BREAKING NEWS: The body of Jesus Christ was discovered by archeologists working just outside of Jersulem. Easter has been canceled!
If that were actually breaking news, would it change your faith? Let this act as a Good Friday exercise that encourages us to look at our own faith.
A priest and professor who taught a theology class at Loyola University in New Orleans explained that the Bible is a great book with profound stories that are not necessarily 100% accurate. From Adam & Eve to Jesus actually walking on water, stories are presented as more of a visual illustration of a message than a factual account of what happened.
And so - I ask the question: If the body of Christ were discovered - would that change your faith? I know many will argue that Christ’s body will never be found because of what is written in the Bible.
I understand that opinion, but considering the Bible is recognized by many studied theologians as a work that is not entirely factual, the specifics of what happened to Christ’s body can be a fair discussion.
The intent of this blog is NOT to change your beliefs, but it is intended to challenge whether your faith is based on all the stories in the Bible being factually accurate.
My faith and belief system are based on the idea that every story in the Bible is not based on fact and that the stories of the Bible were stories designed to tell a story and convey a message.
It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when the Bible was written. Archeologists have discovered evidence indicating that parts of the Bible preceded Christ’s life, and much of the New Testament was written many years after Christ’s death.
The stories were passed on from generation to generation through songs and verbal storytelling. We all know that when humans tell stories those stories change; and when stories are handed down through generations, there is reason to believe the specifics of the stories may have changed. But the meanings remain consistent with the stories we know today.
Over time, archeologists have discovered evidence of some of the early writings of the Bible, and it’s impossible to predict what will be revealed through further exploration of the region where Christ lived and died.
I would hope that your faith would not be shaken by physical evidence of Christ’s body and that your faith and your beliefs are based on the overall message the Bible presents rather than the need for every story to be factually accurate.