Critically Assess The Implication Of Miracles For

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Critically assess the implication of miracles for the problem of evil The word miracle comes from the Latin word miraculum meaning an object of wonder. A miracle is an event that is not in accordance with normal everyday events. These events or acts cannot be verified or falsified using scientific knowledge. A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature; Hume’s idea of violation of laws of nature. Others like John Polkinghorne would suggest that God may work with the laws of nature and people to perform what people perceive as miracles. However the concept of God’s intervention in the world through miracles is problematic when linking it to the existence of evil and suffering. In order to critically assess the implication of miracles for the problem of evil, we need to evaluate why miracles are said to occur and whether the concept of miracles exacerbate the problem of evil or if can be argued to not affect God’s qualities and the problem of suffering. In an attempt to assess the implications of miracles for the problem of evil, we must look at what the problem of evil consists of. God is said to be wholly benevolent and omnipotent however there is evil and suffering in the world. If God is all loving and all powerful, He has the power to stop evil because He loves His creation yet it still exists. C.S Lewis states that “If God was good, He would wish to make his creatures perfectly happy and if God were almighty He would be able to do what He wished. But the creatures are not happy. Therefore, God lacks either goodness, or power, or both”. Throughout the history of human thought this has proven to be a very difficult task given that we humans, supposed creations of God, experience evil, i.e., attack, suffering, and death. Atheists have used this simple
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