Meaning of Resurrection
It makes sense. When you truly read the Bible, there is no doubt that early Christians, including Paul and the evangelists, believed in a physical resurrection of Jesus. 
And yet many strands of Christian and secular traditions help to paint a far different picture of death and the promise of resurrection that overwhelm those Biblical reports. Tom (aka N.T.) Wright argues for a re-evaluation of those traditions and an honest look at the Resurrection in his book and companion DVD study Surprised by Hope. I have wrestled with Dr. Wright’s book for the past two weeks, at times cheering him on and at other times, finding myself very challenged by his perspective. He has been a favorite author of mine since I began my tenure at the Interfaith Resource Center. As one of the finest contemporary theologians of our day, he is amazingly approachable for those of us who are not trained in that potentially difficult discipline.
But what about this pivotal resurrection experience? What does hope of a transformed body in resurrection look like? And what does it all mean? I have often felt a certain dis-ease as I look at the Gnostic world-view (and heaven-view) and notice its similarity to our own contemporary understanding. Not because Gnosticism was declared heresy many thousands of years ago and therefore I am obliged to dismiss it. Rather I recognize the dangers inherent in that path, not the least of which is a blatant disregard for this world and a haughty superiority about the next. That is precisely Wright’s point; that an other-worldly view of what God did in Christ inherently leads to a self-serving view of the Church’s mission. I, for one, will allow the challenges of Dr. Wright’s book to confront my calcified view of Christ’s resurrection and our call to mission. That may include what, on Brian McLaren’s Passion Week blog, he calls “courageous risks” (http://www.brianmclaren.net/archives/blog). It calls for action, not merely theological reflection. And that’s truly what it’s about. Now am I ready to meet the challenge? Have a blessed Easter.