Dr. Craig interacts with a skeptic who questions the historicity of Jesus' resurrection, discussing insights from experts Mike Lacona and Dale Allison, analyzing the evidence for the resurrection, addressing accusations against non-Christian scholars, and exploring scholars' evolving views on the historical evidence and the importance of personal encounters with God.
Deconstruction of faith can range from adjustments to outright rejection of Christian beliefs.
New Testament scholars like Dale Allison and Mike Lacona affirm the historicity of Jesus' resurrection based on different lines of evidence.
Deep dives
Different Meanings of Deconstruction of Faith
The podcast episode discusses the concept of deconstruction in relation to faith, highlighting how it can vary from making adjustments to outright rejection of Christian beliefs. The speaker notes that deconstruction has become a postmodern motif where traditional structures and values are dismantled and replaced. The podcast reflects on the irony of this, given the speaker's focus on constructing a coherent account of the world from a Christian perspective. The episode also mentions a blogger, Andrew, who has embraced atheism and questions the evidence for Jesus' resurrection based on conversations with scholars Mike Lacona and Dale Allison.
Dale Allison's Critique and Support of Resurrection
The podcast delves into the views of New Testament scholar Dale Allison on the evidence for the resurrection. Although Allison is critical and skeptical in his analysis, he still affirms the historicity of Jesus' resurrection. The speaker emphasizes that Allison's critique of embellishments in later Gospel accounts supports the reliability and primacy of the simpler and unembellished Markan narrative. The episode highlights that the majority of New Testament scholars, including Allison, affirm the historicity of the empty tomb and the women's discovery of it, lending weight to the evidence.
Understanding Minimal Facts Approach and Personal Beliefs
The podcast addresses the minimal facts approach to the resurrection used by scholar Mike Lacona, which focuses on widely agreed-upon historical details. The episode clarifies that Lacona doesn't dismiss the possibility of embellishments in the Gospel narratives but believes the minimal facts still strongly support the resurrection hypothesis. Moreover, the podcast highlights that Lacona's frankness in wrestling with the evidence demonstrates his commitment to objectivity. The speaker responds to claims made by the blogger, Andrew, suggesting that scholars like Allison and Lacona do not believe in the inerrancy of the Bible. They explain that Allison's skepticism adds more weight to his affirmation of the resurrection, while Lacona's view distinguishes between the authority of Scripture and narrative details.