Final answer:
Miracles in the early Christian church ceased or occurred due to concerns about falsely attributed miracles undermining faith, and the reclassification of once miraculous events as natural phenomena explainable by science and medicine.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering why miracles ceased or occurred during the early days of the Christian church, two reasons stand out. First, the early Christian church had a vested interest in ensuring that the miracles attributed to its history were not taken lightly or viewed skeptically due to false claims. Leaders within the church historically have been concerned that if a supposed miracle were later disproven, it might lead believers to question the validity of all such miracles and potentially lose faith altogether.
Second, the definition of miracles as events that violate the laws of nature means that for an event to be regarded as a miracle, there must be no other possible explanation. This sets a very high bar for verification. Over time, advancements in science and medicine have provided explanations for events that were once considered miraculous, leading to a decline in the identification of such events as divine interventions. Moreover, the authenticity of miracles reported in the distant past, like those during the formation of the Christian church, is often challenged because it relies heavily on the credibility of historical testimony, which can be difficult to verify