Between Babel and Beast
(America and Empires in Biblical Perspective)

The Glory of Kings: A Festschrift for James B. Jordan

Fyodor Dostoevsky
(Christian Encounters Series)

Athanasius
(Foundations of Theological Exegesis and Christian Spirituality)

The Four: A Survey of the Gospels

Defending Constantine: The Twilight of an Empire and the Dawn of Christendom

From Behind the Veil: The Epistles of John

Deep Exegesis:The Mystery of Reading Scripture

Jane Austen
(A Biography)

Solomon Among the Postmoderns

The Baptized Body

1 & 2 Kings
Brazos Theological Commentary

The Promise Of His Appearing: An Exposition Of Second Peter

A Great Mystery: Fourteen Wedding Sermons

Deep Comedy: Trinity, Tragedy, And Hope In Western Literature

Miniatures & Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen

The Priesthood of the Plebs: A Theology of Baptism

A Son To Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel

Against Christianity

From Silence to Song: The Davidic Liturgical Revolution

Ascent to Love: A Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy

Blessed Are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper

A House For My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament

Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Select Ancient Literature

Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide To Six Shakespeare Plays

Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life

The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church

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Uncategorized: Prophecy and miracles

Hume thought his arguments against miracles applied to prophecy as well.  Miracles cannot serve as proof of the truth of Christianity because miracles violate natural law and because our knowledge of them rests on unreliable testimony rather than direct observation.  So too prophecy: “What we have said of miracles may be applied, without any variation, to prophecies; and indeed, all prophecies are real miracles, and as such only, can be admitted as proofs of any revelation.”

In a 1999 article in the Journal of the History of Ideas, however, Peter Harrison points out that Hume’s earliest Christian opponents recognized the flaw in extending Hume’s argument from miracles to prophecy.

The evidentiary basis of believe in miracles and belief in prophecy were quite different.  Robert Boyle said that “the manifest proofs of prediction continue still” and thus, unlike ancient miracles, they “are as visible as the extent of the Christian religion.”

Samuel Clarke argued that “The Miracles which our Savior worked, were to his first Disciples, who were Eye-witnesses of them, a complete Demonstration of the Truth of his Doctrine,” but that is not the case with those who followed.  He admitted that “the Miracles of Christ, and particularly of his Resurrection, which was the greatest of all, is not such an ocular demonstration to After-generations.”  Yet, he went on “in some respects, we have the advantage even of Them; We have the Examination of many Ages, the Answers to the Objections of all sorts of Adversaries, the Judgment of the wisest and most considerate Men that have gone before us, and the Evidence of several of the Lord’s prophecies since that time fulfilled.”

The distinction was widely acknowledged.  When Samuel Johnson noted that he considered Hume’s arguments against miracles substantially correct, Boswell questioned him: “Talking of Dr. Johnson’s unwillingness to believe extraordinary things, I ventured to say, ‘Sir, you come near Hume’s argument against miracles, That it is more probable certain witnesses should lie, or be mistaken, than that they should happen.’  JOHNSON. ‘Why, Sir, Hume, taking the propositions imply, is right. But the Christian revelation is not proved by the miracles alone, but as connected with prophecies.”