Part 1 and Part 2 have responded, respectively, to these answers to the QUESTION: “Do miracles really happen?”

(1) “YES miracles happen! There have been and continue to be many amazing occurrences that defy natural explanation in the world, including documented cases of answered prayer. If you don’t believe in miracles, you’re just in denial!"

(2) “IF YOU SAY SO. A miracle is a purely subjective interpretation of some event or perceived event regardless of whether the phenomenon in question has a natural explanation or not. Someone can also choose to believe something is a miracle or is somehow miraculous without denying it is also natural. This personal layer of interpretation cannot be proved nor disproved because it is a matter of faith."

This third and final blog will address the following answer to the question:

(3) "NO, there are no such things as “miracles”. What is dubbed “miraculous” is either a phenomenon which has yet to be explained naturally (but eventually will be – like so many other natural phenomena previously thought to be supernaturally caused but since proved otherwise), or can already be explained naturally yet is nonetheless automatically characterized as miraculous because of already-held religious beliefs or a highly emotional experience (e.g., the “miracle” of birth)."

I can already hear the retort to this answer:

“How can you be sure that miracles don’t happen? One might not be able to PROVE a miracle happened, but by the same token, one can’t DISPROVE it either. If it is a matter of faith-interpretation, then how is the one who answers in this way any different than the fundamentalist who says miracles are provable?”

The proponent of this answer would likely defend his or her assertion by appealing to an argument of probabilities. In order to explain this position, perhaps a little primer on how science works would be helpful. Further, such a primer might surprise some of you who’ve been taught to be highly suspicious of the scientific method.

Most people don’t realize that science itself is based upon probabilities, not certainties. What scientists deem a “scientific fact” is essentially a theory that has been tested time and time again, yet consistently yields the same results. Each time a scientific theory is subjected to further testing and that testing confirms the theory, it inches closer and closer to what the scientific community would call a “fact”. Any theory that earns the title of “fact”, however, is always subject to further testing with the presupposition that it might just be overturned by another theory that better explains the evidence. Thus, scientific knowledge is measured in varying levels of certainty…but, from a philosophical standpoint, never absolute certainty. Science is guided by the foundational principle that every theory, no matter how well tested, could potentially be overturned by another theory if the evidence warrants it. In that way, science is based upon probabilities. Any real scientist will tell you the same.

Scientific knowledge is therefore always tentative. It’s important to note, though, that tentative doesn’t mean invalid. The obvious progression of understanding about our universe (expressed through and corroborated by dozens of scientific disciplines) and the exponential proliferation of technology make the staggering success of the scientific enterprise more than evident. Ironically enough, I always find it amusing (albeit sometimes infuriating) that many evangelical/fundamentalist Christian circles who condemn the scientific enterprise of being flawed, erroneous, biased, deceived, and even a "tool of the devil" nonetheless enjoy its fruits. Computers, microwaves, medical technology...all of it the result of the progression of science -- the same science using the same scientific method as those studying biological evolution but not receiving the same condemnation.... ughh.... talk about a double standard.

So, do miracles happen as evangelical Christians claim they do? The proponent of the perspective of this blog would probably insist that you consider the following:

(a) Most all events claimed to be miraculous can be explained naturally.

(b) Most all events claimed to be miraculous are not “large” miracles (i.e., someone blind from birth is prayed for and suddenly is able to see); rather, most are small, much more easily explained phenomena.

(c) Many miracles are simply the product of unusual circumstances. However, there are as many negative things that happen against the odds (i.e., freak accidents) as there are positive things that happen to us. Just because something happens out of the ordinary doesn’t deserve the name “miracle” any more than it deserves the name “bad luck”.

Personally, I have yet to read about (or see substantiated) an actual “miracle” which is so far beyond natural explanation that it actually deserves the title “miracle”. Just being honest. I'm not saying definitively that miracles don't happen. It's just, in my life, I’ve yet to experience or read about a documented event where the dead are raised, the blind from birth see, the deaf from birth hear, the crippled or physically/mentally retarded are cured, or any other truly unexplainable phenomenon occurs due to the prayers of people or obvious divine fiat. Have you? Nor have I read of truly documented (and not just passionately insisted upon) evidence that these things still occur today in the way the Bible plainly claims can happen if they are just asked of God in Jesus' name). Headaches, body aches, keys found, or even lotteries won are simply not enough to substantiate an actual miracle for me. For that matter, the occasional cancer victim who somehow survives is not enough. There are plenty of those who are not praying for God to heal them.

Maybe, when it comes down to it, life is life. People live, people die. Sometimes unexpected things happen. Some of those things are good for us, some bad. We get cancer, we get treatment, we pray, we beg, we live or die. Yes, people pray; and some prayers are “answered” and some are “not” (and there’s always some ad-hoc explanation for both). Conversely, other people don’t pray and some good things “happen” and other bad things “don’t” (and vice-versa). In fact, the latest, most controlled scientific studies show prayer of even the most devout to be...well...ineffective (much to the dismay of the very pro-faith scientists who conducted the tests).

Granted, Christians will continue to claim “miracles” for even the simplest things just because they are taught to believe that God works in all things to a greater or lesser extent. For those who hold to the answer offered in this "PART 3" blog, however, they would find that particular worldview to be far too fairytale-ish to hold onto with any real integrity.

This is where the proponents of this view would stand: "There are no miracles. If you want to try and explain why God would allow children to be raped, murdered, starve, etc., in a world where divine miracles happen, please, by all means, explain."

After undergrad and graduate degrees in biblical studies and theology, as well as many years of reflection and reading, it is hard to disagree with those who argue for this view. Nonetheless, in the spirit of siding with faith (and a certain level of agnosticism), I would suspend a definite stance with them. Still...