--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: None of the miracles with which ancient…" description: "\"None of the miracles with which ancient histories are filled, occurred under scientific conditions. Observation never once contradicted, teaches us tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/ernest-renan-11034_ancient_none-of-the-miracles-with-which-ancient_516456.jpg" --- # None of the miracles with which ancient histories are… ![“None of the miracles with which ancient histories are filled, occurred under scientific conditions. Observation never once contradicted, teaches us that miracles occur only in periods and countries in which they are believed in and before persons disposed to believe in them.” quote by Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/ernest-renan-11034_ancient_none-of-the-miracles-with-which-ancient_516456.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/ernest-renan-11034_ancient_none-of-the-miracles-with-which-ancient_516456.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/ernest-renan-11034_ancient_none-of-the-miracles-with-which-ancient_516456.jpg) > “None of the miracles with which ancient histories are filled, occurred under scientific conditions. Observation never once contradicted, teaches us that miracles occur only in periods and countries in which they are believed in and before persons disposed to believe in them.” [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Miracles are culturally bound phenomena that appear only where belief exists, not under neutral scientific scrutiny. **In simple terms:** Miracles happen where people believe, not under scientific test. Key Takeaway Recognize belief’s role in interpreting extraordinary events. Themes belief culture science history skepticism Mood curious critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical inquisitive When to use this quote - historical analysis - anthropology - science education - critical thinking Key Concepts social construction faith empirical limits Questions to Reflect On - What does belief shape in your perception of events? - How can we balance respect for culture with scientific inquiry? A Different Perspective Miracles may be explained by unknown natural causes, not dismissed outright. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Ancient history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-history/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) ## Related quotes > [All the ancient histories, as one of our wits say, are just fables that have been agreed upon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/all-the-ancient-histories-as-one-of-our-wits-say-are-just-fables-that/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense everything that comes from love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foundation-for-inner-peace/miracles-occur-naturally-as-expressions-of-love-the-real-miracle-is/) [Foundation for Inner Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foundation-for-inner-peace/) > [Miracles do occur, and it's never too late to turn your life around and reach for something better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-noel/miracles-do-occur-and-it-s-never-too-late-to-turn-your-life-around/) [Alyson Noel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-noel/) > [Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. When you choose to love, you choose to work miracles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/miracles-occur-naturally-as-expressions-of-love-when-you-choose-to/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [If one believes, then miracles occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/if-one-believes-then-miracles-occur/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Miracles occur when two people realize that there is no separation between them. In that moment, love flows freely and their true reality becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-herrera/miracles-occur-when-two-people-realize-that-there-is-no-separation/) [Elizabeth Herrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-herrera/) > [Miracles occur, If you dare to call those spasmodic Tricks of radiance miracles. The wait's begun again, The long wait for the angel, For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/miracles-occur-if-you-dare-to-call-those-spasmodic-tricks-of-radiance/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [miracles occur in psychoanalysis as seldom as anywhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-horney/miracles-occur-in-psychoanalysis-as-seldom-as-anywhere-else/) [Karen Horney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-horney/) > [For some miracles can only occur in the dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-moers/for-some-miracles-can-only-occur-in-the-dark/) [Walter Moers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-moers/) > [Having observed the forces of all things natural and celestial and having examined by painstaking investigation the sympathy among those things, brings into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giambattista-della-porta/having-observed-the-forces-of-all-things-natural-and-celestial-and/) Giambattista della Porta > [“Rarely do we realize that we are in the midst of the extraordinary. Miracles occur all around us, signs from God show us the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/rarely-do-we-realize-that-we-are-in-the-midst-of-the-extraordinary/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“For this reason, the question whether miracles occur can never be answered simply by experience. Every event which might claim to be a miracle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/for-this-reason-the-question-whether-miracles-occur-can-never-be/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [To expect the world to receive a new truth, or even an old truth, without challenging it, is to look for one of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-russel-wallace/to-expect-the-world-to-receive-a-new-truth-or-even-an-old-truth/) [Alfred Russel Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-russel-wallace/) > [“More Miracles occur from Gratitude and Forgiveness than anything else”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-h-friedman/more-miracles-occur-from-gratitude-and-forgiveness-than-anything-else/) Philip H. Friedman > [Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense everything that comes from love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/miracles-occur-naturally-as-expressions-of-love-the-real-miracle-is-2/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More by Ernest Renan > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [The epic disappeared along with the age of personal heroism; there can be no epic with artillery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-epic-disappeared-along-with-the-age-of-personal-heroism-there-can/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [Muslims are the first victims of Islam. To liberate a Muslim from his religion is the best service that one can render him!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/muslims-are-the-first-victims-of-islam-to-liberate-a-muslim-from-his/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [It is evident, indeed, that such a doctrine, taken by itself in a literal manner, had no future. The world, in continuing to exist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/it-is-evident-indeed-that-such-a-doctrine-taken-by-itself-in-a/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [A nation is a body of people who have done great things together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/a-nation-is-a-body-of-people-who-have-done-great-things-together/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [Man is not on this earth merely to be happy, or even to be simply honest. He is there to realize great things for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/man-is-not-on-this-earth-merely-to-be-happy-or-even-to-be-simply/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [To have common glories in the past, a common will in the present; to have done great things together; to wish to do greater;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/to-have-common-glories-in-the-past-a-common-will-in-the-present-to/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [“To have done great things together, to want to do more, such are the essential conditions to form a people. . . . Man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/to-have-done-great-things-together-to-want-to-do-more-such-are-the/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [As a rule, all heroism is due to a lack of reflection, and thus it is necessary to maintain a mass of imbeciles. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/as-a-rule-all-heroism-is-due-to-a-lack-of-reflection-and-thus-it-is/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [I can die when I wish to: that is my elixir of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/i-can-die-when-i-wish-to-that-is-my-elixir-of-life/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [“Islam has been liberal when it has been weak and violent when it has been strong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/islam-has-been-liberal-when-it-has-been-weak-and-violent-when-it-has/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [“What is human life? Is it not a maimed happiness—care and weariness, weariness and care, with the baseless expectation...of a brighter tomorrow?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/what-is-human-life-is-it-not-a-maimed-happiness-care-and-weariness/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [Man makes holy what he believes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/man-makes-holy-what-he-believes/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [“Woe to him who becomes useless to human progress!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/woe-to-him-who-becomes-useless-to-human-progress/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [He whom God has touched will always be a being apart: he is, whatever he may do, a stranger among men; he is marked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/he-whom-god-has-touched-will-always-be-a-being-apart-he-is-whatever/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) [Explore all 62 Ernest Renan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [All the stories I have told you are finally as useless as all ancient knowledge is to man and to us. Its images and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/all-the-stories-i-have-told-you-are-finally-as-useless-as-all-ancient/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [Science has revealed a universe that is vast, ancient, violent, strange, and beautiful, a universe of almost infinite variety and possibility one in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/science-has-revealed-a-universe-that-is-vast-ancient-violent-strange/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) [Browse all 2,415 Ancient quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "None of the miracles with which ancient histories are filled, occurred under scientific conditions. Observation never once contradicted, teaches us that miracles occur only in periods and countries in which they are believed in and before persons disposed to believe in them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ernest Renan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/none-of-the-miracles-with-which-ancient-histories-are-filled-occurred/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ancient" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/none-of-the-miracles-with-which-ancient-histories-are-filled-occurred/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/ernest-renan-11034_ancient_none-of-the-miracles-with-which-ancient_516456.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/ernest-renan-11034_ancient_none-of-the-miracles-with-which-ancient_516456.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/ernest-renan-11034_ancient_none-of-the-miracles-with-which-ancient_516456.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“None of the miracles with which ancient histories are filled, occurred under scientific conditions…” — Ernest Renan", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ernest Renan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "None of the miracles with which...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/none-of-the-miracles-with-which-ancient-histories-are-filled-occurred/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/none-of-the-miracles-with-which-ancient-histories-are-filled-occurred/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```