GCSE R.E Miracles

A Miracle is: > Something out of the ordinary that breaks the laws of nature.

> A marvelous event which can only be brought about by God.

Christians believe different things about miracles:

> Literal Christians: believe that the Bible is the absolute word of God. Therefore the miracles Jesus performed (for example: Jesus calms the storm)

> Liberal Christians: believe that the miracle accounts in the bible are likely to be showing something about God but are possibly only seen as miracles because they had little scientific knowledge.

> Other Christians (different denominations): believe miracles may have happened in Jesus' time, but they do not happen today- (we have advanced in science in medicine, these replace miracles)

Four criticisms against Miracles: 

> Explained away as coincidences

> Its pointless- (St. Gennaro's blood liquifies on random dates- pointless miracle)

> Morally- why doesn't everyone get a miracle- is this God being unfair?

> Insufficient Evidence- not enough evidence to prove it happened.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> OCKHAMS RAZOR <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

     The simplest explanation is most likely always going to be true.

Feeding the 5,000: 
> Jesus was performing miracles to thousands of people, he asked for some food- a boy presented him with 1 loaf and 2 fish. Jesus blessed the food and thanked god, then Jesus continues to pull loaves and fish out of the bag.

Healing the paralysed man:
> a paralysed man was brought to Jesus, Jesus says "friend your sins are forgiven"- the man gets up and runs home

Jesus calms the storm:
> jesus is on a boat with some men when a storm starts, he says "peace wind, still waves" and the storm stops.

Modern Day Miracle- Simon Teece: 
> Man hit over the head and is critically injured- people pray for him and he begins to recover. Man makes a full recovery but has sight problems, people think its a miracle- Doctor argues he would believe it was a miracle if he made a full recovery with no sight problems which he now still has.