4/11/2020
The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are the fulcrum of Christianity. Fundamental to it is the historicity of the events and the meanings ascribed to them.
Despite the seeming implausibility of the resurrection many folks, even scholars in the modern world, have come to believe that it took place.
- Albert Henry Ross, an English advertising agent and freelance writer, had been skeptical of the resurrection story and set out to write a short article, to be entitled Jesus – the Last Phase. In the end he produced a much acclaimed book on the compelling evidences for the resurrection: Who Moved the Stone? By Frank Morrison [a pseudonym].
- I just discovered the statement by Prof Gregg Davidson, geologist at University of Mississippi. He became confident of his belief in God and the resurrection after a search that was significantly influenced by, of all people, the sceptic Richard Dawkins. [https://biologos.org/people/Gregg-davidson]
- Ian Huchinson, professor of nuclear science and engineering at MIT, has lectured on his reasons for believing in the resurrection. [http://www.veritas.org/can-scientist-believ-resurrection-three-hypotheses/
- For what it’s worth, while in graduate school I published a statement, “Why I Believe in the Resurrection,” which I commend to you. [Thanks to Joshua Swamidass for reproducing it on his site. https://peacefulscience.org/robert-canfield]
But beyond the importance of the historicity of the crucifixion and resurrection there is the moral significance of these events. Jesus’s life and death were understood by the Jews of his time in terms of a tradition that saw human affairs as situated within a moral world. The crucifixion and resurrection were, as they saw them, significance moral events. One of the most elegant statements of their moral significance was formulated by a converted rabbi early in the Christian era: “Because the children [of Adam] shared in flesh and blood, he [Jesus] took the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the Devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage.” [Heb 2:14-15] Jesus’s resurrection encourages us to be unafraid of our inevitable demise, since Jesus has in his death removed the prospect of punishment for our sins. But the resurrection is a kind of promise that all the evil in the world, which we rail against in our hearts, will eventually be brought to judgement and forever be expunged.
In the meantime, we rejoice in the generous offer of God’s goodwill, earned for us by the sufferings of Christ and announced to us by the resurrection, and we express our gratitude by committing ourselves to his agendas, seeking with his help to display his character in a broken and wounded world.