HomeCommentaryBRIEF: Most Americans believe in miracles. Do you?
Commentary

BRIEF: Most Americans believe in miracles. Do you?

By: Tracy Simmons

Date:

Related stories

Commentary

Modern society embraces the social sins it once condemned 

A reflection on Gandhi’s Seven Social Sins and how they illuminate modern issues including politics, AI, work, education and public morality.
Commentary

God’s gender isn’t male, female or even binary — so why are we?

The Rev. Elizabeth Stevens argues that Christianity and other faiths support gender diversity beyond modern, male, female and binary identities.
Commentary

Dancing with Hannah, Raven and the Trinity: Finding faith in movement

A columnist reflects on Parkinson’s dance classes, the Raven creation story and how Trinity Sunday shows Christianity’s invitation to join the dance of life.

Our Sponsors

Reading Time: < 1 minute

A recently released report showed the number of Americans who “definitely believe in religious miracles” increased 22 percent in the past two decades.

That means 55 percent of you believe in some sort of supernatural phenomenon.

Researcher Robert Martin of Pennsylvania State University reported that the increase is across all religious traditions, with the strongest gains being reported by those who attend services infrequently.

The Association of Religious Data Archives analyzes this study here and says we can thank Oprah for this change.

Where do you fall into this. Do you believe in miracles?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter

You may be interested in these periodic mailings, too. Check any or all to subscribe.

 

Tracy Simmons
Tracy Simmons
Tracy Simmons is an award-winning journalist specializing in religion reporting and digital entrepreneurship. In her approximate 20 years on the religion beat, Simmons has tucked a notepad in her pocket and found some of her favorite stories aboard cargo ships in New Jersey, on a police chase in Albuquerque, in dusty Texas church bell towers, on the streets of New York and in tent cities in Haiti. Simmons has worked as a multimedia journalist for newspapers across New Mexico, Texas, Connecticut and Washington. She is the executive director of FāVS.News, a digital journalism start-up covering religion news and commentary in Spokane, Washington. She also writes for The Spokesman-Review and national publications. She is a Scholarly Associate Professor of Journalism at Washington State University.
Previous article
Voting is a sacred duty
Next article
Aristotle and the Amish

3 COMMENTS

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
3 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Dennis
Dennis
13 years ago

Tracy,

I read your post, and the link, with interest. I also got a little humor our of Votaire’s quote about miracles being a “violation of mathmatical, divine, immutable, eternal laws.” Three of those four could be talking of God’s attributes! If He made them then He can “violate” or act from outside those laws, in other words, a miracle! For some reason that just cracked me up. Yes, I believe in miracles because I believe in a God who is outside and above His own creation, and I also believe in what many folks would call miracles that come from the dark side, because God, in His sovereignty has allowed satan enough power to deceive those who won’t acknowledge Him.

0
Reply
Tracy Simmons
Tracy Simmons
13 years ago

Hi Dennis,

Thanks for your response.

I wonder, for this research, what the ‘operational definition’ of “miracle” is and if that would change the results any. Hmm…

0
Reply
Dennis
Dennis
13 years ago

That’s a good question. As in most discussion regarding spirituality definition is everything. I went back and read the article again, and in it he used miracle and religious miracle synonymously. I’m sure it would include some reference to an invisible or spiritual aspect interfacing with our material, sensory world. I still, with a smile, would put Votaire’s comment out there as a pretty good definition! 🙂 Have a great day!

0
Reply