Is Christianity true? (the Resurrection)

This blog is part of my series titled “Is Christianity true?” The series addresses four common objections to the truthfulness of the Christian worldview, namely concerns about: (1) the trustworthiness of the Bible; (2) the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection; (3) the compatibility of faith in God with modern science; and (4) the incompatibility of Christian truth claims with those of other worldviews.

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS ROOTED IN HISTORY - INTRODUCTION

 “For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” —the apostle Paul

My faith in Jesus began when He declared to me, “I am alive.” While my encounter was spiritual rather than physical, I immediately accepted the clear physical implication of these three little words. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. 

However, many today consider the resurrection story to be just that—a story. They certainly think it is a nice story, but they think it is a fictional account. Even some who claim to be followers of Jesus think of the resurrection account as a story to be taken allegorically. 

Many dismiss a physical resurrection out of hand since, according to their worldview, miracles are impossible. Since the claim that Jesus was raised from the dead falls in the category of miracle, the naturalist presupposition precludes the possibility of a physical resurrection. 

Many non-believers from various backgrounds and fields of expertise have attempted to disprove the resurrection having rightly concluded that if they can disprove this purported event, then the Christian worldview falls apart. Indeed, the truth of the physical resurrection of Jesus is the centerpiece of the Christian worldview. In any event, after thoroughly investigating this claim, many of these well-educated skeptics turned around 180 degrees and became followers of Jesus. They include scholars Sir Willaim Ramsay, Dr. Simon Greenleaf and C. S. Lewis.

Since the resurrection is a historical claim, it cannot be adjudicated in the courts of science.

Since the resurrection is a historical claim, it cannot be adjudicated in the courts of science. Rather, it must be adjudicated in the courts of history. In the case of the generally agreed facts concerning Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, Christians throughout the centuries have believed that the best explanation is that Jesus was raised from the dead. 

Notwithstanding, the atheist philosopher Nietzsche asserted that believers in Jesus abandoned reason in favor of an irrational hope. However, many highly regarded scientists, such as Dr. Ian Hutchinson, professor of nuclear science and engineering at MIT, unashamedly proclaim their belief in the resurrection based on a close examination of the facts. In light of his professional training, Hutchinson is far more knowledgeable about the physical realm than was Nietzsche, yet Hutchinson is a Christian and Nietzsche was not. Pondering this one fact should cause anyone to open their mind to objectively examine the evidence. 

In the following blogs, we will consider the implications of the claim that Jesus was raised from the dead after which we will turn to the evidence. 

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash