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Explores miracles as dimensions of everyday existence through the lens of religious naturalism.
Miracles are usually regarded as an intrusion of a supernatural force upsetting the normal workings and laws of the universe, but if one is attentive to the natural world, one can instead find miracles beneath the surface of everyday existence. This outlook is part of Donald A. Crosby's religious naturalism, which he terms Religion of Nature, a belief system that posits the natural world to be the only world, without any underlying or transcending supernatural being, presence, or power. In The Extraordinary in the Ordinary, Crosby explores seven types of everyday miracles, such as time, language, and love, to show that the miraculous and ordinary are not opposed to each other. Rather, it is when we acknowledge the sacred depths and dimensions of everyday existence that we recognize the miracles that constantly surround us.
Preface
1. Two Concepts of Miracle
Miracles in the Abrahamic Traditions
Miracles in Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism
Why Miracles Are Prominent in Religious Traditions and Outlooks
Miracles of a Different Sort: Quotidian Miracles
Conclusion
2. Passage of Time
Extent of Time
Time and Change
Time as Creation and Destruction
Time and Causality
Conclusion
3. History of Histories
Galactic History
Earth History
Life History
Human History
Rethinking the Concept of Miracle
Conclusion
4. Individual Consciousness
Materiality and Mentality
Creations of Consciousness
Conscious Freedom
An Ethical Implication
Conclusion
5. Spoken and Written Language
Abstraction and Selection
Public Communication and Private Cogitation
Speech and Speaking
The Miracle of Metaphor
Conclusion
6. Immensity of the World
The Extremely Small
The Extremely Large
Profusion and Diversity of Life Forms on Earth
The Role of Humans
Conclusion
7. Power of Imagination
Imagination and Natural Science
Imagination and Literature
Conclusion
8. Ideal of Love
Instinctive Love
Self-Love and Love for Others
The Friendship Aspect of Love
Love and Work
Love and Justice
Conclusion
Notes
Works Cited
Index