As we approach the Easter season, what do we make of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ? Is it myth or history? What do the scholars think?
There exists, in academia, a decided bias against the supernatural. Mainstream academic scholarship does not know how to confront the possibility that something out of the ordinary may have happened, so they generally reject any purported "miracle" unless a rational, natural explanation for it is possible. Of course, by definition, a miracle is somewhat outside the boundaries of what scholars would usually consider "rational" and it certainly is outside the realm of "natural."
What then do we do with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ? For many, the idea that Jesus Christ rose from the dead is just too much to accept. They refuse to even consider it. People don't rise from the dead, they say, so it didn't happen. They then either deny the historicity of Jesus (a largely futile and foolish exercise, given the overwhelming evidence for Jesus' existence as a historical figure) or they assert various, alternative theories to explain the final days of his life.
Christian apologist Gary Habermas, in this article, surveys the post-1975 general scholarship written on the death, burial, and purported resurrection of Jesus. It's a thorough and comprehensive read -- well worth your time.
Read the article and then let us know what you think in the discussion area.
