Healing sucking chest wounds and raising the dead are pretty darn flashy in my book.
I don't think "subtle/flashy" does a good job of getting at the cleric/wizard distinction. Both classes have subtle spells, from clerical blessings and auguries to wizard mind control and illusion. And both classes have flashy spells, with clerics unleashing blasts of holy light and wizards making your head asplode.
I think the key distinction between divine magic and arcane is that divine magic is "friendly," in more than one sense. It makes clear distinctions between friend and foe, often using alignment as a basis, and it's more focused on helping and protecting its friends than harming its foes, though it can do both.
Arcane magic doesn't care about friend or foe. It's a dangerous, amoral force, and it tends to be rough on living things--one of the signature traits of arcane magic is that it has little or no capacity to heal. It can be used in both offensive and defensive ways, but its defenses all require preparation. A wizard can keep you from getting hit by nasty stuff, but if you've already been hit by nasty stuff, you'll just have to live with it.
I don't think "subtle/flashy" does a good job of getting at the cleric/wizard distinction. Both classes have subtle spells, from clerical blessings and auguries to wizard mind control and illusion. And both classes have flashy spells, with clerics unleashing blasts of holy light and wizards making your head asplode.
I think the key distinction between divine magic and arcane is that divine magic is "friendly," in more than one sense. It makes clear distinctions between friend and foe, often using alignment as a basis, and it's more focused on helping and protecting its friends than harming its foes, though it can do both.
Arcane magic doesn't care about friend or foe. It's a dangerous, amoral force, and it tends to be rough on living things--one of the signature traits of arcane magic is that it has little or no capacity to heal. It can be used in both offensive and defensive ways, but its defenses all require preparation. A wizard can keep you from getting hit by nasty stuff, but if you've already been hit by nasty stuff, you'll just have to live with it.