1. Miracles today Objectives To examine recent miracles Explore the importance of miracles for Christians

2. Explain why some Christians might not believe in miracles. (6 marks) You could say: Coincidences Irrational No evidence - unreliable A good God would not perform miracles for some people who need them and not for others. Because God created the universe and the laws which govern it then He would not do things which break his own laws.

3. Can you be a Christian without a belief in God?

4. Newspaper Article Read the newspaper article and decide if a miracle has occurred or not. Write a short explanation in your books making sure you explain your reasons

5. 33 Chilean miners rescued after spending 69 days trapped underground have arrived home. I think that God was protecting us, he was protecting me. Of his personal, remarkable journey, he said: "I think that now I'm more human”.

6. 'Starving yogi' astounds Indian scientists

7. Questions… Is it a miracle? How do we test for a miracle? Is the report of this miracle reliable? Are all miracles religious? If it is a miracle; then the Holy Spirit works within other faiths (according to some Christians).

8. The Case for miracles Christians visit shrines and holy places in order to experience God and be healed. These shrines exist because miracles are reported to have happened in these places. - Knock in Ireland - Lourdes in France A Christian may ask God for a miracle to help them in a crisis: for example, when a loved one is suffering an illness.

9. Miracles do happen today. Homework!!! Knock – in Ireland Lourdes – in France 1.What are they? 2.Explain why they are famous? 3.An example of why they are famous. Then produce a revision guide/resources for you to keep on the topic ‘Belief in Deity’. Remember – exam in two years

10. To think about… Although many people have recovered from illnesses after visiting Lourdes, the Roman Catholic Church investigates each claim very carefully and since the first ‘official’ cure on 1 st March 1858, only 66 cases have been accepted as genuinely miraculous by the Church.

11. Key Question: Do people believe in God because of miracles or do people believe in miracles because of their belief in God?

13. The Case against miracles Watch the 5 minutes video clip about Lourdes in France by Richard Dawkins Think 1.Is Richard Dawkins a Theist, an Agnostic or an Atheist? How can you tell? 2.Why does he not believe in miracles? 3. Is something missing from Richard Dawkins’ view of miracles?

14. If Miracles do Happen, What can they Prove? From what we have said so far, no reason has been offered against the possibility of miracles happening. Suppose, then, that a miracle were to occur. What could we deduce from this? Richard Swinburne argues that a miracle would point to the existence of agents other than humans.

15. …….And finally Key Question: Do people believe in God because of miracles or do people believe in miracles because of their belief in God?

16. Theist, Atheist, Agnostic A miracle is an event where God’s work becomes clearly seen in a surprising or mysterious way. Jesus did many miracles during his time on earth. The Bible writers chose miracles to illustrate that Jesus was God and had power over nature, over sickness and over death. (A Christian description of a miracle) Miracles would be where God breaks his own laws – like a dead person coming alive again. The Bible writers made them up to try and convince people about Jesus. I don’t believe in God, and I think miracles never happen – they are impossible. (An atheist’s reaction to the idea of a miracle) The Bible writers say that they saw miracles, but they were probably seeing what they wanted to. The stories have probably been exaggerated, like legends. I find the miracle stories powerful, but they just make me ask more questions. (An agnostic’s response to the miracle stories)

17. Questions to answer… 1.What does the word ‘miracle’ mean? 2.If a miracle is God’s action in the world why does he not do it all the time? 3.How do we test for a miracle? 4.Are reports of miracles reliable? 5.Why might some Christians not believe in miracles? 6.Do you think that the miracle stories are important and add to the story of Jesus or do they just make it harder to believe? 7.Why are miracles important to Christians? What difference might they make to a Christians life?

18. Question “The existence of miracles proves that God exists” Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion showing that you have considered another point of view. Some people believe that miracles prove the existence of God because…… Other people may disagree because…….. A Christian would think ……………. because…….. I think…………….. because…………….. Personal experience A sign that God exists Helpful in times of trouble Perhaps the eye witness made a mistake Science Tricks and magic Jesus rose from the dead There are lots of examples of other miracles in the Bible.

19. 6 mark question… Explain why some might not Christians believe in miracles. (Point and explanation x3…).

20. David Hume ( 1711 to 1776) on Miracles A miracle is a violation of the laws of nature; and as a firm and unalterable experience has established these laws, the proof against a miracle, from the very nature of the fact, is as entire as any argument from experience can possibly be imagined. Why is it more than probable, that all men must die; that lead cannot, of itself, remain suspended in the air; that fire consumes wood, and is extinguished by water; unless it be, that these events are found agreeable to the laws of nature, and there is required a violation of these laws, or in other words, a miracle to prevent them? Nothing is esteemed a miracle, if it ever happen in the common course of nature. It is no miracle that a man, seemingly in good health, should die on a sudden: because such a kind of death, though more unusual than any other, has yet been frequently observed to happen. But it is a miracle, that a dead man should come to life; because that has never been observed in any age or country. There must, therefore, be a uniform experience against every miraculous event, otherwise the event would not merit that appellation....