Jonathan K. Dodson - Raised?: Finding Jesus by Doubting the Resurrection

Endorsements for Raised?

In an easy-to-read and engaging, polite style, Dodson and Watson share personal stories and beliefs that highlight the importance of the resurrection of Jesus. If you have doubts about the resurrection of Jesus, I strongly encourage you to read and ponder this book! It will challenge you without scolding you and exhort you without condescension.

J. D. Payne, Ph.D., minister, professor, author, blogger

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No historical events have had a greater impact on Western history and culture than the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Hundreds of books have been written about this, but Raised? is strikingly different. It takes doubt seriously, situates the resurrection in a grander biblical narrative, and clarifies meanings of words that are so often misunderstood. The subject matter of Raised? makes this book important, but the approach taken by Dodson and Watson is what makes it all matter. Read it expectantly!

Jonathan Merritt, author of Jesus is BetterThan You Imagined

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Short books are most helpful when they get right to the heart of the issue and of the reader. Raised? is one of those books. It demonstrates why the bodily resurrection of Jesus is believable and the difference his life makes in your own life. Read it and then share that life with others.

Gerry Breshears, professor of systematic theology at Western Seminary

As an advocate of religious literacy, I encourage Christians and non-Christians alike to read this book. Christianity is the largest religion on the planet, and the Christian faith hinges on the seemingly implausible claim of the resurrection of Christ. Provocative, illuminating, and succinct, Raised? invites doubt and provokes faith by blending historical context and pastoral insight. Even if you dont accept the resurrection as truth, you will come away with a deeper understanding of the faith of more than two billion people.

Eileen Flynn, former religion reporter for Austin American-Statesman and journalism and religion lecturer at the University of Texas

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Dodson and Watson do a wonderful job demonstrating both the plausibility of the resurrection of Jesus and the possibilities for a life of hope that emerges from this world-transforming event. Highly recommended.

Sean McDonough is professor of New Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and author of Christ as Creator: Origins of a New Testament Doctrine.

ZONDERVAN

Raised?

Copyright 2014 by Jonathan Dodson and Brad Watson

ePub Edition December 2013: ISBN 9780310517368

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from TheHoly Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Published in association with Yates & Yates, www.yates2.com.

Cover design: Ptarmak, Inc.

Interior design: David Conn

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Contents

And when they saw him they worshiped him, butsome doubted.

Matthew 28:17

O ne out of every five Americans does not believe in a deity. The none category in religious polls has doubled over the past ten years, and less than half of the population attends religious services on a regular basis. As statistics rise on the decline of Christian faith in America, you may find yourself wondering if Christianity is really worth believing. After all, the Christian faith makes some audacious claims.

AUDACIOUS CLAIMS OF THE GOSPEL

Some of Christianitys most audacious claims are made right at the center of the faith the gospel of Jesus Christ. What ruffles feathers is the God-sized claim beneath his self-sacrifice. Jesus asserted his death was necessary for humanity. His insistence that we all need an atoning representative troubles our dignity. Jesus represented all of us? What gives him the right? Who says we need a representation or sacrifice anyway?

The bulls-eye of the gospel is the death and resurrection of Jesus. We dont have to dive deep to surface doubt regarding the resurrection. Its surface value is, well, incredible. The notion that a first-century Jewish man, crucified between two common criminals, was actually God and rose from the dead is hard to believe. In our experience, people dont beat death, especially after being in a grave for three days. In light of recent horror trends, we might be more inclined to believe in a zombie emerging from the dead than a resurrected and fully restored person. Yet, at the center of historic Christian faith is the belief that a Jewish man named Jesus was raised.

If you doubt the resurrection, Im glad. Anything worth If you call yourself a believer, dont settle for pat proofs, emotional experiences, or duty-driven religion. Keep asking questions. Those who havent questioned their faith can easily become doctrinaire, even detached from the everyday struggle of faith.

Whether you are a skeptic, believer, or somewhere in between, press into your doubt or push back on your faith. Question your faith and question your doubts. Determine good reasons for believing or not believing in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If he really did defeat death, it changes everything. Doubt well and you can walk away from skepticism, cynicism, or blind faith into intellectual security, perceptive belief, and deeper commitment. You can know that you have honestly doubted the resurrection.

OTHERS WHO STRUGGLE TO BELIEVE

If you struggle with belief in the resurrection, youre in good company. The story of the resurrection includes many doubters Jesus friends, contemporary Greeks and Romans, and countless Jews. In order to doubt well, we will examine the suspicions of each of these groups. As we do, lets climb into the story to get our facts straight.

The resurrection story is rooted in a historical account of events surrounding Jesus of Nazareth in first-century Palestine (modern-day Israel). Two of Jesus disciples Mark, and one doctor turned historian, Luke, wrote the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They report these events from four different vantage points, narrating the life, ministry, death, and alleged resurrection of Jesus. These various perspectives on the gospel story make it difficult for some to find the Gospels reliable.

Yet, to be fair, we rarely bring this same criticism to a story that is reported differently in several newspapers. Why? Because we innately realize that different people capture different (and similar) details in any given happening. These varying perspectives and reports can actually enrich our understanding if they are read together. Moreover, discrepancy in accounts does not render an event mythical. For instance, historians frequently note there are two conflicting accounts of Hannibals crossing the Alps. Yet, no historian questions the historicity of Hannibals crossing. Without getting bogged down into too much detail, I will bring these perspectives together to summarize the resurrection story. While much more can be said on the reliability of the Gospels, I will leave that to more qualified scholars.