Abstract

Miracles involve a supernatural causality which in some cases suspends physical laws. But in such cases God acts through created forms, intrinsically and incarnationally, not extrinsically or magically. Thus a miraculous healing is not truly instantaneous: it is an acceleration and empowering of natural healing processes. The parallel is with grace, which heals and elevates nature without suppressing or violating it. But God’s supernatural causality is not limited to extraordinary events like miracles: it is widespread and may be present even in ordinary events. Nonetheless miracles remain important visible signs of this wider presence and activity of God in history