The term “act of God” has religious and legal meanings. In a religious sense, it refers to something created by God, while in a legal sense, it refers to a natural event that couldn’t be foreseen, controlled, or prevented. The concept is included in many legal contracts, and evidence must be provided that nothing could have been done to mitigate or alter it.
The term “act of God” has two different meanings: religious and juridical. In a religious sense, an act of God is something that was created or wrought by God, with a classic example being the tablet inscribed by God with the 10 Commandments. In a legal sense, an act of God is a natural event that could not be foreseen, controlled or prevented, such as an earthquake destroying a bridge. Even in secular societies, contracts often include an Act of God clause.
Various world religions have debated the acts of God for centuries. Many societies historically believed that God or Gods played an intimate role in the lives of ordinary people and that the deity’s activities were responsible for everything from pregnancy to cataclysmic storms. Many cultures have also developed beliefs about worshiping high powers to appease their wrath and invoke good acts of God, such as a good harvest.
In the 13th century, discussions of the acts of God were mainly confined to the Christian religion, with religious texts exploring the concept quite extensively. In the 19th century, the legal sense of the term began to appear, initially in contracts that included a clause addressing “acts of God” as a way to cover all bases in the event of a freak accident or chance event.
Today, the concept of an act of God is included in the legal language of many contracts. Insurance policies, loans, and other legal contracts often include a discussion of whether or not acts of God are covered, and acts of God are also addressed in courtrooms. For example, when the residents of a home sue the landlord over damage inflicted during a natural disaster, the landlord cannot be held liable if he can prove that the damage was caused by circumstances that could not be controlled, such as flood waters that filled the house.
An act of God can be a fire caused by lightning, a flood, an earthquake, a volcanic eruption, or some similar catastrophic event. For something to be considered an act of God, evidence must be provided that nothing could have been done to mitigate or alter it. If a fire burns down a house, for example, it could be an act of God, but the homeowner could also be charged with negligence if he or she failed to comply with fire safety laws.
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