In the first century, the resurrection fact faced both Jewish and Greek audiences with a challenge, the challenge of a new reality: Christ, the risen Lord. Since facts are by definition “something that happened” and this happening was witnessed, proclaimed, and recorded, the fact stands for all generations.

In answering critics, a defense of the resurrection consists not only of a response by way of negation (e.g., Christianity is not this), but also through positive affirmations (this is Christianity). In this book, the reader will find both. However, it is our hope that the final word retained would be the one that stands for something rather than against something.

Together, our words stand for something positive, not negative; namely the good news that the one true God has now taken charge of the world, in and through Jesus and His death and resurrection.