Lewis, C.S. Miracles, Harper One, NY 1960
The Naturalist and the Supernaturalist
p. 6 The Naturalist thinks that nothing but nature exists. The word nature means to him the whole show or whatever there is. In Greek nature means to grow, in Latin to be born. It is what springs forth on its own accord. P. 8 All things in nature are so interlocked, than not many can claim independence from the whole show. Naturalists do not believe in free will as that would imply that human beings have the power of independent action. Naturalism is more democratic, and Supernaturalism more monarchial. For the naturalist one thing is as good as another and all are dependent on the total system of things. Naturalism can admit to a Pantheistic type of God and great cosmic consciousness who arises out of the whole. He also believes that a great process of becoming exits on its own. The supernaturalist believes that one thing exists own its own and has produced the framework of space and time.p.14
A cardinal difficulty of Naturalism: p.22. If mental processes are determined wholly by the motions of atoms in the brain, I have no reason to suppose that my beliefs are true and rational (reason). (Haldane- Possible Worlds p.209) Knowledge depends on the validity of reasoning. Small challenge: random motions of small particles, but it averages out. Where one unit will be is incalculable.p.20 Association is not cause. B followed A in my thoughts. We can know nothing, beyond our own sensations at the moment unless the act of inference is true.p.26 The naturalist believes that reasoning develops by historical processes and evolved by natural selection. Once then our thoughts were not rational. It is not clear why rational inference would prevail by natural selection. P.28 When inference progresses to an axiom we no not appeal to experience at all. We do in fact reach truths by inferences. If reason is a mere phenomenon you put yourself outside of it, then there is no way, except by begging the question, of getting it inside again. The theory of Naturalism requires inference. P.34 For the theist the human mind was illuminated by divine reason as God was the source of reason and wisdom. How can reason come from non-rational random causes?
What existed on its own must have existed forever. Nothing else could caused it, or we have a trail or prior causes (p.42). It is clear that my reason has grown up gradually since birth and is interrupted by sleep. I can not be eternal self-existent reason. Reasoning doesn’t happen to us we do it. Every train of thought is accompanied by what Kant called the ‘I think.’ Reason has its tap root in an eternal self-existent rational being. p 43. The whole show could be conceived to give rise to an Emergent God. To some this is more comforting than a transcendent, judging God. P.46 But an emergent God would have originally come from non-rational random causes. To believe nature produced God is absurd. Nature, though apparently not intelligent is intelligible- that events in the remotest parts of the space appear to obey the laws of rational thought. The act of natural creation presents some difficulties; We imagine and cause to exist the mental pictures of material objects and characters. No one imagines a new primary color or a sixth sense. We would attribute to God the creation of the basic elements and colors and reason.p.50
Morals and ethics is a 2nd difficulty of Naturalism. When we say I ought to or he should we are making moral judgments as if there is a right and wrong. p. 56-7 They often act in a way that reflects morals but deny any true basis for them. P.58 Nature is non- moral.
Possible answers to misgivings.p.61. Morals are conditioned by history, economics and laws and rational thinking is a product of a working brain. But reason is more than biochemistry and the original source of morals cam from somewhere else. P. 63. Why didn’t God make himself more obvious? We have been accustomed to take things for granted and become somewhat absent minded. Science peruses truncated thoughts or areas of study and limits outside influences. Philosophers and deep thinkers have argued for God from logic. p.66
Red Herrings: “Miracles defy the laws of nature.” Experiments tell us what regularly happens. Some laws of nature have exceptions. Science does not say there can be no exceptions; that is a philosophical assumption. Know one knows all the laws, they are still being discovered. Many have observed apparent miracles. P. 73-5. “Things were thought miracles in old times because people did not know the laws of nature.” Most miracles of old time still remain miracles. P.77
Views of the laws of nature: 1. they are brute facts and miracles are additional facts. 2; They are and application of the law of averages; then there can be exceptions. 3. They are fundamental laws of physics and necessary truths. Still most have the caveat or proviso that there are no unknown interferences. We do not know all possible exceptions. When an exception occurs nature assimilates very well and goes on. p 90-4 A miracle is not an event without cause or results. The cause may be God and the results follow know laws. Only when nature is limited to all know laws, is there a problem with miracles. P.97
To think is one thing and to imagine is another. False images can be mistaken for true ones. We all use metaphors. They are not literally true. When talking about things that cannot be seen touched or clearly heard we often use metaphors. The Father is a person but does not have human form like an old man. He had a son that we can picture. Incorrect images do not necessarily make incorrect doctrine. The trinity is a mystery. Because God is everywhere does not mean he is physically as big as the universe. Events on a historical level can be proven true. Without miracles and history there is not much left of the Christian faith. This is not as true with other religions. P 107-27
Christianity vs. Pantheism p.129-150 The popular religion of P. includes no miracles; If we drop all concrete and positive attributes of God, what is left is a pure abstraction and the whole show. Some call it enlightenment. India, Greek history, Spinoza, Wordsworth, Emerson, Theosophy., life-force. P is what man says about God, not what God does or says. Adult P. is sometimes compared with child teachings on C. P. says god is present in both good and evil and is indifferent to both. He is not present in matter in the same way he is present in man or in the Son of God. If God is the source of all definite individual things he him He must also be definite and individual. How could something abstract and general produce all definite things? If anything is to exist all, something original must have existed. We say that God is infinite in his knowledge and power and extent; but this does not mean he is the formless every thing. If he creates he can also do miracles. Great saints and prophets have had the intuition and revelation that God is positive and individual to them. If we strip off all human attributes of God, to make room for divine attributes, we have no means of re-clothing God. Trans-personal comes close. God is the basic fact or actuality and the source of all fatherhood. The ultimate spiritual reality is not more vague and inert but more positive and dynamic. He is intent and alert not asleep. He is not like a dead ghost without a body but alive and active.
The Propriety of Miracles p. 151-8; Can God breaks his own laws? They do not have too they can us a unknown law. Analogies to poetry, stories, music: Great artists often break from complete symmetry to improve the work. Story authors often add unusual twists. There are rules behind the rules which we may not know. Who are we to know all the rules? What would the gospel story be without the resurrection and redemption of man? It is woven throughout the bible story. The story is not chiefly about nature and all its systems and rules.
On probability: p. 159-171 Most alleged miracles may be false, so we need a criterion to judge them. Historical evidence is one criteria, our intuitive sense of fitness is another. Some historians don’t allow miracles to be proven by history. Hume argues against miracles but his argument has a flaw; How can we know our experiences are enough to prove uniformity? We don’t; it must be assumed. Unless we assume nature uniform, nothing is improbable, and miracles are possible. Hume’s argument becomes circular. If all that exists is nature and it occurs by random action and we are irrational chance by products of it, how can we know or have faith in the laws of nature? If we believe God created the laws and upholds them, then we have a good argument for the uniformity in nature and its laws. Our intuition of fitness is somewhat arbitrary, but we do have a sense that some alleged miracles are more improbable than others.
The grand miracle –incarnation: p. 173-213; That God became man, can be argued on historical grounds. Analogy from story or symphony: a piece is inserted; if it improves the work it is accepted,; it integrates the whole. God becoming man is a little like God’s rationality and spirit being in man. Pattern of vegetable life- plant dies gives seed that lives on to new plant. God comes down and lifts up others. Nature religions talk of this and corn-king. Heaven is his throne not his vehicle and earth his footstool not his vesture. In Ezekiel God is like a dynamo. Bible story is undemocratic- a chosen people, certain ones are chosen and refined, other cast off. Principle of Vicariousness- a sinless man suffers for sinful ones. Some relation to nature: most things are interrelated and dependent on others- cat eats the mouse, parasite on its host; unborn child on its mother.
Unique need for self surrender, sacrifice to others, loving acceptance of others; Natures fall due to sin and free choice. If the redemption of man is the beginning of the redemption of nature then it is essential to the story. Also those redeemed are cheered more that those who never fell. Adams fall caused a need for redemption of all. If God came down he should improve and redeem. God never undo’s or redoes anything but evil and its effects. The idea of ghosts reflects a spiritual realm, but it is often alleged they have not made the proper transition. If there is a spiritual aspect to man it makes sense that it is eternal. If man is only physical, death is all there is. The tree of life is only available through the savior who came done to give man the opportunity to be raised up.
Miracles of the Old Creation p.215-32; Biblical miracles have one credibility not given to other miracles- they are by the creator and sustainer of the universe. The virgin birth, water into wine, feeding of 5000, healing miracles, calming storm, destruction of the fig tree is a parable on bearing fruit and Judaism. Miracles of the New Creation –new world type: p. 233-66. Walking on water, rising from dead, Jesus transfiguration and resurrection. Jesus rising from dead and resurrection was much different form that of Lazarus which was a reversal in time. Christ eventually had a transformed body and his clothing glowed and he rose into the clouds and prepares and new place for us. The resurrection proves survival and is more than a ghost or spirit ascension. Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9; He will sit at the fight hand of the father, he will come back looking like when he left. Luke 24:37-45 he ate fish and was touched (not a ghost). We live in a universe that is getting more disorganized, entropy increase. The pattern of death and natural rebirth never restores the same individual organism. Humpty Dumpty could not be put together again. Kant theorized 2 floors: natural and spiritual -eternal. Ps. 100 The new creation is somewhat metaphorical and a mystery. P.250 Heaven may be more than the sky and a few clouds. Heaven is both ceaseless adoration and a bodily life. It is full of intangibles but real. Nature and spirit will be fully harmonized. The literal and metaphorical will rush together. Spiritual gifts are offered for a use. Who will trust us with a spiritual body if we do not respect and control our physical body? We need to focus on loving God and our neighbors now.
Epilogue p. 267 Scholars, even Christian ones, will try to naturalize the miracles to conform to reason. Technically it’s called Monism or Everythingism. It approaches Pantheism which Lewis says in untrue. “If you leave a thing alone you leave it to a torrent of change. If you leave a white post alone it will soon be black.” C.K. Chesterton. Materialist are still afraid of ghosts. If you don’t pray for miracles and watch you may not see them. Special providences: p.283- is a word for natural coincidences and thus fewer miracles. “The weather for battle was unusually favorable as was the outcome of the Dr’s operation” If we knew what the future was in advance we would have less reason for praying. God does not generally change the past, but encourages us to pray to change the future. One can never prove an important natural occurrence was not an answer to prayer. The skeptic will challenge this until it happens to him.
My Miracles:
Healing of Neuropathy- more than providence
Spots-growths falling off from face, mine and Donnas’- unlikely providence
Weather changes –rain no rain, lightening, no lightening- Ga. Examples with worker use
Making 20 green traffic lights in a row on a 90 mile trip- very unlikely
Note- a spiritual connection with other and praise helps.