A Short Orientation

We are going to look at the resurrection of Jesus from four different directions.

In Chapter 1 we carry out a critical examination of the New Testament resurrection stories.

In Chapter 2 we ask what history and archaeology have to say about the authenticity of the traditional locations of the resurrection appearances.

In Chapter 3 we examine what post-Vatican II Catholic theology has to say about the bodily resurrection of Jesus, and our own.

In Chapter 4 we see what philosophy and theology can tell us about the inner nature of the resurrection body of Jesus.

In short, Chapters 1 and 2 allow us to become intimately acquainted with the resurrection stories and their settings, and evaluate how reasonable it is to believe in them. Chapters 3 and 4 allow us to ask what the bodily resurrection of Jesus means.

While this book stands alone, it finds its companion and wider context in Exploring the Christian Mysteries I: Can Christians Still Believe? especially Chapter 4 of that book, “The Jesus of History and the Jesus of Faith.”

Table of Contents

I.       How Reasonable is it to Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus? 
   
Two Ways of Reading the Resurrection Stories  
The Resurrection Narratives  
The Women Witnessing the Crucifixion  
Joseph of Arimathea  
The Burial  
The Women as Witnesses  
The Empty Tomb  
The Male Disciples Visit the Tomb  
The Resurrection Appearances  
First Corinthians  
The Appearances to the Twelve  
The Farewell  
An Intensive Reading of the Resurrection Stories  
Exegetical Conclusions  
The Credibility of the Resurrection  
Two Alternative Scenarios to the Resurrection  
Notes  
Bibliography              

II.    The Locations of the Resurrection Appearances  

The Locations of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus  
The Tomb of Jesus  
The Boat Drawing  
The Upper Room  
The Archaeology of the Upper Room  
The History of the Upper Room  
Criticisms of the Authenticity of the Upper Room  
Emmaus  
The Sea of Galilee  
Next He Appeared to the 500  
Notes  
Bibliography              

III.    Post-Vatican II Catholic Theology on the Resurrection  

Pre-Vatican II Catholic Biblical Scholarship  
Gerald O’Collins and Raymond Brown  
Hans Küng  
Edward Schillebeeckx  
Willigis Jäger  
Diamuid O’Murchu  
Michael Morwood  
Uta Ranke-Heinemenn   
Cletus Wessels  
Rosemary Reuther  
John Dominic Crossan  
Thomas Sheehan  
The Debate Over the Intermediate State  
Gisbert Greshake  
Joseph Ratzinger  
Peter Phan  
Notes  
Bibliography              

IV.   The Resurrection Body of Jesus  

The Resurrection Appearances  
St. Paul  
Thomas Aquinas  
Prime Matter According to Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas  
The Metaphysical Nature of Matter  
The Relationship of Body to Soul  
Encountering the Risen Jesus  
Archetypes and the Resurrection  
Visions and the Resurrection  
Seeing and Recognizing  
The Resurrection Body of Jesus  
Incorruptible Bodies    
Space and the Resurrection Body  
Conclusion  
Notes  
Bibliography