Given that miracles are phenomena that defy or contradict the laws of nature, is it possible to believe in the reality of events that are deemed to be absolutely impossible by empirical science? Is any history of “impossible” miracles essentially irrational? Such questions are not only pertinent for historians, but for all who believe in the existence of a supernatural realm, including Christians. Focusing on the history of two anomalous physical phenomena that have accompanied Christian mysticism for two millennia –levitation and bilocation – this talk seeks to address two inseparable questions: Is it possible to write a rational history of the impossible, and, if so, what difference can such a history make in a culture domineered by dogmatic materialism? Talk will be followed by a short response from Dr. Brian FitzGerald, Harvard University and Q&A. Reception to follow.
Presented by the Harvard Catholic Forum. Co-sponsored by Nova Forum at the University of Southern California and the In Lumine Network of Centers for Catholic Thought and Culture
