In Defense of Miracles : A Comprehensive Case for God's Action in History

Can modern intellectuals believe in miracles? Editors R. Douglas Geivett and Gary R. Habermas provide a collection of essays to refute objections to the miraculous and set forth the positive case for God's action in history.

Rumors of deception have surrounded claims of Jesus' resurrection ever since the soldiers appointed to guard his tomb made their report to the Jewish authorities. But no one has led the philosophic charge against miracles quite as influentially as David Hume with his 1748 essay "Of Miracles." Refined, revised, restated, his arguments still affect philosophic discussions of miracles today.

During the twentieth century, strong arguments have been raised by Antony Flew, now professor emeritus at Keele University in England. Flew has contributed a fresh statement of his objections to the idea of God's acting in history just for this volume, which also includes Hume's classic critique as a part of the case against miracles.

In response, Douglas Geivett and Gary Habermas have assembled a distinguished team of scholars to rebut the objections and set forth the positive case for God's action in history:

Richard Purtill clarifies the word miracle, while Norman Geisler critiques Hume's case against miracles. Francis Beckwith and Winfried Corduan assess how we would recognize miracles in the past and in the present. Ronald Nash examines naturalism's exclusion of miracles and shows its self-referential incoherence. J. P. Moreland discusses whether science properly rules out the possibility of miracles. God's existence and action in history are probed by David Beck and Stephen Davis, while Douglas Geivett argues that within a theistic framework it is reasonable to expect miracles as confirmation of claims to special revelation. David Clark examines miracles within the context of various world religions. Robert Newman, John Feinberg, William Lane Craig and Gary Habermas conclude by investigating fulfilled prophecy, the virgin birth and incarnation of Jesus, the empty tomb, and the resurrection appearances.

In Defense of Miracles is a comprehensive, up-to-date discussion that should not be overlooked by anyone concerned with the current debate over miracles.

Cover Title page Copyright Dedication Table of Contents Introduction PART 1 1: Of Miracles 2: Neo-Humean Arguments about the Miraculous PART 2 3: Defining Miracles 4: Miracles & the Modern Mind 5: History & Miracles 6: Recognizing a Miracle PART 3 7: Miracles & Conceptual Systems 8: Science, Miracles, Agency Theory & the God-of-the-gaps 9: God's Existence 10: God's Actions 11: The Evidential Value of Miracles PART 4 12: Miracles in the World Religions 13: Fulfilled Prophecy as Miracle 14: The Incarnation of Jesus Christ 15: The Empty Tomb of Jesus 16: The Resurrection Appearances of Jesus Conclusion Notes Bibliography Contributors Finding the Textbook You Need In Defense of Miracles is a comprehensive, up-to-date discussion that should not be overlooked by anyone concerned with the issues surrounding the current debate over miracles.