Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Dr. Mike Licona, professor of New Testament Studies at Houston Christian University, joins me to discuss the philosophy of history, whether a historian can determine if an event like the resurrection of Jesus happened, and then, if they can, whether the evidence is in fact sufficient to conclude that two-thousand years ago, Jesus rose from the dead.
Dr. Licona's book, "The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach": amazon.com/Resurrection-Jesus-New-Historiographical-Approach/dp/0830827196/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fka7MH4TO6jPxMyIoKjOHjA0dwAOhQESoGWLypgaaXN901gIcxbAf1sGFUyEvThQjrhdXOS7xlrywR-Zj-ylHpHqKF6dqMiUL2O1zdVL65lvvA6jLb0hDaqmjTnMQVwX7ycxEtNJyOc8fLG6oU3wrO5LeO__HRigqEzy3pqTEepG6XVKKxYMgPI0UIHCHrA2gcTycvNA8t4sAmGer6scgEqsUa0U8qKQPvYPJojIKFkgh1AGr3vuF24GbGwbAmdFTD2JWIv2ID_Df49ydXYrYbOcUFvGtXr82yG_tK9sNEQ.0ENDPakfjXIg_GpW7Qw8hyK49WcB-hHuRsJEwvM5TM4&qid=1751082912&sr=8-2
To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating: paypal.com/paypalme/mileskdonahue
Instagram: instagram.com/miles_donahue
Twitter: twitter.com/PhilosopherMKD
EPISODE CHAPTERS:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:15 Is the resurrection history or theology?
00:05:29 Methodological naturalism
00:24:46 Shouldn't we always prefer a natural explanation?
00:37:05 Bias in conservative New Testament scholarship
00:42:57 The historical case for the resurrection.
00:47:05 Was Jesus' tomb found empty?
00:49:53 What did the early disciples believe?
00:56:32 Did Paul teach a "spiritual" resurrection?
01:04:55 Alternative #1 - Someone stole the body.
01:08:48 Alternative #2 - The disciples hallucinated.
01:19:23 Alternatives #3 - Aliens raised Jesus from the dead.
Dr. Mike Licona, professor of New Testament Studies at Houston Christian University, joins me to discuss the philosophy of history, whether a historian can determine if an event like the resurrection of Jesus happened, and then, if they can, whether the evidence is in fact sufficient to conclude that two-thousand years ago, Jesus rose from the dead.
Dr. Licona's book, "The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach": amazon.com/Resurrection-Jesus-New-Historiographical-Approach/dp/0830827196/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fka7MH4TO6jPxMyIoKjOHjA0dwAOhQESoGWLypgaaXN901gIcxbAf1sGFUyEvThQjrhdXOS7xlrywR-Zj-ylHpHqKF6dqMiUL2O1zdVL65lvvA6jLb0hDaqmjTnMQVwX7ycxEtNJyOc8fLG6oU3wrO5LeO__HRigqEzy3pqTEepG6XVKKxYMgPI0UIHCHrA2gcTycvNA8t4sAmGer6scgEqsUa0U8qKQPvYPJojIKFkgh1AGr3vuF24GbGwbAmdFTD2JWIv2ID_Df49ydXYrYbOcUFvGtXr82yG_tK9sNEQ.0ENDPakfjXIg_GpW7Qw8hyK49WcB-hHuRsJEwvM5TM4&qid=1751082912&sr=8-2
To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating: paypal.com/paypalme/mileskdonahue
Instagram: instagram.com/miles_donahue
Twitter: twitter.com/PhilosopherMKD
EPISODE CHAPTERS:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:15 Is the resurrection history or theology?
00:05:29 Methodological naturalism
00:24:46 Shouldn't we always prefer a natural explanation?
00:37:05 Bias in conservative New Testament scholarship
00:42:57 The historical case for the resurrection.
00:47:05 Was Jesus' tomb found empty?
00:49:53 What did the early disciples believe?
00:56:32 Did Paul teach a "spiritual" resurrection?
01:04:55 Alternative #1 - Someone stole the body.
01:08:48 Alternative #2 - The disciples hallucinated.
01:19:23 Alternatives #3 - Aliens raised Jesus from the dead.
