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No matter how you slice it, the resurrection of Jesus is a miracle - Robin Schumacher - Christian Chat Room
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No matter how you slice it, the resurrection of Jesus is a miracle - Robin Schumacher Posted by Temmy Sat, April 03, 2021 11:07pm |
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No matter how you slice it, the resurrection of Jesus is a miracle - Robin Schumacher
Given this data isn’t in dispute, we’re left with the question of what cause best explains these details – which has the best explanatory power, scope, plausibility, and is less contrived than the others? The non-Christian has basically two options – both of which involve miracles – which for the sake of this article, we’ll define as a highly improbable, rare or extraordinary event with only naturalistic causes. The biological miracle The biological miracle option takes one of two forms. An example of the first occurred years ago during a debate between then-atheist Anthony Flew and Gary Habermas on the resurrection. Agreeing with the core resurrection facts above, Flew conceded that Jesus did actually rise from the dead, but insisted it was a one-time biological anomaly that never occurred before or since. The second form of the biological miracle asserts that Jesus didn’t actually die, but rather those conducting His execution and burial falsely believed He was dead. Sometime after He was placed in the tomb, He revived, emerged, and presented Himself to His disciples as being raised from the dead. Although an article published decades ago in the Journal of American Medical Association stated: “…interpretations based on the assumption that Jesus did not die on the cross appear to be at odds with modern medical knowledge", this form of the biological miracle defense is still occasionally presented, although it wanes in popularity due to these reasons:
The psychological miracle Nearly every atheist who publicly debates a Christian apologist on the resurrection today turns to the psychological miracle option. An example is Richard Carrier who writes, “I believe the best explanation, consistent with both scientific findings and the surviving evidence . . . is that the first Christians experienced hallucinations of the risen Christ, of one form or another . . . In the ancient world, to experience supernatural manifestations of ghosts, gods, and wonders was not only accepted, but encouraged." However, when closely examined, the psychological miracle collapses under these critiques:
A theological miracle With the unbeliever’s miraculous explanations for the resurrection being dismantled, we are left with one remaining choice: a theological miracle occurred. This differs from the naturalist’s miracle in that, while Christians agree a miracle is a highly improbable or extraordinary event, we add that it has divine origins, is performed by God for a distinct purpose, and always brings Him glory. The theological miracle option simply claims the New Testament resurrection accounts are true. It eschews the anti-supernatural bias of naturalists in ruling God out in an a priori manner. Including God in the equation automatically makes supernatural miracles possible as C. S. Lewis said: “But if we admit God, must we admit Miracle? Indeed, indeed, you have no security against it. That is the bargain." If an open vs. closed universe worldview is allowed, then when the accepted criteria of examining a historical account is used that includes explanatory power, explanatory scope, not being ad-hoc, plausibility, not contradicting accepted beliefs, and far exceeding its rival theories in meeting those conditions, the theological miracle emerges as the easiest option to accept. This being the case, the rational person can hardly be blamed if he/she concludes on the basis of the evidence and a commitment to unbiased historiographical investigation that a divine miracle occurred on that first Easter morning. Summing up this position, Dr. Thomas Arnold, the former chair of modern history at Oxford and author of the well-respected three volume “History of Rome”, says: “I have been used for many years to study the histories of other times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than the great sign which God hath given us that Christ died and rose again from the dead.” Source |
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