Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

WOF 071: The Case for the Resurrection

The Case for Christ is a film adaptation of Lee Strobel’s best-selling book of the same name, one that has made an enormous splash in Evangelical circles and beyond. It is the true story of a young, ambitious (and atheist) reporter for the Chicago Tribune, who fell into a psychological and spiritual crisis when his wife became a Christian. In an attempt to bring his wife back to atheism, Lee used his considerable analytical and investigative skills to debunk the resurrection of Jesus. If Jesus didn’t rise, Strobel realizes, all of Christianity crumbles like a house of cards. In this episode, Bishop Robert Barron walks alongside Strobel through many of the common claims against the Resurrection of Jesus and explains why each lacks credibility in the face of real historical evidence. The listener question wonders how he might overcome objections from his loved ones as he joins the Church.

Topics Discussed

  • 0:17  – Introduction, Bishop’s recent Confirmations.
  • 2:40 – What is The Case for Christ about?
  • 4:36 – Is it wrong to ask hard questions about your faith?
  • 7:10 – How is historical evidence used in the evaluation of the Christian faith?
  • 9:00 – What’s wrong with seeing the Resurrection as a symbol of myth?
  • 12:30 – Is it possible that the witnesses of the Resurrection were hallucinating?
  • 16:30 – Is it possible that Jesus didn’t die on the cross but simply fainted and was fully revived three days later?
  • 20:24 – How do the claims against the Resurrection hold up against the historical evidence as a whole?
  • 23:35 – How do people become convinced that the Resurrection is true?
  • 25:41 – What was the converging moment for Lee Strobel?
  • 27:24 – Question from listener: What do you do when your friends and family don’t support your decision to join the Church?

Bonus Resources