Abstract

THE �COINCIDENCE� CONCEPT OF THE MIRACULOUS IS FRAUGHT WITH DIFFICULTIES THAT MAKE ANY COHERENT EMPLOYMENT OF IT IN A CHRISTIAN POLEMIC IMPOSSIBLE. TO BE A MIRACLE, AN EVENT MUST BE SEEN AS CAUSED BY GOD. IT IS ONLY BECAUSE MIRACLES DO NOT ADMIT OF EXPLANATION (EXCEPT THE DIVINE EXPLANATION) THAT THEIR DISTINCTIVENESS AS A SPECIAL CLASS OF EVENTS IS MAINTAINED. IF EVENTS ADMIT OF HISTORICAL OR NATURAL EXPLANATION, THEN IT IS ONLY THEIR WONDER OR EXCITEMENT-VALUE WHICH MAKES THEM DISTINCTIVE. THIS IS TOO ARBITRARY A CRITERION FOR AN EVENT TO BE SUBSUMED UNDER THE CLASS �MIRACLE� AND IT SUFFERS INSUPERABLE DIFFICULTIES.