Comments on: Historical Jesus and miracles – of course historians have to address miracles http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/2009/09/27/historical-jesus-and-miracles-of-course-historians-have-to-address-miracles/ Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean houses my podcast, websites, blog, and publications, providing an entryway into social and religious life among Greeks, Romans, Jews, Christians, and others in the Roman empire. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:14:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Søren T. Svendsen http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/2009/09/27/historical-jesus-and-miracles-of-course-historians-have-to-address-miracles/comment-page-1/#comment-124442 Søren T. Svendsen Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:42:05 +0000 http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/?p=409#comment-124442 I think that Hector Avalos gave a perfect example on why the modern historian should address miracles in his introduction in "Health Care and the Rise of Christianity". It's not interesting whether 'miracles' had any physical effect or not, it's interesting cause contemporary people thought 'miracles' to exist and to have an effect. Avalos illustrates this with the story about the Mexican woman Maria Atkinson (1879-1963) who converted from Catholicism to the Pentacostal, 'Church of God', because of the healing narrative in the Pentacostal branch. She was diagnosed with cancer, and conventional medicine had not succeded. The religious healing in reality did not succed either, but it probably provided Maria with other comforting elements and she probably believed to have a positive effect. These elements tells important aspects of this specific individual personal beliefs and of the cultural environment she lived in and communicated with. And that's one reason why 'miracles' is interestint for the modern historian. I think that Hector Avalos gave a perfect example on why the modern historian should address miracles in his introduction in “Health Care and the Rise of Christianity”. It’s not interesting whether ‘miracles’ had any physical effect or not, it’s interesting cause contemporary people thought ‘miracles’ to exist and to have an effect. Avalos illustrates this with the story about the Mexican woman Maria Atkinson (1879-1963) who converted from Catholicism to the Pentacostal, ‘Church of God’, because of the healing narrative in the Pentacostal branch. She was diagnosed with cancer, and conventional medicine had not succeded. The religious healing in reality did not succed either, but it probably provided Maria with other comforting elements and she probably believed to have a positive effect. These elements tells important aspects of this specific individual personal beliefs and of the cultural environment she lived in and communicated with.

And that’s one reason why ‘miracles’ is interestint for the modern historian.

]]> By: Sabio Lantz http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/2009/09/27/historical-jesus-and-miracles-of-course-historians-have-to-address-miracles/comment-page-1/#comment-124432 Sabio Lantz Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:55:02 +0000 http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/?p=409#comment-124432 I was hoping that Cardew was saying something scholarly abstract which was escaping me. For as your post makes clear, if he wasn't then a refutation is simple -- as you illustrated. I am wondering what his reply will be. I was hoping that Cardew was saying something scholarly abstract which was escaping me. For as your post makes clear, if he wasn’t then a refutation is simple — as you illustrated. I am wondering what his reply will be.

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