Flight of the Saints

Simply put, then, whether one accepts something as a “miracle” depends first and foremost on whether one thinks miracles are possible. If, for example, one is open to the idea that there might be higher dimensions to reality that can interact—however infrequently—with the space-time dimension we inhabit, then miracles become a distinct possibility, and reports of such events can be examined on a case-by-case basis according to reason and evidence. If, on the other hand, one thinks that the space-time continuum is all there is to reality, then by definition nothing independent of that continuum exists to interact with it, and therefore no miracles are possible. Now, while either view is up for grabs, it is worth noting that the latter view is the more dogmatic of the two. For it says that miracles do not occur regardless of the evidence. The former view, however, keeps an open mind. While it is not foreclosed to the possibility of miracles, it is not forced to accept any given miracle claim. It is free to follow the evidence wherever it leads.