an exception to the natural order of things, to show that God is acting. Each part of the definition is important. First, the exception to the natural order is temporary: the raising of Lazarus and the resurrection of Jesus Christ are exceptional events. They do not in any way affect our practical certainty that dead men stay dead. As C. S. Lewis pointed out, once a miracle has been performed, the subsequent events follow natural laws. “If events ever come from beyond nature altogether she will [not]