Resurrection: A Guide for the Perplexed

Description

This volume examines what the followers of Jesus meant when they declared that he was raised from the dead. This claim, which lies at the core of Christian faith, is one of the most controversial topics in Christianity. Jesus' resurrection has no analogy in human history. Although many 1st-century Jews expected the resurrection of the dead at the end of time, the Christian claim that this had already happened to one individual within the realm of history was unprecedented. Moreover, an affirmation of Jesus' bodily resurrection contradicts the known laws of nature. Additional difficulty comes from the nature of the available evidence. The New Testament sources not only mirror the worldview of ancient authors but also differ with regard to who saw him alive, what was the nature of his risen body, and whether the empty tomb was a widespread knowledge or an assumption based on prior beliefs. Novakovic presents all these issues in a clear and methodical way. She examines the literary sources and addresses various questions related to historical investigations of Jesus' resurrection.

Lidija Novakovic (PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary) is Associate Professor in the Department of Religion at Baylor University, USA. She is the author of Messiah, the Healer of the Sick (2003) and a co-editor of The Dead Sea Scrolls: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek Texts with English Translations, volumes 3 and 6B (2006).

This is a really good book for ministers and students, summarising in a balanced manner the contemporary resurrection debate. It is well written, impressive in its scope ... and contains references to a range of other writings to expand one's understanding. Read it before next Easter's sermons. * Regent's Reviews * Enables a better understanding of the exegetical, historical and theological issues relating to the resurrection ... Clearly and accessibly written. * The Heythrop Journal * This book persistently comes across as a well informed and fair-minded study of the Easter mystery, which is at the heart of Christian faith. * Theological Studies * The wealth of perspectives and confident refusal to over-simplify some thorny salient issues make this a first-rate primer for study of the resurrection. * Journal for the Study of the New Testament *