It is quite incredulous, as a believer in Christ, to identify with anyone who does not perceive that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is real. It has therefore become the believer's reasonable service of duty to explain the resurrection and to assure the understanding that the resurrection is both relevant and real. In doing so, this missive will define the resurrection, examine the principles of noted idealists Richard Carrier and John Crossan who believe that the resurrection of Christ is a farce, and summarize the necessity of the resurrection.
             "Resurrection", according to Webster 's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, is "the rising again to life of the human dead before the final judgment" ("Resurrection," def. 1b). In order to debate the idea that no resurrection occurred, we must first explain conditions surrounding its occurrence. Josh McDowell, a notable orator, author and professor at Campus Crusades for Christ remarks that "the New Testament witnesses were fully aware of the background against which the resurrection took place (1-10)." McDowell explains "the body of Jesus, in accordance with Jewish burial custom, was wrapped in a linen cloth. After the body was placed in a solid rock tomb, large stones weighing approximately two tons were normally rolled (by means of levers) against the entrance. A Roman sentry was stationed to guard the tomb. This sentry affixed on the tomb the Roman seal, which was meant to prevent any attempt at vandalizing the sepulcher. Anyone trying to move the stone from the tomb's entrance would have broken the seal and thus incurred the wrath of Roman law (McDowell 1-10)." Despite the realization of these facts, Richard Carrier and John Crossan continue their debate that there is no resurrection.
             Richard Carrier, instructor of Ancient History at Columbia University suggests "natural evidence casts suspicion o
             ...