Miracle as coincidence and interpretation

Overview

Holland's example, strength of the contingency view of miracle and weakness of the contingency view.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is R. F. Holland's contribution to the debate?

   Model answer

   Holland argued that a miracle can be a remarkable and beneficial coincidence interpreted religiously, with no violation of natural law required.

2. 2

   Describe Holland's example.

   Model answer

   A child is stranded on a railway line and the train stops in time because the driver has fainted for unconnected medical reasons; the mother rightly calls it a miracle though everything happened naturally.

3. 3

   What is the strength of the contingency view of miracle?

   Model answer

   It avoids conflict with science entirely, since nothing lawlike is broken and the religious significance lies in the interpretation.

4. 4

   What is the weakness of the contingency view?

   Model answer

   If nothing beyond coincidence occurs, the miracle depends wholly on the observer, and an unbeliever describing the same event has lost nothing.

5. 5

   Summarise John Hick's view of miracle.

   Model answer

   Hick held that a miracle is an event that arouses awe and is experienced as revealing God, so its miraculous character lies in how it is perceived rather than in a breach of law.

6. 6

   What is Maurice Wiles's objection to miracles?

   Model answer

   Wiles argued that a God who intervened to turn water into wine but not to prevent Auschwitz would be arbitrary and unworthy of worship.

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