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ministry and of the founding of the Church. These miracles did not yet result in the restoration
of the physical universe. But at the end of time another series of miracles will follow, which will
result in the renewal of nature to the glory of God, — the final establishment of the Kingdom of
God in a new heaven and on a new earth.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY.
Is the doctrine of divine providence an articulus purus or an
articulus mixtus? Who was the first one of the Church Fathers to develop this doctrine? How do
Luther and Calvin differ in their conception of divine providence? What accounts for the fact
that the Arminians accept the Socinian position on this point? How must we judge of the
assertion of some Reformed theologians that God is the only true cause in the world? What are
second causes, and why is it important to maintain that they are real causes? Does the doctrine
of divine concursus conflict with the free agency of man? What was Augustine’s conception of
miracles? Why is it important to maintain the miraculous? Do miracles admit of a natural
explanation? Do they imply a suspension of the laws of nature? What is the special significance
of the miracles of the Bible? Can miracles happen even now? Do they still happen? What about
the miracles of the Roman Catholic Church?
LITERATURE:
Bavinck, Geref. Dogm. II, pp. 635-670; Kuyper, Dict. Dogm., De Providentia, pp. 3-
246; Vos, Geref. Dogm., I, De Voorzienigheid; Hodge, Syst. Theol. I, pp. 575-636; Shedd, Dogm.
Theol. I, pp. 527-545; Dabney, Syst. and Polem. Theol., pp. 276-291; McPherson, Chr. Dogm.,
pp. 174-184; Drummond, Studies in Chr. Doct., pp. 187-202; Pope, Chr. Theol., I, pp. 437-456;
Raymond, Syst. Theol., I, pp. 497-527; Valentine, Chr. Theol., pp. 363-382; Pieper, Christl.
Dogm., I, pp. 587-600; Schmidt, Doct. Theol. of the Ev. Luth. Church, pp. 179-201; Dijk, De
Voorzienigheid Gods; Mozley, On Miracles; Thomson, The Christian Miracles and the
Conclusions of Science; Mead, Supernatural Revelation; Harris, God, Creator and Lord of All, I,
pp. 519-579; Bruin, Het Christelijke Geloof en de Beoefening der Natuurwetenschap, pp. 108-
138.