Source: “On the Resurrection: volume 1”: Evidences, 2024 by Gary Habermas Published by B&H Academic Brentwood, Tennessee.
Paul - A Forensic Investigation.pdf
14 Minimal Fact 6- The Conversion Of Paul.mp3
This podcast examines the conversion of Paul as a crucial piece of evidence for the resurrection of Jesus, emphasizing why critical scholars take his account seriously. It highlights the primacy of Paul's undisputed letters as the earliest and most historically reliable sources for understanding Jesus's resurrection, noting that even skeptical scholars acknowledge Paul's profound belief in having seen the risen Jesus. The podcast delves into various interpretations of Paul's experience, particularly the shift in scholarly opinion towards viewing it as a bodily appearance, despite some scholars rejecting the supernatural aspect. Ultimately, the podcast argues that Paul's radical transformation, combined with corroborating details from Acts and his direct engagement with other key apostles, lends significant weight to the historicity of Jesus's resurrection appearances.
For many, the Apostle Paul is a figure seen exclusively through a religious lens—the author of much of the New Testament and a towering figure of Christian theology. His letters are studied in churches and seminaries, but his historical value is often overlooked by the public. It might come as a surprise, then, that modern critical and even skeptical scholars treat Paul's writings as premier historical sources for the origins of Christianity.
Why is this? Why is a man who claimed to have seen the resurrected Jesus taken so seriously by historians who are often the biggest critics of supernatural claims? This former persecutor of Christians, Saul of Tarsus, provides testimony that scholars of all theological leanings—including atheists—find compelling and historically grounded. Let's explore the four key reasons why Paul's account commands such respect in the academic world.
In historical analysis, the closer you get to the event, the better the evidence. When it comes to the life of Jesus and the birth of the church, Paul is our ground zero. Critical scholars almost unanimously agree that at least seven of his letters are authentic. These "undisputed letters" are dated to the 50s AD, making them the earliest Christian documents we possess—written years before the Gospels. Some of the creedal traditions he records are dated by critical scholars to within just one to two years after the crucifixion.
This chronological priority is crucial. It means Paul’s testimony is not a late-arriving legend but a direct, contemporary snapshot of the earliest Christian beliefs. As Jesus Seminar member Roy Hoover puts it, the case is undeniable. But this isn't just an internal consensus; even Paul’s ideological opponents are compelled by the evidence. In a stunning concession, atheist philosopher Michael Martin states: