Philosophy of Religion

Philosophy of Religion

Philosophical Analysis of Miracle in Confrontation with the Problem of Evil, with a Focus on Robert Larmer’s Perspective

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Navid Yari
Mansour Nasiri
Department of Philosophy of Religion, Faculty of Theology, Farabi Campus, University of Tehran, Qom, Iran
10.22059/jpht.2026.403190.1006149
Abstract
This article examines the relationship between miracles and the problem of evil from the perspective of contemporary philosopher of religion, Robert Larmer. Larmer argues that a rational account of miracles renders them compatible with the existence of evil. Conversely, critics such as Hume and Basinger contend that the problem of evil undermines the possibility of miracles, viewing them as evidence of divine imperfection or moral harm. Drawing on Christian theology, Larmer counters that miracles—as manifestations of divine will aiming at the highest good, namely human spiritual growth—neither cause evil nor conflict with natural laws or moral responsibility. This study concludes that while Larmer’s responses face certain challenges, they can be significantly strengthened by integrating Islamic theological perspectives. Ultimately, this comparative synthesis provides a coherent framework for a rational defense of religious faith.
Keywords
Robert Larmer
Miracle
Problem of Evil
Greater Good
Subjects
مطهری، مرتضی (1376). عدل الهی. تهران: صدرا.
هادسون، ویلیام دانالد (1378). ویتگنشتاین، ربط فلسفة او به باور دینی. ترجمة مصطفی ملکیان. تهران: گروس.
وین‌رایت، ویلیام (1390). فلسفة دین. ترجمة علی‌رضا کرمانی. قم: مؤسسة آموزشی و پژوهشی امام خمینی(ره).
Annet, P. (1750). Supernatural’s Examined in Four Dissertations on Three Treatises. London: Printed for F.
Basinger, D. (1990). Miracles as Evidence for Theism: A Surrejoinder. Sophia, 29(1), 56–59.
Flew, A. & MacIntyre, A. (1995). New Essays In Philosophical Theology. London: SCM Press.
Hudson, W. D. (1999). Wittgenstein: The Bearing of His Philosophy upon Religious Belief. Trans. Mostafa Malekian. Tehran: Groos. (in Persian)
Hume, D. (2007). An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Jankunis, F. (2014). Overall and Larmer on Miracles as Evidence for the Existence of God. International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, 53, 585–599.
Keller, J. A. (1988). Problems of Evil and the Power of God. Ashgate Publishing Company.
---------------. (1995). A Moral Argument Against Miracles. Faith and Philosophy, 12, 54-78.
Larmer, R. (2013). The Legitimacy of Miracle. Lanham: Lexington Books.
Lewis, C. S. (1944). The Problem of Pain. New York: Macmillan.
Motahhari, M. (1997). Divine Justice. Tehran: Sadra Publications. (in Persian)
Overall, Ch. (2003). Miracles and Larmer. Dialogue: Canadian Philosophical Review, 42(1), 123–135.
Swinburne, R. (2004). The Existence of God. 2nd Edition. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Wainwright, W. J. (2011). Philosophy of Religion (Trans. Alireza Kermani). Qom: Imam Khomeini Educational and Research Institute. (in Persian)
Whitehead, A.N. (1969). Process and Reality. New York: The Macmillan Co; repr. The Free Press.
 
 
Philosophy of Religion
Volume 23, Issue 3
Autumn 2026
Pages 217-227