St Andrews University Christian Union hosted a debate entitled “Did Jesus rise from the dead?” Andy Bannister author of The Atheist Who Didn’t Exist, went up against John Richards who wrote his book Theist!: The dreadful consequences of thinking like a Theist in response to Andy’s book. On paper at least this looked to be a fascinating debate.
Andy began by addressing the accounts of resurrection on their own terms, looking at whether the sources could be seen to be trustworthy and setting up criteria for assessment (do we have multiple sources, how early are they, is there eye witness testimony etc), as well asking about the behaviour of the disciples following the death of Jesus and the questioning why a fake first century story would base itself of the testimony of women). As well as relying on a huge variety of sources from secular, Jewish, Christian scholars, Andy effectively laid out some of the key reasons for believing the resurrection is based on some level of evidence, rather than a blind misguided desire to believe that God is real.
Conversely John opted for three main strategies of attack, firstly by claiming that Resurrection often forms a key part of ancient mythologies (notably Egyptian and Greek). John then proceeded to argue that source material is inherently untrustworthy. Finally, he argued that we can only trust that which we can prove via the scientific method, meaning we cannot believe resurrection occurred because it goes against that which science says is possible.
Personally, I found most of John’s arguments to be weak and lacking academic rigour, with some obvious problems in his logic. For example, Andy roundly destroyed his idea that resurrection is to be found in many of the world’s religions citing Johnathan Z. Smiths work Dying and Rising Gods. John argued that Constantine doctored the New Testament writings in AD300 (a belief that I believe was made popular by the Da Vinci Code in 2003) but provided no source material (academic or otherwise) for why this would be the case. In addition, John failed to address the idea that resurrection is a supernatural event which is the very reason it’s important in Christian history (and that’s skipping over the issue that the only things we can believe and those that are empirically proven is in itself, a statement which cannot be proven). John did show his foresight in producing a list of 
academics he believed Andy would reference, Yet unfortunately he was unable to reference many world leading scholars himself to address Andy’s position, which given the debate was at one of the world’s oldest universities isn’t a strategy I would have adopted myself.
In the end however, both participants came down to the position that this is something that this does come down to faith. Andy told the audience about how his life was changed by the person of Jesus and essentially argued that this is a topic that is worth your time.
Looking back at the event, Annie, one of the leaders of the CU added:
One first year told me his friends from halls went in firmly against the claim of Jesus’ resurrection, but left almost convinced the other way! Two other members also spent an hour with a guy who’d come by himself having been given a flyer, who was convinced that science held all the answers to life and was stunned by the fact that there were rational and compelling arguments for Christianity. All in all, we are so encouraged and excited by the ways we’re seeing God using this event.”
If you are interested in watching the debate, you can find it on YouTube, although none of the important information on the screen was captured by the camera. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4mR2K9y6aM.
Jack Johnson is a PhD student at the university of St. Andrews in Divinity (specifically systematic Theology). he did a MLitt in Systematic and Historical Theology at St Andrews and a BA (hons) in Christian Theology and Politics at Liverpool Hope University, where he was also Student Union President. He is originally from Liverpool, but has lived in various parts of England prior to coming to Scotland.
To find out more about St Andrews University Christian Union click here.
Dr Andy Bannister is the Director of the Solas Centre for Public Christianity
his followers against his teaching and example offers a solid way forward through the labyrinthine complexity of a very mixed history.
Natasha Moore is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Public Christianity in Sydney.
Dr Jonathan McLatchie is a writer, international speaker and debater. He holds a Bachelor’s degree (with Honours) in forensic biology, a Masters (M.Res) degree in evolutionary biology, and a second Master’s degree in medical and molecular bioscience and PhD in cell biology. He is Assistant Professor of Biology at Sattler College.
Andy Bannister is director the Solas Centre of Public Christianity
We typically think that worry is a bad habit. But there is a good worry and a bad worry. Bad worry leads you to check out or become hyper-vigilant. Your “fight or flight” instincts are in overdrive when you are doing bad worry. That is usually what we mean when we use the word “worry.” We tend to see it as negative. Good worry, though, allows you to remain engaged, dependent upon God and prayerful. We have come to use other words to describe this kind of worry, like “concern.” It is important to know the difference. So, how do you know when you are engaging in “good” worry? Here are five things you should “worry” about in a good way.
Dr. Timothy S. Lane is the Founder and President of the 
I have been a natural scientist in the field of environmental biology and global environmental change for four decades. I have been blessed to have been called to a vocation that has allowed me to gain a deeper look into God’s revelation through what he has made, and to study and understand many of the intricacies and complexities of his creation. My studies have also enabled me to clearly sort out what is true, what is uncertain, what is speculation, and what are clearly false claims regarding these issues in popular media. One important truth is the reality of human-caused climate change and its serious consequences. The scientific evidence is unequivocal. Climate change is likely a greater threat to our well-being than anything that has occurred since we first occupied the earth. A second thing I know to be true is that unless God intervenes in a miraculous way, if we as God’s people do not change our relationship to God’s creation, and we continue to relate to the earth as consumers rather than stewards, that our children and grandchildren will suffer, and the poor and oppressed throughout the world will suffer even more.
For example, we have had a poor track record at the stewardship of the oceans. At current rates of disposal, by the time our 1-year-old grandson Caleb turns 21 there will be a larger total mass of plastic in the world’s oceans than fish. God’s sea creatures that were previously “teeming in great numbers” will be outweighed by all the plastic trash we produce. As we have been displacing God’s creatures with our trash, the result is that more that 70% of the world’s fisheries are being depleted, populations of some ocean species have collapsed, and a major part of God’s revelation to us has been marred. Closer to home, due to our insatiable appetite for energy, our per-capita consumption of fossil fuels in the U.S. and resultant per-capita carbon emissions are several-fold higher than the global average and even several-fold higher than other developed countries. As a result, here in my home state of Colorado, the increasing frequency of floods, fires, and other severe and damaging weather events are causing increased human suffering as well as economic costs (e.g. costs of home-owners insurance in Colorado has increased by more than 75% over the past nine years due to these effects of climate change). These are not speculative doomsday scenarios. All of these trends are real, all are results of our poor stewardship of the earth, and all are based on abundant scientific data.
Dr David C. Hartnett recently retired from Kansas State University, where he was a Professor of Plant Biology. He is a plant ecologist specialising in grasslands and savannas. He served as Director of 
has been a Consultant Psychiatrist for almost 15 years, including two years spent working overseas in New Zealand. He is a Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and holds postgraduate qualifications in Teaching and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. He is an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer in the Division of Psychiatry at the University of Edinburgh. Rob is a Director of the ‘
