Anti-realist miracles

• Holland argued that miracles are nothing more than an extraordinary coincidence that is interpreted in a religious way. Holland gives the example of a boy stuck on a railway track with a train approaching. The train driver faints, causing the train to stop which saves the life of the boy. The boy’s mother sees it as a miracle, even though she understands that there is a naturalistic explanation as to why the driver fainted which had nothing to do with the boy on the tracks.
• Anti-realist views interpret everything supposedly supernatural as mental attitudes. They reject the concept of miracles as an activity by a supernatural being, whether it be within nature of a violation of its laws. A miracle is something that transforms people or creates positive feelings
• Miracles as sign events (Tillich)


  A miracle is a subjective experience, centered around the individual and their interpretation. Others might observe the same thing but not see it as a miracle.
• Miracles as sign events (Tillich)


  A miracle is something that is amazing, although it does not breach natural laws. It points to the mystery of being that is the heart of the individual's experience. It is a symbol within a religious experience
• Miracles as 'experiencing-as' (Hick)

  Miracles are natural events that have religious significance. If an event seems to breach a law of nature, that is not because of supernatural invention.
• Miracles as 'experiencing-as' (Hick)

  Natural Laws are simply retrospective generalisations that encompass human observation and experience. It is simply that our understanding of the law has not been sufficiently wide, so the law just needs expanding so that it takes account of the 'exception'. If an event seems inexplicable, that is because our scientific knowledge is limited: there will be natural explanation
• Miracles as remarkable coincidences (R.F Holland)

  Example of the boy caught on the train tracks - the train does not hit him due to the driver fainting and causing the train to halt to an emergency stop. This is seen as the mother as a miracle, even though she knows there is a natural cause.
• Miracles as remarkable coincidences (R.F Holland)

  For Holland, miracles have three aspects - They are natural occurrences, They are beneficial in nature and They have religious significance
• Issues with Holland's view

  Subjective. Whether or not an event is a miracle depends on how an individual interprets.

  A negative interpretation is as likely to be right as a positive interpretation.

  It reduces God to the interpretation and understanding of human minds
• The significance of anti-realist views

  For anti-realists, the importance of miracles is subjective; they are not objectively true - such views address the problems raised for theologians by their apparent contradiction with what is known of science and also by their apparent selectivity. This preserves their intellectual and moral integrity
• The significance of anti-realist views

  Their significance for Tillich was psychological and personal. They were sign-events, bound up with the experience of the mystery of being that is at the heart of religious experience
• The significance of anti-realist views

  For R.F Holland, miracles were natural happenings that were beneficial in nature and had religious meaning and significance for the person involved. They reinforce the faith of Christians in God's goodness and love
• The significance of anti-realist views

  For Wiles, Jesus' miracles were not about him breaching natural laws but were stories pointing to God's purpose for the world that were intended to encourage Christians to play their part in overcoming evil and suffering