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Review by Dr Pravin Thevathasan
The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Gary R. Habermas and Michael R. Licona Kregel Publications Habermas is distinguished professor and chair of the department of philosophy and theology at Liberty University. Licona is associate professor in theology at Houston Baptist University. They have produced an excellent work defending the traditional teaching on the Resurrection of Jesus, that he really and truly rose again in the Third day. The following truths are examined and defended: Jesus died by crucifixion, the disciples had an objective encounter with the Risen Jesus, Paul was converted by the same experience, and so was James. There is complete agreement that the tomb in which Jesus was laid to rest was empty. There may be different views but there is also a central coherence. To justify the orthodox belief, the authors turn of course to the Bible, but also to credible non-Biblical sources. When the authors examine the various claims against the traditional teaching, what is noticeable is how weak these cases actually are. These claims include fraud, hallucination, vision, delusions, and deception. All these claims are almost clinically dismantled. Since the time of the Enlightenment, it has been fashionable to claim that miracles are not possible. The authors tackle this head on and show us what this view is wrong. The authors are excellent historians. They show us why apparent contradictions in the historical documents are not good enough reasons to dismiss the traditional belief. I found this book easy to read and very well organised. The non-biblical sources include Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius of Antioch, Tertullian, and Origen. From a Catholic perspective these are very good sources. A helpful defence of the traditional teaching.
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