Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?

(Carl E. Olson)

 

Theologian Carl Olson tackles the tough questions about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

Author: Carl E. Olson

Genre: Apologetics

Reader Appeal: Intellectual Teens and Adults

 

“Belief in the Resurrection,” author Carl Olson says, “is, for many people today, the line that divides Jesus the Man—sometimes called the “historical Jesus” or “historical Christ”—from Jesus Christ the God-Man, the Incarnate Word, the Risen Lord.” For people of faith, and people of no faith, that distinction is huge, marking the difference between religion and atheism. No wonder that the dividing line it creates warrants extended treatment in a book like Olson’s, Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?

 

Curious about this one? Here are four things you need to know:

 

1) Carl Olson is a theologian and devout Catholic who has spent his life studying the life and meaning of Jesus Christ. He’s editor of Catholic World Report and Ignatius Insight, as well as the popular author of The Da Vinci Hoax and Will Catholics Be “Left Behind”?

 

2) Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead? approaches the topic with one conclusion already in mind: Yes, Jesus rose from the dead. As such, this book is more about arguing the veracity of the truth that Jesus conquered death than it is about simply raising theological questions for exploration and discussion.

 

3) In spite of the author’s pre-determined perspective, Olson does of good job of dealing with many specific objections that non-religious (and sometimes anti-religious) thinkers raise as so-called proofs that the “historical Jesus,” not the miraculous Jesus, is the authentic Christ. He addresses logically and methodically the skeptic’s perspective and makes a compelling case for believing in miracles—specifically the miracle of Jesus’ Resurrection.

 

4) Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead? contains a wealth of apologetic information…and, unless you’re really interested in that kind of thing, it’s also a little bit dry as reading material. Don’t expect this one to be readily accessible for the casual reader in your family. BUT…if any of your family members are more the intellectual type, this will be a fascinating book that prompts thoughtful faith discussions for days to come.

 

Let's Talk About It

Use these questions to spark discussion among family members who are interested in this book:

 

• So…did Jesus really rise from the dead? Explain your thinking.

• If Jesus really did rise from the dead, is he still alive today? How do you know?

• If Jesus really did rise from the dead two millennia ago, what does that mean for you today? For all of us tomorrow?

 

--MN

 

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