"'Believing' cannot tip the scales in making a historical judgment about
whether something really happened. I can choose to believe that George
Washington threw a silver dollar across the Rappahannock, but my believing
that he did it has nothing to do with whether or not he really did to it.
So also with the story of Jesus walking on the water: Believing that he did
it has nothing to do with whether he really did do it. 'Belief' cannot be
the basis for historical conclusion; it has no direct relevance."

"Faith and Scholarship" by Marcus J. Borg
August, 1993 issue of _Bible Review_