Paul's transformation and his willingness to suffer as a martyr provide strong evidence for the authenticity of his conversion experience.
Paul's conversion is supported by multiple lines of early and independent testimony, making it a compelling piece of evidence for the resurrection.
The cumulative case of the disciples' beliefs, Paul's conversion, and other evidence lends credibility to the resurrection as the best explanation for the minimal facts.
Deep dives
The Conversion of Paul
The apostle Paul's conversion from persecutor of Christians to one of the greatest theologians is seen as a significant transformation that requires an extraordinary event as an explanation. Paul's own testimony, as well as accounts in Acts and his letters, establish his claim of encountering the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. The fact that he suffered greatly for his faith and was willing to die as a martyr further supports the authenticity of his conversion experience.
Paul's Testimony and Eyewitness Accounts
Paul's conversion is backed by multiple lines of evidence, including Luke's account in Acts and Paul's own accounts in his letters. These narratives provide an early and close to eyewitness testimony of the appearance of Jesus to Paul. Paul's claims are independent of the other disciples' testimonies, making his conversion a separate and compelling piece of evidence for the resurrection.
Potential Psychological Explanations
While various theories have been put forward to explain Paul's conversion psychologically, they remain speculative and lack sufficient evidence. These theories range from moments of jealousy, conflict, or personal struggles, but they do not address the cumulative case of Paul's suffering, its impact on his faith, and the transformative nature of his conversion. The belief in the resurrection of Jesus remains the most plausible explanation for Paul's radical change.
Cumulative Case and Plausibility
Considering the cumulative case of the disciples' beliefs, Paul's conversion, and other evidence, a plausible explanation for these facts is the resurrection of Jesus. The convergence of testimony and the transformative impact of these experiences provide credible support for the resurrection as the best explanation.
The Resurrection of Jesus as the Best Explanation of Minimal Facts
The podcast episode discusses three minimal facts: the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus to acquaintances, the conversion of Paul, and the conversion of James. The host argues that the best explanation for these facts is that Jesus was raised from the dead, citing their explanatory power, scope, and plausibility. He highlights the close eyewitness testimony regarding Paul's experience and the leadership role of James in the Jerusalem church after his conversion.
Challenges to the Resurrection Hypothesis
The Jewish skeptic guest challenges the idea of the resurrection, questioning the martyrdom of James and his status as a skeptic during Jesus' life. He also brings up other theories for James' execution, including political and theological reasons. He raises doubts about the evidence for Paul's conversion and suggests that the Devil may have deceived Paul in his experience. The guest emphasizes the importance of considering alternative perspectives and encourages Christians to engage with Jewish sources and scholars.
From 2016: Michael Alter is a Jew who spent a decade researching the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus after being challenged to investigate it. The result is his book ‘The Resurrection: A critical enquiry’. He was not eventually persuaded by the evidence he found. Part of his research responds to the so-called ‘minimal facts’ surrounding the story often cited by apologists. Apologist Jonathan McLatchie responds to Alter’s objections to the resurrection making that case that the reported experiences of the disciples, and the conversion of Paul and James the brother of Jesus, provide historical evidence for the plausibility of the Resurrection.
For Michael J Alter: https://michaeljalter.wordpress.com/
For Jonathan McLatchie: http://www.apologetics-academy.org/
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