The Resurrection of Jesus

by Gerd Lüdemann, John Bowden

What actually happened at the resurrection of Jesus? Gerd Luedemann suggests that this question-considered unanswerable by many-is of crucial importance to Christians and that it can be answered more specifically than has been the case in recent studies. Luedemann begins with the oldest list of witnesses to the resurrection (1 Corinithians 15) and proceeds from there to three texts from Paul and the Gospels to investigate the events of Good Friday, Easter, and Pentecost. The Easter faith, which Luedemann finds had originally nothing to do with the empty tomb, ultimately stems from visions of Peter and the other disciples, both men and women. These, along with Paul's vision on the road to Damascus, Luedemann examines by means of historical criticism and depth psychology. He concludes that the original core of the Easter faith reflects the message of Jesus as the experience of forgiveness of sins and the overcoming of death. Luedemann treats controversial questions with directness and honestly. The result is a book that is at once provocative, stimulating and positive.

Genres: Theology

Paperback

First published November 1, 1994

About the author

Gerd Lüdemann is Professor of New Testament at the University of Göttingen, Germany, Director of the Institute of Early Christian Studies, and Founder and Director of the Archive Religionsgeschichtliche Schule at the University of Göttingen. He has also served as Visiting Scholar at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, Tennessee, and as co-chair of the Society of Biblical Literature Seminar on Jewish Christianity. He is a Fellow of the Westar Institute.

Reviews

[Rob · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think Ludemann makes a lot of statements that are unsubstantiated. He regards a verse as "tradition" rather than as an event that actually happened. But he gives little or no reason why this verse might be attributed to Mark, but that verse is 'clearly' (in his words) "tradition." Also, he a priori rules out the mirculous (including the resurrection). I think he writes under the guise of enlightenment thinking, but that very posture closes him off from a possible avenues to be searched.

[BJ Richardson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sound and fury signifying nothing. Luedemann leans far too heavily on Bultman and you're better off reading RB to get pretty much the same exact ideas but in a far more readable package. (Not that I agree with either one)

[Jeffrey McKinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of his best books. Didn't really have anything new to offer.