Skip to content

Claims for the occurrence of miraculous events will have…

“Claims for the occurrence of miraculous events will have to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. There can be no general theory to cover the character of unique events, but the refusal to contemplate the possibility of revelatory disclosures of an unprecedented kind would be an unacceptable…” quote by John Polkinghorne
Download Open image
““Claims for the occurrence of miraculous events will have to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. There can be no general theory to cover the character of unique events, but the refusal to contemplate the possibility of revelatory disclosures of an unprecedented kind would be an unacceptable limitation, imposed arbitrarily on the horizons of religious thought.””

John Polkinghorne

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Miraculous events must be judged individually; no universal rule fits unique phenomena, and dismissing them limits religious thought.

In simple terms: Evaluate miracles case by case.

Key Takeaway

Assess each claim uniquely.

Themes

faith epistemology science religion

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

theoretical philosophical

When to use this quote

  • court cases
  • personal testimonies
  • historical analyses
  • interfaith dialogues

Key Concepts

theology philosophy critical thinking

Questions to Reflect On

  • What criteria should guide evaluation?
  • Can skepticism coexist with belief?
A Different Perspective

Hard to verify extraordinary claims.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by John Polkinghorne

Explore all 47 John Polkinghorne quotes

More Miracles quotes

Browse all 3,567 Miracles quotes