“On the third day, he rose again.”
Must one believe that Jesus literally rose from the tomb to be a good Christian, or can one believe there was an “Easter event” that his disciples interpreted as a resurrection? Kimberly Winston explores this question in an article for Religion News Weekly.
She notes that in a 2010 Barna poll, only 42 percent of respondents “said the meaning of Easter was Jesus’ resurrection.” She writes:
“More people have problems with Easter because it requires believing that Jesus rose from the dead,” said the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author of the new book, “Jesus: A Pilgrimage.”
“But believing in the Resurrection is essential. It shows that nothing is impossible with God. In fact, Easter without the Resurrection is utterly meaningless. And the Christian faith without Easter is no faith at all.”
Scott Korb, 37, has a different take. Though he now describes himself as a non-practicing Catholic, he once wanted to become a priest. At that time, he believed Jesus literally rose from the dead, but now finds himself accepting the story only symbolically.
“The miracle of a bodily resurrection is something I rejected without moving away from its basic idea,” Korb, a New York University professor, said. “What I mean is that we can reach the lowest points of our lives, of going deep into a place that feels like death, and then find our way out again — that’s the story the Resurrection now tells me. And at Easter, this is expressed in community, and at its best, through the compassion of others.”
What do you think?
This, is what I think.