Evidence for the Resurrection Archives - Jonathan McLatchie

The Firstfruits Feast and the Case for the Resurrection

Given that Jesus was alleged, from the beginning, to have been raised on the Sunday following Passover, during the feast of firstfruits, this suggests that the choice of the Sunday as the day of the resurrection resulted from rational deliberation, or conscious design, whether on the part of human schemers or divine agency. It seems to militate fairly heavily against the hypothesis that the original apostles were honestly mistaken about Christ’s resurrection.

The Argument from Martyrdom: A Response to Rabbi Tovia Singer

1 Comment / Biblical Reliability, Evidence for the Resurrection, Tovia Singer / By jmclatchie

In a video published this week, provocatively titled “Why Would Paul Willingly Die for His Belief? Another Church Lie!”, Rabbi Singer makes a number of bizarre claims. One such statement is that “the notion that Paul was beheaded by Rome is complete nonsense. It’s an invention of the church, and it’s mentioned nowhere in the Christian Bible.”

Bayesian Probability and the Resurrection: A Reply to Brian Blais

9 Comments / Evidence for the Resurrection, Messianic Prophecy, Miracles and Epistemology, Modern Miracles, Philosophy, Predictive Prophecy, Probability Theory / By jmclatchie

This week, a two part series of essays was published by atheist physicist Dr. Brian Blais. These essays challenged some of my key contentions from the debate, particularly my employment of Bayesian epistemology. In this essay, I reply to Dr. Blais’ remarks.

Extraordinary Claims and Evidence: A Review of Jonathan Pearce’s Book on the Resurrection (Part 1)

43 Comments / Book Reviews, Evidence for the Resurrection, Messianic Prophecy, Miracles and Epistemology, Modern Miracles, Philosophy, Predictive Prophecy, Probability Theory / By jmclatchie

Since the resurrection is intended, in Christian theology, to function as an authenticating sign, it is highly predicted that Jesus’ resurrection will deviate from the normal course of nature. That the resurrection does, in fact, deviate from the normal course of nature should not be taken as a cause for concern.

Book Review: Jesus Christ Our Lord, by John Walvoord

1 Comment / Bible Contradictions, Biblical Typology, Book Reviews, Deity of Christ, Eschatology, Evidence for the Resurrection, Messianic Prophecy, New Testament Use of the Old Testament, Predictive Prophecy, Theology, Trinity / By jmclatchie

John Walvoord (1910-2002) was a past president of Dallas Theological Seminary (1952-1986) and a prolific author. He was probably best known for his advocacy of dispensational theology and of pre-tribulation ‘rapture’ theology with respect to eschatology. In his book, Jesus Christ Our Lord, Walvoord offers a systematic presentation of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

On Matthew Hartke’s Five Reasons to Doubt the Resurrection

12 Comments / Bible Contradictions, Biblical Reliability, Evidence for the Resurrection / By jmclatchie

Matthew L. Hartke is a former Christian who hosts the blog “Resurrection Review,” on which he analyzes and discusses the origins of Christianity. A correspondent recently brought to my attention an article posted on Hartke’s site, provocatively titled “Five Reasons to Doubt the Resurrection” and asked me if I could respond to it.

The Evidential Value of 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 to the Case for the Resurrection

3 Comments / Bart Ehrman, Biblical Reliability, Critics of Christianity, Evidence for the Resurrection / By jmclatchie

The text is of evidential value given that it allows us to establish, in harmony with other independent lines of evidence, that the resurrection claim goes back to the apostolic eyewitnesses themselves.

Should Christians Use the Argument from Martyrdom? A Reply to Bart Ehrman

3 Comments / Bart Ehrman, Biblical Reliability, Critics of Christianity, Evidence for the Resurrection / By jmclatchie

It is a common misstep made by many atheists to think that if a particular piece of evidence fails to logically entail a conclusion, then that same piece of evidence also fails to support the said conclusion. However, this is poor epistemology. A piece of evidence may be confirmatory of a conclusion without establishing it.

The Resurrection of Jesus: The Evidential Contribution of Luke-Acts

14 Comments / Bart Ehrman, Bible Contradictions, Biblical Reliability, Critics of Christianity, Evidence for the Resurrection, Extrabiblical Corroboration, Undesigned Coincidences / By jmclatchie

Any discussion of the evidence for the resurrection must first ascertain what the original apostolic witnesses claimed and whether those claims are best explained by the resurrection, or by some alternative hypothesis.

JONATHAN MCLATCHIE

Evidence for the Resurrection