MIRACLE AND RESURRECTION PAPER ASSIGNMENT Elita Morrill
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MIRACLE AND RESURRECTION PAPER ASSIGNMENT
Apol220 D04
Professor David McGee
Intro to Apologetics
Elita Morrill
August 13, 2023
Recently, we have been discussing Christianity with a secular friend who is still skeptical
about miracles and Jesus's resurrection despite finding the Bible narrative interesting. This is a
common issue among non-believers, and apologetics must properly apply it, as mentioned by
Chatraw and Allen. “The gospel is both the goal and the lens through which the apologetic task is
approached. The gospel spurs us to put others before ourselves; hence, the importance of an
others-centered and holistic apologetic approach.”
1
As individuals who strongly believe in the
Christian faith, we can utilize apologetics as a means of effectively communicating with those
who do not share our beliefs. Using logical arguments and evidence, we can highlight the
legitimacy of Christianity both as a religious and historical text. This approach can lead to a
greater understanding and appreciation of the gospel and the Resurrection of Christ, ultimately
solidifying our faith and providing a solid foundation for our beliefs.
Instead of simply turning to the Holy words of God through citing scripture, apologists
must focus on meeting the unbeliever where they are to start on equal footing. However, in doing
so, we must never compromise the gospel's message. John states, “Now Jesus did many other
signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so
that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing you may have
life in his name.”
2
This essay will attempt to discourage secularist viewpoints, as opposed to
what one of the author's students mentioned in Chatraw and Allen's work, “I want to crush
atheists at their own intellectual game!”
3
Our focus shall be on the historical facts present in the.
1 Joshua D. Chatraw, Mark D. Allen, Apologetics at The Cross: An Introduction for Christian Witness.
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018, 318.
2 “John 20:30-31”
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version
. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001
3 Joshua D. Chatraw, Mark D. Allen, Apologetics at The Cross: An Introduction for Christian Witness. Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018, 214.
Bible.
Before addressing the concerns of our secularists, we must establish a framework for our
defense by defining the term "miracle" according to Webster's dictionary. “an extraordinary event
manifesting divine intervention in human affairs, the healing miracles described in the Gospels.”
1
Many people don't believe in miracles because they think the laws of the universe cannot be
broken. However, Chatraw and Allen speculate otherwise. “The laws of nature are not laws at all.
The laws of nature are unbreakable rules; rather, natural laws are what normally happens”
2
Consider the story in the New Testament where Paul and Silas were imprisoned and an
earthquake occurred, causing the prison to shake and the doors to open, freeing the prisoners.
Luke showcased remarkable resourcefulness and determination when he utilized the
unexpected earthquake to secure the release of Paul and Silas. This impressive demonstration of
ingenuity effectively underscores the immense potential of resourcefulness in realizing one's
objectives. The miracle remains, even if it was the earthquake that physically opened the doors.
3
There are certain events that occur in our world that cannot be explained by natural laws alone.
These unexplainable occurrences imply the presence of a greater, divine power at work.
Regarding the historicity of the Bible's account of Jesus, the witnesses play a crucial role. For
instance, when Jesus rose from the dead, there were reportedly five hundred witnesses, according
to the Bible.
Chatraw and Allen argue that the theory that Jesus' followers were in such a state of
grief that they hallucinated does not explain why so many people at different times had the same
1 Joshua D. Chatraw, Mark D. Allen, Apologetics at The Cross: An Introduction for Christian Witness. Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018, 214.
2“Miracle.” Merriam-Webster.com, Merriam-Webster
3 Joshua D. Chatraw, Mark D. Allen, Apologetics at The Cross: An Introduction for Christian Witness, 305. 6
Machuga, Ric S. Three Theological Mistakes: How to Correct Enlightenment Assumptions about God, Miracles, and
Free Will, James Clarke Company, Limited, 2015 pg. 96.
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hallucination. If we examine historical data and apply social norms to Jesus resurrection, we can
see Timothy Keller explains this in The Reason for God, “Additionally, the accounts of the
resurrection in the Bible were too problematic to be fabrications. Each gospel states that the first
eyewitnesses to the resurrection were women. Women’s low social status meant their testimony
was not admissible evidence in court.”
1
Lastly, suppose we were to exhaust our rational minds thinking about these occurrences
within the natural laws of this world. What was left unanswered would indeed have to be the
answer to the unbeliever’s skepticism. Douglas R. Geivett and Gary R. Habermas explain,” First,
the evidence must undoubtedly be strong before it can be reasonable to believe in miracles. As
rational human beings, we naturally regard miracle claims with suspicion. After all, we
understand what an advantage is by contrasting it with the regularities of our experience. There is
a sense in which miracles are inherently improbable: they are, like the case, infrequent. Thus, the
probability that several centuries ago, a dead man returned to life is very low, given our regular
experience of people killed remaining in unfortunate conditions. If it is reasonable to believe that
Jesus was raised from the dead, then the evidence must be significant enough to overcome the
prima facic probability that he was not submitted.”
2
Our ultimate objective is to spread the message of the gospel truth to everyone and encourage
those who have not yet found their faith in the Lord and Savior to come closer to Him. We firmly
believe that by sharing the word of God, we can bring hope, love, and peace to people's lives and
help them find the purpose and direction they seek. Our unwavering commitment to this mission
drives us to serve our community with devotion and compassion, and we strive to make
1 Joshua D. Chatraw, Mark D. Allen, Apologetics at The Cross: An Introduction for Christian Witness. Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018, pg. 313.
2 Keller, Timothy. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, pg. 213.
a positive impact on people's lives every day.
This does not just stop here with unbelievers; we
must remember to pull the drifters back as well.
We must be able to reach others not only with
the gospel but our testimonies of miracles we have witnessed.
Also, through our actions of love.
Bibliography
Chatraw, Josh, and Mark D. Allen.
Apologetics at the Cross: An Introduction for Christian
Witness.
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018.
Geivett, R. Douglas.
In Defense of Miracles: A Comprehensive Case for God's Action in History.
Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2014.
Keller, Timothy.
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism.
New York, NY: Penguin
Group Publishing, 2008.
Machuga, Ric S.
Three Theological Mistakes: How to Correct Enlightenment Assumptions about
God, Miracles, and Free Will. Cambridge: James Clarke Company, Limited, 2015.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version
. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001
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