Source: “On the Resurrection: volume 1”: Evidences, 2024 by Gary Habermas Published by B&H Academic Brentwood, Tennessee.
The_Philosophy_of_a_Miracle.mp4
Miracles Defined - A Philosophical Inquiry.pdf
7. A Definition of Miracle.mp3
Defining a miracle is a notoriously complex task that has sparked centuries of debate, as scholars struggle to balance diverse perspectives ranging from skeptical to theistic. The source explores the structural tension between those who view miracles as a violation of natural laws and those who prefer to describe them as temporary suspensions or supernatural interventions that do not fundamentally break nature's framework. Central to this discussion is the idea that a true miracle must be a purposive event caused by a supernatural agent, specifically one that nature is incapable of producing on its own. Ultimately, the text synthesizes these themes into a contemporary definition: miracles are dynamic, specialized signs designed to authenticate a specific message or person, serving as a "pointer" toward divine truth.
What is a miracle? Most of us have a rough idea—an amazing recovery, a narrow escape from an accident, or the biblical stories of walking on water and raising the dead. It seems like a simple concept. But when you look closer, the question becomes surprisingly difficult to answer.
In fact, the proper definition of a miracle has been a source of intense debate among philosophers for centuries, with no clear consensus in sight. The scholar Yujin Nagasawa captures this perfectly:
"The concept of a miracle is an elusive one. We all know roughly what it is and we can easily cite some well-known examples. Yet we struggle to state a precise definition. In fact, the proper definition of a miracle has been a matter of dispute among philosophers for centuries."
This article won’t try to solve that centuries-old dispute. Instead, it will explore four of the most surprising and counter-intuitive takeaways from this deep philosophical discussion—ideas that challenge our common assumptions and reveal a far more fascinating debate than you might expect.
1. There are dozens of definitions, not one.
The first surprising discovery is the sheer lack of agreement on what a miracle even is. It's not just a matter of two or three competing schools of thought. One scholar, Robert Bruce Mullin, reported finding "forty-eight separate contemporary definitions of the term, all slightly different."