Liberalism and Miracles
Liberalism and Miracles
By Jerry L Walls
March/April 1991
In his classic critique of liberalism, written over a generation ago, J. Gresham Machen held that the common root of all liberal theology is a denial of the supernatural. As Machen pointed out in Christianity and Liberalism, this involves the rejection not only of the biblical miracles and the deity of Christ, but even the existence of God as a personal being. It was thought by many liberal churchmen that a radically reinterpreted Christianity, shorn of the miraculous, would be easier to believe for “modern man.” While this may be true, Machen noted, “the trouble is, it would not be worth believing.”
There are signs among some contemporary liberal leaders that they have acquired a sense of this. Some are suggesting that one of the reasons oldline churches are languishing is because they have been offering a faith not worth believing. A good example here is Leonard Sweet’s recent call for “reconstituted supernaturalism.” This is a top priority, Sweet thinks, if oldline Protestant churches are to be revitalized, Thus, he urges the readers of Liberal Protestantism: Realities and Possibilities to “venture into a world dense with magic, mystery, and miracle.” For a faith which is open to such “threshold experiences” is much more satisfying than a mundane faith which is not.
At first glance this appears to be a positive development in liberal theology. But on closer inspection it may not be much of an improvement, for it is not at all clear what sort of miracles Sweet wishes to affirm. He does not, for instance, encourage his fellow liberals to accept those miracles which are central to historic Christianity, such as Jesus’ miraculous conception and bodily resurrection. Rather, he cites as an example of a “true miracle” the instance of a family who was able to keep going with “joy, grace, and dignity in the face of tragedy.” While I do not wish to downplay the inspirational value of such a case, I doubt if it represents much of an advance beyond the sort of liberalism Machen criticized.
So liberals face a dilemma. On the one band, if they remain unwilling to affirm the miracles central to historic Christianity, they cannot offer a faith really worth believing. On the other hand, if they are prepared to open the door to these miracles, they will have a faith worth believing, but it will be the orthodox faith rejected by their liberal forebears.
Jerry L Walls is assistant professor at Asbury Theological Seminar in Wilmore, Kentucky.