Why do so many supernatural things look merely natural? In a Pentecost sermon that was later published as the essay “Transposition,” C.S. Lewis posed a serious objection to the gift of “speaking in tongues,” sometimes called glossolalia. But the objection he makes (as we’ll soon see) applies to everything from miracles to love. Here’s how Lewis answered his own objection.
Tag: miracles
The Science of Miracles
What happens when an atheist doctor and historian is given access to the Vatican’s Secret Archives to investigate miracle claims? Just such a thing happened in the early 2000s, and both the story behind it, and the doctor’s conclusions, are worth recounting. Her findings also refute the claims of those, like Richard Dawkins, that “miracles, by definition, violate the principles of science.”
Trial by Fire: Modernity’s Response to Miracles
We moderns think of trial by ordeal as proof positive of the irrational dogmatism of our religious ancestors’ culture. The idea of determining someone’s innocence or guilt by having them hold a red-hot iron seems, well, insane. But new evidence suggests that the process worked… and might provide documentary evidence of a huge number of miracles. That modern researchers refuse to even consider this possibility reveals a great deal more about the irrational dogmatism of our own irreligious culture.
The Supernatural Case for Catholicism
I think that one mistake that we Catholics fall into is attempting to prove the faith without referencing the supernatural. We’ll use Scripture and reason to show the truth of Catholicism (which is great, of course), but we tend to get awkward about using miracles, particularly to non-believers. We’re quick to talk about John 6… Continue reading The Supernatural Case for Catholicism
The Widow of Nain and the Virgin Mary
I mentioned yesterday that Luke 7:11-17, in which Jesus resurrects the son of the widow of Nain, “is important for a number of reasons, not least of which is that Jesus raises the son out of love for the mother. There’s an obvious Marian element to this — given that Jesus has mercy on all… Continue reading The Widow of Nain and the Virgin Mary
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: What They Are and How to Use Them
If you ask Catholics and Pentecostals about the number of gifts of the Holy Spirit, and what those gifts are, you’ll likely get two different answers. The gifts of the Holy Spirit, not to be confused with the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23, CCC 1832) are understood differently by the two groups. I.… Continue reading The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: What They Are and How to Use Them
Our Lady of Guadalupe
One of the ways to prove the Catholic claim is through miracles. Catholicism, unique amongst all the faiths on Earth, has colorable claims of miraculous events with evidence. One of these miraculous events is Our Lady’s appearance to St. Juan Diego from December 9th to the 12th of 1531. You can find the full story… Continue reading Our Lady of Guadalupe