1) After reading the account of the resurrection of Christ in Luke 24 and in Chapter 6 in The Beginning of Wisdom, express why the resurrection is so important to the Christian worldview.
2) According to the Christian worldview, how does one gain eternal life? Use Bible verses to support your response. How does the Christian concept of the afterlife differ from that concept in other worldviews?
3) Jesus made many absolute statements such as the following:
John 14:6: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (NIV).
Matthew 7:13-14: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Interacting with these statements and based on Chapter 8 of The Beginning of Wisdom and the topic overview, how would you answer someone who is concerned that Christianity portrays that Jesus is the only way to salvation?
4) Many believe naturalism (atheism) emphasizes intellect and reason, while religions emphasize faith. Pope John Paul II made the following profound statement at the beginning of his Encyclical Letter Fides et Ratio:
Full Answer Section
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- The Nature of the Afterlife: While many worldviews, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, believe in a cycle of reincarnation (samsara), Christianity sees the afterlife as a final and eternal state. There is no rebirth into a new earthly life. The Christian afterlife is either eternal life in fellowship with God (often referred to as Heaven) or eternal separation from him (often referred to as Hell).
- The Resurrection of the Body: Many worldviews, including some forms of Plato's philosophy, believe in the immortality of the soul as an escape from the body. The Christian concept of the afterlife, however, is not a disembodied state forever. It is rooted in the belief in the resurrection of the body, where a person will receive a new, glorified body to live eternally with God in a renewed creation.
- The Means of Entry: In many worldviews, such as Islam or some forms of naturalistic humanism, a person's eternal destiny is based on a balance of good and bad deeds. In contrast, the Christian worldview teaches that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone, and not by works, as stated in Ephesians 2:8-9: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
3) Answering Concerns about the Exclusivity of Christianity
The statements from Jesus, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6) and the "narrow gate" passage (Matthew 7:13-14), can be a point of concern for many who struggle with the idea that Christianity is the only way to salvation. Here is how one might address that concern:
Sample Answer
Why the Resurrection is so Important to the Christian Worldview
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not merely a single event in the Christian story; it is the central pillar and a foundational belief of the entire Christian worldview. Reading the account in Luke 24 reveals a bewildered and disbelieving group of followers who encounter an empty tomb and then the living Christ himself. This narrative, along with theological reflections found in texts like
The Beginning of Wisdom, illustrates several key reasons for its importance:
- It Validates Jesus' Identity and Claims: Throughout his ministry, Jesus claimed to be the Son of God and promised to rise again. The resurrection is seen as God the Father's ultimate confirmation of these claims. It proves that Jesus was not just a great teacher or prophet, but who he said he was. Without the resurrection, his death would simply be the tragic end of a good man, not a victorious act of salvation.