks down because any one prognosis. event inserted into nature first finds itself It is at the point of assuming that subject to supernatural law (in the very act miracles do not defy any natural law that I of insertion), and soon afterwards finds itself must take issue with Lewis. My issue is that to be within the jurisdiction of the natural upon the reaching in of the supernatural into law. the natural world (i.e. analogously, when Pollard suggests that God uses the white blood cells first enter the spleen), it uncertainty in the behavior of quantum seems that some law of nature has been particles as his playground for bringing broken. Sure, the wine may make you drunk, about his action in the world.7 Jeeves and but it must first turn into wine. A virgin birth Berry take this thought a step further by may occur, but at some point a sperm that combining it with the ‘chaotic systems’ that has not entered the body via the normal Ed Lorenz discovered in the 1960’s. Lorenz, route must fertilize an egg. Unfortunately a meteorologist, discovered that when Lewis does not address this issue, at least attempting to predict weather patterns if he directly. We must assume that Lewis implies altered some initial value of the weather that God somehow knows how to influence conditions by some fraction of a decimal the natural laws without violation … but, to our forecast was drastically effected. This eyes, it looks as if an interference has became known as ‘the butterfly effect.’ The occurred. idea is that a simple change in some initial condition is magnified to produce outcomes Divine Action very different from those originally I do not feel as if Lewis was wrong predicted. in his argument, but I believe he did not This theory for divine action seems explain quite well enough. Although it may to me to be very complimentary to Lewis’

6 op. cit. ref. 1 7 Jeeves and Berry, 1998

Dialogue & Nexus | Fall 2014-Spring 2015 |Volume 2 4

Miracles theories surrounding miracles. It helps to though miracles may not be completely explain how an increased knowledge of understood they may still be experienced via natural laws, rather than pushing miracles one’s five senses. If the scriptural witness is into irrelevancy, show us that miracles must to be believed, the writers who recorded occur once the initial conditions surrounding miracles in scripture apparently experienced an event have changed. In a chaotic system, them via those five senses. Perhaps one can God may use the tiniest manipulations of make assumptions about the will of God particles to bring about his will. A cancer from these descriptions just as we can make may be cured because he moves some assumptions about a person’s will based on particle to the left or to the right in a tumor, what we see them do and hear them say. and once left alone that change is amplified Throughout the biblical witness, the by way of the natural law to the amazement primary function of miracles is redemptive. of the doctors and the patient. The entire reason for healings, for example, always returns to providing a rationale for and Miracles belief and to glorify God. For us today, the The concept of a miracle question becomes whether the will of God is undoubtedly has religious connotations to continue acting via miracles in modern associated with it. The Gospel is full of times as it was in biblical times. If we agree accounts of miraculous events recorded by that it is, then miracles today must still have the apostles of . You would be hard- that same redemptive purpose. If we pressed to find a Christian who does not disagree, then either the will of God believe in at least one or two of the miracles regarding redemption has changed or he has of Christ recorded in the Bible. Most would a different way of carrying out that will. It say that the miracle of the incarnation and seems doubtful that God’s redemptive plan the resurrection are essential beliefs for the has changed since the death and resurrection Christ follower. Wayne Jackson says that of Christ. However, perhaps God no longer the always had a specific, has as great of a need to make himself redemptive purpose8. Furthermore, he says known to the world in such an extravagant that the miracles performed by Jesus had the way as miracles. With over 2 billion purpose of confirming that he was the son of Christians in the world to help perform God. Much like the signet ring of a king, redemptive tasks, God may rely on us to which has on it a unique seal that no one but perform them. the king possesses, the miraculous works of Jesus were used as a sort of sign to give Conclusion credibility to Jesus as the son of God. C.S. Lewis holds that miracles are As mentioned earlier, a events which have a supernatural cause, but supernaturalist view does not require belief are subject to natural law.10 Rather than in miracles; the will of the divine (in this defying natural law, miracles defy what we case God) may be to not act in nature. may predict would be the outcome of some Spinoza argued that the will of God cannot specific event. This is because God feeds an be known through his miracles because unseen element into the event, which miracles “are events that are not understood changes its outcome. Although Lewis does a and thus cannot be the basis of true fine job of describing this process, it seems knowledge.”9 In opposition to this, even that he neglects to discuss divine action as it

8 Jackson, 2012 10 op. cit. ref. 1 9 Harvey, 2013

Dialogue & Nexus | Fall 2014-Spring 2015 |Volume 2 5

Miracles relates to miracles. I believe that a ‘chaotic’ look at the miracles in the Bible may help God theory blends nicely with Lewis’ one to reach a conclusion as to what is the ideas.11 To be a supernaturalist who believes will of God. It is a difficult question to God may use chaotic magnification of initial answer, but it is easier to approach with an conditions to perform miracles is not to say understanding of what constitutes a miracle that he does, in fact, perform them today. An and what its mechanism for action in the investigation of the will of God is necessary natural world may be. to determine if miracles still occur. A close

Literature Cited Harvey, W. (2013). Spinoza on Biblical Miracles. Journal of the of Ideas, 74(4), 659- 675. Jackson, W. (2012, January 1). What Does the Bible Say About Miracles? Retrieved April 16, 2015. Jeeves, M., and Berry, R. (1998). The God of the physical Universe. In Science, life, and Christian belief: A survey of contemporary issues (pp. 102-104). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books. Lewis, C. (1947). Miracles (New ed., pp. 1-98). London: Harper Collins. Sezgül, Đ. (2013). The Concept of Miracle in Hume's . Journal of History Culture and Art Research, 2(2), 1-13. Retrieved April 11, 2014.

11 op. cit. ref. 7

Dialogue & Nexus | Fall 2014-Spring 2015 |Volume 2 6