Did the Resurrection Happen?: A Conversation with Gary Habermas and Antony Flew, By Gary R. Habermas and Antony Flew

Did the Resurrection Happen?

A Conversation with Gary Habermas and Antony Flew

Veritas Books

by Gary R. Habermas and Antony Flew
Edited by David Baggett

Did the Resurrection Happen?
Paperback
  • Length: 185 pages
  • Dimensions: 5.5 × 8.25 in
  • Published: April 29, 2009
  • Imprint: IVP
  • ISBN: 9780830837182

In 2004 philosopher Antony Flew, one of the world's most prominent atheists, publicly acknowledged that he had become persuaded of the existence of God. Not long before that, in 2003, Flew and Christian philosopher Gary Habermas debated at a Veritas Forum at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Habermas, perhaps the world's leading expert on the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus, made the case for rational belief on the basis of the reliability of the evidence. Flew argued for alternative understandings of the evidence presented.

For two-and-a-half decades Flew and Habermas have been in friendly dialogue about the plausibility of the resurrection and the existence of God. This book presents the full content of their third and final debate, as well as transcripts of the Q A session with the audience afterward. Also included are a 2004 conversation between Habermas and Flew shortly after Flew's much-publicized change of position, as well as editor David Baggett's assessment and analysis of the full history of Habermas and Flew's interactions.

Here is your opportunity to listen in on a conversation with two of the greatest thinkers of our era about one of the most pivotal events in human history. Follow the evidence wherever it leads. And decide for yourself whether it's believable that a man could rise from the dead.

"The conversation between Habermas and Flew has been a fascinating one at the highest levels of philosophical reflection. This book beautifully chronicles that dialogue in a way that is clear for those not versed in philosophy. The book will cause you to sit and ponder. That is a compliment enough, but more than that you will learn how two competing worldviews should interact with each other--and that is a real gift."Darrell Bock, Dallas Theological Seminary
"David Baggett has skillfully edited an engaging and warm-hearted debate between Gary Habermas and Antony Flew, two of the world's foremost philosophers and thinkers, the former a Christian and apologist and the latter a well-known atheist who recently has embraced deism. Their debate centers on the very essence of Christian faith--the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is a great book. I recommend it enthusiastically."Craig A. Evans, Ph.D., Payzant Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Acadia Divinity College
"A lively conversation about the most important question in the history, and for the future, of the world. Habermas's compelling answers to Flew's questions awaken hope within me. The resurrection and vindication of Christ frees us from the fear of death, and for true life, now and forever. I wish this book for all of us, especially skeptics who are also thinkers."Kelly Monroe Kullberg, author of Finding God Beyond Harvard: The Quest for Veritas, founder and director of project development, The Veritas Forum, and editor of Finding God at Harvard: Spiritual Journeys of Thinking Christians
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CONTENTS

Preface
Daniel Cho, Executive Director, The Veritas Forum
Acknowledgments
Introduction: A Man, a Friendship and an Argument
David Baggett
Part I: 2003 Resurrection Debate Between Antony Flew and Gary R. Habermas
Historical Evidence for the Crucifixion, Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus
Assessing the Claims of the Resurrection
Considering the Resurrection Appearances
What Counts as Evidence?
Is Belief Justifiable?
Questions from the Audience
Part II: Antony Flew's Journey to Theism
My Pilgrimage from Atheism to Theism: A Discussion Between Anthony Flew and Gary Habermas
Anthony Flew's Deism Revisited: A Review Essay on There Is a God
Gary R. Habermas
Part III: Resurrection Matters: Assessing the Habermas/Flew Discussion
David Baggett
The Historical Evidence
The Resurrection Inference
Some Skeptical Challenges
Ten Philosophical Concerns
Where Flew Is
Why Flew Should Become a Christian
Appendix: Bayes's Theorem and the Resurrection
A Selected Bibliography
Index

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Gary R. Habermas

Gary R. Habermas (PhD, Michigan State University) is distinguished research professor and chair of the department of philosophy and theology at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Antony Flew (D.Litt., University of Keele) has taught philosophy at Oxford University (Christ Church), University of Aberdeen (King's College), University of Keele and University of Reading. His many books include God and Philosophy, The Presumption of Atheism, Hume's Philosophy of Belief and most recently There Is a God. Habermas and Flew's previous debates were published as Resurrected? An Atheist Deist Dialogue and Did Jesus Rise from the Dead? The Resurrection Debate.

David Baggett

David Baggett (PhD, Wayne State University) is professor of philosophy in the Rawlings School of Divinity at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. He is the coauthor of Good God: The Theistic Foundations of Morality, God and Cosmos: Moral Truth and Human Meaning, and At the Bend of the River Grand. He is the editor of Did the Resurrection Happen? and the coeditor of C.S. Lewis as Philosopher: Truth, Goodness, and Beauty; The Philosophy ofSherlock Holmes; and Harry Potter and Philosophy: If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts.