Jesus Seminar on Resurrection

* Re “Scholars Cite Lack of Resurrection Evidence,” March 11:

The Jesus Seminar has asserted most of the words attributed to Jesus in the Gospels are fabrications. They also advised us of their opinion that the physical Resurrection of Jesus is also a fabrication. It’s only a matter of time before they decide there was no crucifixion and, from there, it’s just a short hop to the declaration there was no Jesus at all.

Why are they fudging? Instead of chipping away at the Christian faith, why not just declare the whole thing a hoax and be done with it?

There is no ambiguity in the Gospels. Its writers say clearly they saw Jesus dead and saw and touched his risen body. They spoke with him and ate with him after he “rose from the dead.” They go out of their way to say that and make no provision for a figure of speech or a Resurrection in faith only.

FERDE ROMBOLA

Los Angeles

The scholars of the Jesus Seminar work with the same biblical texts as do other equally reputable scholars who affirm the historicity of Jesus’ Resurrection. Both sets of scholars also rely on the same historical, linguistic, geographical, archeological, etc., date which enable us to better to understand these texts. There is no “lack of Resurrection evidence” since the eyewitness testimonies of Jesus’ disciples are the basis of Christians’ belief in Jesus’ Resurrection.

Thus, the issue is not one of a lack of evidence but rather of one’s hermeneutics or interpretation of the evidence. If one does not believe in God or does not believe in the possibility of the supernatural, then one must “explain away” all miraculous descriptions in the Bible. If one accepts the possibility of God’s miraculous intervention in the physical universe, then one is open to the historical possibility of these miraculous descriptions in the Bible.

DEAN LANGIS

Irvine