2. How do we explain the resurrection?
How does Bultmann?

3. NT Wright : Resurrection as Reality ….let’s recap Bultmann first..
demythologising
myth
No certain facts
Facts don’t “mean”
The kerygma

4. NT Wright – Historical Reliability of the Resurrection
We looked at how you might deny that the resurrection happened. - the missing body - the Jesus appearances
Bultmann thought the only way to make sense of the gospel is to demythologise it – extract the kerygma. Faith is not faith in facts, but in the Apostolic preaching/ kerygma: that alone enables you to understand the “facts”.
NT Wright argues that facts DO matter. Because the missing body + the appearances are persuasive – Bultmann’s “myths” are actually facts !! Only because it happened, do we turn our ears to hear the apostolic preaching about it.
What evidence or arguments could be used to show that the resurrection must have happened?

5. NT Wright’s counter arguments
Based on two arguments
That only Jesus’ real resurrection solves some puzzles that can’t otherwise be explained
Jesus’ appearances: hallucinations theory not convincing. The 4 gospel accounts. Women. Style.
Early Christians’ behaviour
Christians beliefs in the resurrection differed from Jewish notions - the 7 mutations: there must be a reason why..

6. How does NT Wright score? Are his points persuasive for you?
Style of narrative
Jewish Messiah beliefs – would die A F
Behaviour of Christians
Reaction – go preaching B G
Women witnesses C
Jewish - no resurrection belief H
Empty tomb AND appearances D
Hallucinations? - unlikely to deny J died I
Disciples following

7. B. The 7 mutations Christian belief in the afterlife began to show significant differences from Jewish beliefs.
Read the 7 mutations, then abbreviate them onto a mindmap
Summarise in a paragraph some of the arguments in his mutations.

8. B. The 7 mutations Christian belief in the afterlife began to show significant differences from Jewish beliefs.
Christians claimed Jesus was the Messiah, precisely because of the resurrection. But in Judaism, the Messiah was not even meant to die, let alone resurrect, as his task was political liberation and rule.
There is a new metaphorical concept of resurrection, referred to as being “born-again”. In Judaism, resurrection simply meant return from exile, coming home, in a literal way.
In Judaism, belief in the resurrection is not very important. Resurrection is central to Christian belief. “If Christ has not been raised then your faith is in vain, and we are the most pitiable” (St Paul)
In Christianity, if Jesus is resurrected, then Christians must work to transform the world towards this future of resurrection. There is a new view of what collaborating with God means.
no diversity of belief among Christians about resurrection – unlike in Judaism
In Judaism, the resurrection takes place on judgment day in a general resurrection as a large-scale event happening to all God’s people, or the whole race. Never would Jews believe that resurrection had happened to one individual person in the middle of history.
In Judaism, it is vague what sort of body the resurrected body will be. For Christians, it will be definitively an incorrupt, transformed body with new properties. It is a new creation by God.
Subtitle these and rank them according to most different from Jewish ideas

9. NT Wright recap
The 7 mutations – how Christian beliefs differed from Jewish ones
Reasons why the resurrection must have happened
Diversity Jewish resurrection belief, not central
Jewish resurrection beliefs are not too important
Type of resurrected body
Fact of individual resurrection
Working in world
`born-again”
Messiah expectations
style
Jewish Messiah belief
women
preaching
behaviour
Disciples following
Jewish resurrection belief
Claim based on real experience
Empty tomb AND appearances

10. Myth or Reality? Did the resurrection actually happen ?
Bultmann – his demythologising approach, to uncover the kerygma - more reliable and relevant than facts
NT Wright – the resurrection is more than myth – only if it really happened can we explain changes from Jewish afterlife beliefs, and explain puzzles in the actual story.
Debate:
Opening statements, main arguments, conclusion (responding to opposition).
Bultmannians
NT Wrightians

11. The nature of the after-life

12. The resurrected body – A, B The soul – C The after-life: B, D
Highlight the evidence for each of the 4 topics.
Summarise this info, using quotes. You can do it as a detailed A3 poster.
eg for Death, highlight in texts B and C. Then summarise. (Why death happens, what it means for us etc)
Death – B, C
The resurrected body – A, B
The soul – C
The after-life: B, D
A. John 20-21
The Resurrection appearances/ resurrected body of Jesus (what he could do/ how disciples responded to him).
B. 1 Cor 15
Paul on why we die (vs16-19; 50)
what is the afterlife we can hope for (vs.21-28).
vs on resurrection of the body.
C. Matthew 20:28
Jesus on the immortality of the soul
D. Philippians 1:21-24
The afterlife as Paul sees it

13. The nature of death & the after-life
A. John The Resurrection appearances.
Unlimited by space/ time: goes through locked doors, appear at relevant moments.
All knowing – knows thoughts of Doubting Thomas even though was not present.
Eats at will, not from necessity: physical body following will of the spirit. Handles physical objects eg food, walking on a road.
Same human form: recognised as same person. Wounds. Same voice (Mmagdalene). Same memories / relationships.
Unexpectedly humble form: not “shining brightly” like an angel, other-worldly figure, as might expect a victorious Messiah to be. Even mistaken for a gardener, or a fellow traveller. Not immediately recognised.
B. 1 Cor 15 The Resurrected Body
As Adam died, so we, like him can only expect physical, biological life. But if joined to Christ, like him, can expect new-physical, eternal life. A new creation.
If sins are not forgiven, then Christ is dead to God, and we are dead to God. But if in Christ they are forgiven, then we can have life in God. (cf. Mt 10:28 The devil/ sin can kill).
The 4 characteristics of resurrected body (PIGS):
Powerful: no longer depends on limitations of this physical world
Imperishable: can no longer die
Glorious: shares in holiness and splendour of God
Spiritual : it is a heavenly body ie body animated by an eternal spirit