The Resurrection of Jesus: Apologetics, Polemics, History

Description

The earliest traditions around the narrative of Jesus resurrection are considered in this landmark work by Dale C. Allison, Jr, drawing together the fruits of his decades of research into this issue at the very core of Christian identity. Allison returns to the ancient sources and earliest traditions, charting them alongside the development of faith in the resurrection in the early church and throughout Christian history. Beginning with historical-critical methodology that examines the empty tomb narratives and early confessions, Allison moves on to consider the resurrection in parallel with other traditions and stories, including Tibetan accounts of saintly figures being assumed into the light, in the chapter Rainbow Body. Finally, Allison considers what might be said by way of results or conclusions on the topic of resurrection, offering perspectives from both apologetic and sceptical viewpoints. In his final section of modest results he considers scholarly approaches to the resurrection in light of human experience, adding fresh nuance to a debate that has often been characterised in overly simplistic terms of it happened or it didn't. Dedication Contents Foreword Part I. Setting the Stage 1. Overture 2. Options Part II. Historical-Critical Studies 3. Formulae and Confessions 4. Appearances and Christophanies 5. The Story of the Tomb: Friday 6. The Story of the Tomb: Sunday 7. Resurrected Holy Ones? 8. Rudolf Pesch Redivivus? Part III. Thinking with Parallels 9. Apparitions: Characteristics and Correlations 10. Visions: Protests and Proposals 11. Enduring Bonds 12. Rainbow Body 13. Cessationism and Seeing Jesus 14. Zeitoun and Seeing Mary Part IV. Analysis and Reflections 15. Some Tenuous Arguments: Apologetical 16. Some Tenuous Arguments: Skeptical 17. Inferences and Competing Stories 18. Overreach and Modest Results Coda Index of References Index of Authors Index of Subjects