The adjudication of miracles: Rethinking the criteria of historicity

• Main Authors: Michael R. Licona, Jan G. Van der Watt
• Format: Article
• Language: Afrikaans
• Published: AOSIS 2009-07-01
• Series: HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies
• Subjects: miracles; principle of analogy; antecedent probability; historicity of miracle stories; Biblical hermeneutics
• Online Access: https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/130

This is the second article in a series of two that discusses whether historians are within their professional rights to investigate miracle claims. In the first, I made a positive case that they are and then proceeded to examine two major arguments in support of a negative verdict to the issue: the principle of analogy and antecedent probability. I argued that neither should deter historians from issuing a positive verdict on miracle claims when certain criteria are met and the event is the best explanation of the relevant historical bedrock. In this second article, I examine three additional objections commonly appealed to by biblical scholars: the theological objection, lack of consensus and miracle claims in multiple religions. The resurrection of Jesus is occasionally cited as an example.