There are many different definitions for the word “miracle”, and I am not happy with any of them. So, I’m going to examine a number of different definitions, analyze them, and then (in later posts) evaluate them, and try to come up with a definition that does not suffer from the problems that I see with the existing definitions.

EIGHT DEFINITIONS OF THE WORD “MIRACLE”

Richard Purtill (Christian philosopher):

I propose to define a miracle as an event in which God temporarily makes an exception to the natural order of things, to show that God is acting.[1]

Peter Kreeft & Ronald Tacelli (Christian philosophers):

A miracle is: a striking and religiously significant intervention of God in the system of natural causes.[2]

C. Stephen Evans (Christian philosopher):

An event brought about by a special act of God.[3]

Norman Geisler (Christian philosopher):

A miracle is a special act of God that interrupts the natural course of events.[4]

Richard Swinburne (Christian philosopher):

Many people understand by a miracle…an event of an extraordinary kind brought about by a god and of religious significance. But some of the terms in this definition can be interpreted in various ways, which we must now distinguish. Further, miracle is sometimes used in a wider or narrower sense than any of the senses that result from giving a precise meaning to some of the vague terms of this initial definition.
[…]
For the rest of this introduction, I shall understand a miracle in the sense of a violation of a law of nature by a god. I say this because all the philosophical problems peculiar to the topic of miracles arise with this definition, and because when we rightly add that a miracle has to be “of religious significance,” we do get what is, I think, the most common understanding of this notion in the major religions over the past two millennia.[5]

Gary Habermas (Christian philosopher):

In this paper, the writer will refer to a miracle as an event which interferes with the laws of nature, but does not violate them. They cannot be explained by any natural causes (including man’s power) and thus must be accomplished by some type of Supernatural activity. They are effected for a purpose and may be perceived by man’s senses.[6]

David Hume (Skeptical philosopher in the 18th century):

A miracle may be accurately defined, a transgression of a law of nature by a particular volition of the Deity, or by the interposition of some invisible agent.[7]

Antony Flew (Atheist philosopher in the 20th century):

miracle. A term that has been variously understood, but is most commonly taken to mean an act that manifests divine power through the suspension or alteration of the normal working of the laws of nature.[8]

SEVEN ELEMENTS OF DEFINITIONS OF “MIRACLE”

The definitions of the word “miracle” above appear to be composed of up to seven different elements:

IMPACT – the emotional or psychological effect of a miracle

GENUS – the most general category to which a miracle belongs

SPECIES – the sub-category (of the most general category) to which a miracle belongs

AGENT/CAUSE – the person(s) or kind of being(s) or kind of thing(s) that brings about a miracle

EXCEPTION – the way in which a miracle departs from ordinary or normal circumstances

BASELINE – the ordinary or normal circumstances from which a miracle departs

PURPOSE – the goal or intention behind the making of a miracle

EIGHT DEFINITIONS ANALYZED INTO SEVEN ELEMENTS

END NOTES

1. Richard Purtill, “Defining Miracles,” In Defense of Miracles, edited by Douglas Geivett and Gary Habermas (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1997), pp.62-63.
2. Peter Kreeft & Ronald Tacelli Handbook of Christian Apologetics (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1994), p.109.
3. C. Stephen Evans Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics & Philosophy of Religion (Downers Grove, Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 2002), p.76.
4. Norman Geisler Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1999), p.450.
5. Richard Swinburne “Introduction” in Miracles, edited with an introduction by Richard Swinburne (New York, New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1989), p.2 & p.8.
6. Gary Habermas Risen Indeed (Bellingham, Washington: Lexham Press, 2021), p.50.
7. David Hume Enquiries concerning Human Understanding and concerning the Principles of Morals, Section X, Part I, reprinted from the 1777 edition with Introduction and Analytical Index by L.A. Selby-Bigge, 3rd Edition with text revised and notes by P.H. Nidditch. The quote is from the footnote on page 115.
8. Antony Flew A Dictionary of Philosophy, revised 2nd edition (New York, New York: St Martin’s Press, 1984, originally published in Great Britain 1979)