Resurrection Logic - by Bruce D Chilton (Hardcover)

About the Book

Death does not speak the final word. Resurrection does. Bruce Chilton investigates the Easter event of Jesus in Resurrection Logic. He undertakes his close reading of the New Testament texts without privileging the exact nature of the resurrection, but rather begins by situating his study of the resurrection in the context of Sumerian, Egyptian, Greek, and Syrian conceptions of the afterlife. He then identifies Jewish monotheistic affirmations of bodily resurrection in the Second Temple period as the most immediate context for early Christian claims. Chilton surveys first-generation accounts of Jesus' resurrection and finds a pluriform--and even at times seemingly contradictory--range of testimony from Jesus' first followers. This diversity, as Chilton demonstrates, prompted early Christianity to interpret the resurrection traditions by means of prophecy and coordinated narrative.In the end, Chilton points to how the differing conceptions of the ways that God governs the world produced distinct understandings--or "sciences"--of the Easter event. Each understanding contained its own internal logic, which contributed to the collective witness of the early church handed down through the canonical text. In doing so, Chilton reveals the full tapestry of perspectives held together by the common-thread confession of Jesus' ongoing life and victory over death.

Book Synopsis

Death does not speak the final word. Resurrection does. Christianity stands or falls with this central confession: God raised Jesus from the dead.

Bruce Chilton investigates the Easter event of Jesus in Resurrection Logic. He undertakes his close reading of the New Testament texts without privileging the exact nature of the resurrection, but rather begins by situating his study of the resurrection in the context of Sumerian, Egyptian, Greek, and Syrian conceptions of the afterlife. He then identifies Jewish monotheistic affirmations of bodily resurrection in the Second Temple period as the most immediate context for early Christian claims. Chilton surveys first-generation accounts of Jesus' resurrection and finds a pluriform--and even at times seemingly contradictory--range of testimony from Jesus' first followers. This diversity, as Chilton demonstrates, prompted early Christianity to interpret the resurrection traditions by means of prophecy and coordinated narrative.

In the end, Chilton points to how the differing conceptions of the ways that God governs the world produced distinct understandings--or "sciences"--of the Easter event. Each understanding contained its own internal logic, which contributed to the collective witness of the early church handed down through the canonical text. In doing so, Chilton reveals the full tapestry of perspectives held together by the common-thread confession of Jesus' ongoing life and victory over death.

Review Quotes

...this resourceful study is highly recommended to all who are interested in the development of early Christian beliefs about the resurrection of Jesus.

Resurrection Logic is a real advance on the standard binary between 'spiritual' and 'physical' conceptions of the resurrection of Christ. Resurrection Logic is, by its own design, not a study of that event itself but of the human agency reacting to the event that stands at the very heart of Christian faith--then and now--and just in this is its brilliance. It demands close reading from every biblical scholar and theologian interested in the resurrection of Jesus.

Chilton's book is an innovative approach to fascinating questions and belongs in the library of any scholar interested in the New Testament's account of Jesus's resurrection.

This is a wide-ranging and bold contribution to the study of Jesus' resurrection and covers a huge amount of ground. Many have already drawn attention to the diversity within the New Testament on the resurrection, but Chilton's use of the witnesses in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 as a framework for exploring different accounts provides a fresh angle. His treatment makes for fascinating reading and, to my knowledge, is highly original.

...engaging, beautiful, and balanced.

...a rewarding and thought-provoking study.

About the Author

Bruce D. Chilton is Bernard Iddings Bell Professor of Philosophy and Religion in the Department of Religion and Executive Director of The Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard College. He is also the author of Visions of the Apocalypse: Receptions of John's Revelation in Western Imagination, co-author of The Targums: A Critical Introduction, and co-editor of In Quest of the Historical Pharisees.