Reconciling empirical Science & Jesus' Resurrection

             We live in a physical world informed and transformed by empirical science.  Science has dramatically improved and benefitted our lives; for example, in the medicines and medical procedures that are available to help us when we are injured or ill.  We have become accustomed to viewing the world through the lens of empirical science.  There is a special word in German that describes the point which I’m trying to make.  It is Weltanschauung, meaning “a comprehensive view of the world and our human relationship to it.”  Today, empirical science has become the predominant Weltanschauung for most of us living in Twenty-first century America.

            Yet, even though the physical world is the primary dimension in which we live out our lives, it is not the only dimension—and it may not even be the most important dimension.  Most humans also recognize and experience a spiritual dimension to their existence; we are both physical and spiritual creatures.  These two dimensions—physical and spiritual—are interwoven and integrated in our experiences and our very lives.  In my own life, for instance, some of my most frequent spiritual experiences have occurred when I was out walking in the woods.  For me, there is something about a forest which helps me feel God’s Presence in an incredibly profound way.  In those moments, the physical and the spiritual are integrated together.

            For Christians, the core of our faith is the Resurrection and the promise of Life Eternal.  As the Apostle Paul writes:  “…if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.  …If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (I Corinthians 15: 14, 19)  Yet, even though the claim of Christ’s Resurrection is at the core of Christian faith, it does not appear to be consistent with empirical science.  There does not seem to be any way to explain how a dead person can be resurrected and have eternal life from the perspective of modern science.  In addition to the lack of a plausible scientific explanation, the only empirical proof of the resurrection is the recorded accounts of a small group of eyewitnesses.  And, unfortunately, eyewitness accounts are notoriously unreliable, in Biblical times as well as present day. 

Thus, for contemporary Christians, who see the world through the Weltanschauung of science, it becomes imperative for our faith to reconcile empirical science and Jesus’ Resurrection.  Christ’s Resurrection is the key to the promise of Life Eternal for each of us. 

In my sermon on Easter Sunday, I will explore how Christians can reconcile empirical science and Jesus’ Resurrection.  I will trace out three possible interpretations of the resurrection stories in the Bible:

1.      Despite the claims of his followers, Jesus was not resurrected.  From this point of view, the Apostles and other followers of Jesus were under such grief and stress after his Crucifixion that they had these profound visions that they saw the resurrected Christ.  These visions were so powerful that over the years they became convinced that Jesus was actually resurrected.  However, there is no empirical proof for the resurrection, so the best explanation for Jesus resurrection appearance is that his followers were in such grief and stress that they had psychological, group hallucinations—or, they just conspired to make up the resurrection stories.

             2.      Jesus was resurrected and appeared to his followers in a Spiritual Form.  In this position, the Apostles and other followers of Jesus saw more than just powerful visions following the Crucifixion.  Jesus was actually resurrected and did actually appear to them in the stories from the Bible.  However, Jesus was just a spiritual being, perhaps best understood as a spiritual essence, which appeared to his followers and talked to them.

            3.      Jesus was physically resurrected and appeared to his followers in a Physical Form.  From this perspective, the Apostles and other followers of Jesus did actually see and experience him as a resurrected, physical person.

           The New Testament book of Hebrews defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (11:1).  It is important to recognize that each of these three different options requires a faith commitment.  Even the first position, which essentially denies the Resurrection of Jesus because there is no empirical proof, requires a type of faith.  This faith involves the conviction that the only way in which we can learn about reality is through empirical science because the physical dimension is all that there is.  In this faith perspective anything, such as the Resurrection, which cannot be explained by science must not be real.  This is a plausible and honest perspective, but, again, it involves a faith commitment that we can only know through empirical science.  There are good reasons for adopting this position, but again there are good reasons for rejecting this position.  Either way, it is important to recognize that it too involves a kind of faith conviction.

                I respect all three of these different points of view as plausible and honest, and my own position may ultimately prove to be wrong.  However, in the sermon, I will claim the third option as the one which I believe to be true.  I believe that it is wrong to view the Resurrection on Easter Sunday as an isolated event.  Instead, I believe that it must be viewed within the overarching Christian narrative concerning the universe and humans’ place within it.  This narrative includes the conviction that God created the universe and deemed it very good; that humans have a very special role to play on Earth as God’s stewards of this planet; that God has continued to work in the universe to redeem it and bring it to full completion; and that God’s full vision for humans and all of Creation will not be realized until the end time.  In my sermon series, which begins with Easter and continues through May 5th, I will develop my understanding of this basic context of the Christian faith.

Feel free to post your comments on this blog.  If you live in the Meriden-area and do not have a regular church home, please consider attending Meriden United Methodist Church this Sunday.  Meriden UMC is located at the corner of Dawson and Main.  This Sunday, our Easter worship services will being at 8:30 and 10 am.  Everyone is welcome and accepted because God loves us all.  Also, feel free to check out my webpage at www.richardorandolph.com.)