Resurrection? Really?

“My rational mind tells me that, when fantasising about the excitement generated by resurrection, I am deluding myself. Admittedly, those who fervently believe in an afterlife may well enhance their earthly life in the expectation that the day of resurrection will come. I too want to believe this ardently, but as a sceptic, I have communicated my frustration to my friends who unconditionally believe in the resurrection. As I envy their unshakable faith, I seek their help in reassuring me that they are right and that my scepticism results from ignorance and impudence.”

Christian denominations are currently observing Lent, 40 days before Easter that this year falls on Sunday, April 20. On Easter day, Christians celebrate the joyous resurrection of Jesus Christ, three days after his crucifixion. Passages in the Bible presage the resurrection. For example, in John 11:25-26, we find the following passage:

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Also, Matthew declares in 28:6:

“He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He lay.”

In 1 Corinthians 15:17, Paul focuses on the importance of the resurrection for Christians:

“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”

In this context, the late theologian James Douglas Dunn, a renowned New Testament scholar, said:

“[The] resurrection is perceived as referring to something otherwise inexpressible, as expressing the otherwise inchoate insight that this life, including Jesus’ life, is not a complete story in itself but can be grasped only as part of a larger story in which God is the principal actor and in which Jesus is somehow still involved. In short, the resurrection of Jesus is not so much a criterion of faith as a paradigm for hope.”

According to a YouGov survey, 54 percent of Australians who still identify themselves as Christians, including 47 percent of Catholics, recognise that Easter is a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. These results caused Paul Smith, YouGov Director of Government, to say:

“Celebrating the Christian faith remains important to many Australians.”

Nevertheless, as evidenced by the latest census results, the importance of Christianity in Australia is steadily declining. The well-documented unrelenting incursions of the secular state into religion have undoubtedly accelerated this decline. And the unwavering legislative attacks on freedom of religion in the public sphere have created a hostile environment for religious practice. Subject to the validity of this assessment, the ever-increasing secular religion-antagonistic brigade might ridicule a person’s belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and characterise it as an example of superstition.

This is regrettable because the idea of the resurrection has profoundly impacted the Australian psyche. I have friends who fervently believe in the resurrection and have tried to convince me that it is real and that on the day of judgment, the Lord will resurrect us to enjoy eternal life. I also want to believe this, but I would be dishonest if I failed to admit that I have difficulty embracing the concept of resurrection.

At this stage, I should disclose that I have a personal stake in this discussion because at my age (some “friends” irreverently and erroneously dare to describe me as belonging to the “elderly”) you think about the afterlife much more than when you are young.

Also, my wife died on Saturday, October 26 last year, and I would like to reunite with her when, or if, the Bible’s promise of resurrection comes through. I fantasise about how glorious it would be to reunite, even if only for a brief time. It would be fascinating for her to acquaint herself with the outcome of the events and controversies which occurred during the final days of her life. The day of her death was the day of the Queensland election and, therefore, she would be interested in knowing that the LNP won the election.

It would be exciting to tell her about the magnificent victory of President Donald Trump, whose campaign she followed on television and whose actions since then align with his electoral promises. She would be disgusted to learn about the worsening of the international order and the increasing threat posed by a belligerent China. She would be delighted that President Trump declared war on the wokeness that infected American institutions, including schools and universities, during the previous administration. She would undoubtedly have approved of his securing of the border with Mexico, and his reassurance to protect free speech. Specifically, she would be happy that the President, with the stroke of a pen, enables the appointment of job applicants based on their merit instead of race, ethnicity, or gender.

However, my rational mind tells me that, when fantasising about the excitement generated by resurrection, I am deluding myself. Admittedly, those who fervently believe in an afterlife may well enhance their earthly life in the expectation that the day of resurrection will come. I too want to believe this ardently, but as a sceptic, I have communicated my frustration to my friends who unconditionally believe in the resurrection. As I envy their unshakable faith, I seek their help in reassuring me that they are right and that my scepticism results from ignorance and impudence.

Indeed, my reflections reveal the existence of a conundrum: an irreconcilable conflict between faith and rationality. My inability to understand the nature of a Heavenly society inhabited by resurrected people nurtures my lack of faith. Indeed, what would it be like to enjoy eternal life in Heaven where there would be no more suffering, where people would be reunited with their loved ones, and where people are incapable of committing sins? Rationality tells me that such a society – is there a better way to describe the place where people would enjoy eternal life? – would potentially be very boring. How would, or could, such a society be organised? Would there be a need to feed oneself, necessitating visits to a Heavenly supermarket to purchase food? Would there be rules and regulations?

I would like to believe fervently in the enigmatic promise of resurrection. As indicated before, I have friends who are believers and have tried to construct arguments as to why resurrection will occur on the day of judgment. I must admit that their arguments have not convinced me. It might be that I am not sufficiently receptive to their explanations, or because there is simply a lack of faith on my part. Of course, in this context, attempting to resolve the conflict between faith and rationality becomes a high priority.

So, I sought to strengthen my understanding of this critical aspect of Christianity by reading Lee Strobel’s new book, The Case for Heaven, to ascertain what he has to say about resurrection. He says:

“We have excellent historical evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, and that ought to be sufficient to point toward the reality of an afterlife with God.”

Apart from this, his book has truly little to say about resurrection. By contrast, the internet is replete with studies that challenge the historicity of the resurrection, and it provides alternative and plausible reasons for Jesus’s empty tomb. Surely, these competing interpretations and explanations do not help me.

Of course, in penning these thoughts, I reveal my theological ignorance, and more importantly, my lack of faith; and yet I want to be a believer. Am I deluding myself? Is there anyone out there capable of assisting me, especially a scholar with advanced theological knowledge adept at placating my concerns?

Gabriël Moens is an Emeritus Professor of Law at the University of Queensland, and during his distinguished career he also taught extensively in the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States. He served as Pro Vice Chancellor and as a Dean at Murdoch University. He also served as Head, Graduate School of Law, The University of Notre Dame Australia.

In 1999 he received the Australian Award for University Teaching in Law and Legal Studies. In 2003 the Prime Minister of Australia awarded him the Australian Centenary Medal for services to education. Prof. Moens is also an extensively published author and serves on the Editorial Board of Locke Press.