Resurrecting Jesus

This monograph examines the historical foundations of early Christian resurrection belief through a rigorous analysis of biblical and extra-biblical sources. Allison employs a comparative religious approach, situating the resurrection narratives within the broader context of ancient Mediterranean beliefs about post-mortem appearances and bodily resurrection. The work engages critically with both minimalist historians who dismiss the resurrection accounts as purely legendary and maximalist scholars who accept them uncritically as historical reportage.

Allison's methodology combines form criticism with psychological and anthropological insights, particularly drawing on cross-cultural studies of bereavement visions and religious experiences. He argues that the earliest resurrection traditions likely originated in genuine visionary experiences among Jesus's followers, while acknowledging that these experiences were interpreted through existing Jewish apocalyptic frameworks. The author carefully distinguishes between the historical question of what the disciples experienced and the theological question of what actually happened to Jesus.

The work addresses several contentious issues in resurrection scholarship. Against scholars like Crossan and Borg who interpret the resurrection purely metaphorically, Allison maintains that the earliest Christians genuinely believed in Jesus's bodily resurrection. However, he also challenges conservative scholars by arguing that the Gospel appearance narratives contain significant legendary development and cannot be harmonized into a consistent historical account. His analysis of Paul's testimony in 1 Corinthians 15 proves particularly significant, as he argues that Paul's experience should be understood as a visionary encounter rather than a physical meeting.

Allison's contribution to discussions about God lies in his nuanced treatment of religious experience and historical method. He demonstrates that historians can acknowledge the reality of religious experiences without necessarily affirming their supernatural interpretation. This approach offers a middle path between reductionist naturalism and naive supernaturalism. The work suggests that the resurrection belief emerged from a complex interaction of psychological, social, and religious factors rather than from either pure fabrication or unambiguous divine intervention.

The monograph's significance extends beyond New Testament studies to broader questions about how historians should approach religious claims. Allison's careful methodology provides a model for investigating reported supernatural events without predetermined conclusions. His work implies that the question of God's existence cannot be settled through historical investigation alone, while maintaining that religious experiences constitute genuine data requiring serious scholarly attention.