Keywords
miraculous healing
extraordinary healing
naturalistic explanation
Christian paradigm
Church
How to Cite
Abstract
According to the Pentecostal-charismatic tradition, miraculous healings confirm the truth of the Gospel. The present article argues that this view is in line with many New Testament texts. However, there is an ongoing debate about whether such an understanding can be upheld considering today’s medical science. According to metaphysical naturalism, all healings, even the most extraordinary ones, can be explained by purely natural causes. Craig Keener challenges this position. The present article discusses his viewpoints and also includes examples of healing reports to illustrate.
Further, this article draws on the philosophies of science of Alister McGrath and Thomas Kuhn. Both understand scientific theories as interpretations of what is observed, viewing them holistically. Following their approach, this article argues that the Christian paradigm offers the best explanation of extraordinary or miraculous healings, and therefore is a more coherent worldview or paradigm than a naturalistic paradigm. Thus, it is argued that miraculous healings have a confirming function for the truth of the Christian message.
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