Episode 112: Dr. Gary Habermas on the "Minimal Facts" argument for Jesus' resurrection [Part 2]

Skeptics who disbelieve in the Bible will often propose different reasons for why the New Testament was written. One popular objection suggests "legendary" information crept into the texts we have today and there is just no way to tell fact from fiction. Others say that the Gospels contain real historical information but that the disciples and others were simply mistaken about Jesus' resurrection. They thought Jesus appeared to them, but there is no way to tell if He really did or not. 

New Testament historian and scholar Dr. Gary Habermas, our guest this week on Apologetics Profile, has heard most every popular objection ever given about Jesus rising from the dead. He has debated and been interviewed by atheists and skeptics and has spent most of his professional career compiling solid historical evidence for the resurrection. Here on part two of our conversation with Gary, he provides us with a myriad of reasons why we can know that what we have in the pages of the Gospels is historically trustworthy and authentic. 

Dr. Gary Habermas is a Distinguished Research Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy and chairman of the department of philosophy at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. He received a Doctor of Philosophy degree (1976) from Michigan State University in history and philosophy of religion with a thesis entitled "The resurrection of Jesus: a rational inquiry," and previously a master's degree (1973) from the University of Detroit in philosophical theology. He has specialized in cataloging and communicating trends among scholars in the field of historical Jesus and New Testament studies. In 1985, Habermas debated the then-atheist and evidentialist philosopher, Antony Flew, on the question of Jesus' resurrection as a literal and historical/physical event, before 3,000 attendees. Five philosophers and five professional debate judges judged the debate. Of the philosophers who judged on the content of the debate, four voted that Habermas won and the other was undecided.... [Before his death in 2010, Dr. Flew converted from atheism to theism.] In his memoir Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, Nabeel Qureshi [a former Muslim] relates how Habermas was influential in his conversion, and describes him as looking like "a mix between Santa Claus and an offensive lineman." [1]

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

• Gary Habermas' personal research and publications webpage: www.GaryHabermas.com
• Gary Habermas' YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/HabermasYouTube
• Book - Risen Indeed: A Historical Investigation Into the Resurrection of Jesus, (2021) by Dr. Gary Habermas: https://amzn.to/3tvUUzd

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[1] "Gary Habermas," Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Habermas