Date
7-15-2024
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics (MA)
Chair
Robert Wayne Talley
Keywords
Resurrection, Minimal Facts, Early Proclamation, Holy Spirit, Pentecost, Miracles, History and Miracles, Science and Miracles, Empty Tomb, Postmortem Appearances, Legend
Disciplines
Religion | Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion
Recommended Citation
Gordo Lyle, Marina, "The Early Proclamation of the Resurrection as a Compelling Evidence for the Historicity of the Resurrection: A Historical Inquiry of the Resurrection Miracle" (2024). Masters Theses. 1179.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/1179
Abstract
The resurrection's historicity has been mainly defended through Jesus's empty tomb and postmortem appearances, which testify more to the resurrection belief of the first Christians than to the resurrection as a historical fact. The early proclamation of the resurrection is a minimal fact often overlooked when defending the resurrection's historicity. Nevertheless, it forms a compelling case for the resurrection as a historical fact through a type of proclamation that emerged at Pentecost, with immediate effects best explained by Jesus's resurrection. Indeed, Pentecost's effects in time include the church's birth and rapid expansion through miracles that only took place once the Holy Spirit came. Jesus had prophesied about the Holy Spirit as a consequence of His resurrection. Additionally, the Holy Spirit's actions are perceptible in the world today, essentially through His charismatic gifts and His regenerative nature prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures.
