What Happened to Miracles?
Franz Rosenzweig and the Metaphor of the Lost Child
Franz Rosenzweig writes in the Star of Redemption:
“If miracle really is the favorite child of faith, then, at least for some time, faith has been seriously neglecting its parental duties.”
By miracle, Rosenzweig means supernatural spectacle, the realization of the impossible. There was a time when people used to cite miracles as evidence for why they believed, and not just miracles of the past, but contemporary events. In a naturalistic world, even religious people must redefine what miracles are. Few still rely on miracles as the drivers of faith.
The metaphor of miracle as favorite child evokes the Biblical motif of sibling rivalry, raising the question of what brother or sister has taken the place of the miracle today.
Is the miracle like Abel? Who is Cain? Reason? Naturalism?
Is the miracle like Joseph? Who are Joseph’s brothers? Philosophers and skeptics? But if you go with this allegorical read, miracle is not dead. We are Jacob, presented with miracle’s bloody coat. We should know better than to accept arguments from absence.
Going with a more modern reading, perhaps the kind that might be made into a Pixar film, is miracle an enfant terrible that left home as a teenager and never looked back? Maybe miracle has no home, preferring to “drop out.” Did Faith scare miracle away or was miracle simply tired of living in such small quarters? Does Faith pay child support or is miracle old and weary, like someone who spent their whole life working the same office job and never got the promotion they were hoping for?
Well, miracle, wherever you are, I hope you’re alright. But miracle says, “Stop projecting.” The kids are alright.
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