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Writer's pictureEdward D. Andrews
Sep 248 min read

How Does Historical Apologetics Defend Christianity Based on Historical Evidence?

Introduction: Defining Historical Apologetics


Historical apologetics is a method of defending the truth of Christianity that primarily relies on historical evidence rather than philosophical or theistic arguments. Unlike other systems of apologetics, such as presuppositional or classical apologetics, historical apologetics asserts that Christianity, including the existence of God and the truth of miracles, can be proven directly from historical events without needing to first establish the existence of God through abstract reasoning.


This approach, sometimes known as resurrection apologetics due to its emphasis on the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the central proof of Christianity, shares some similarities with evidential apologetics but places a stronger focus on historical documentation and evidence. The central claim is that if the historical facts—particularly those concerning Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection—can be proven to be reliable, then Christianity is established as true.



Proponents of Historical Apologetics


Christianity is an historical religion rooted in real-world events, and because of this, historical evidence has been part of Christian apologetics from the beginning. Early Christian apologists like Justin Martyr (c. 100-165 C.E.), Tertullian (c. 160-225 C.E.), and Origen (c. 185-254 C.E.) defended the faith by pointing to the historical credibility of Christianity’s claims. These early defenders of the faith, along with classical thinkers like Augustine (354-430 C.E.) and Anselm (1033-1109 C.E.), all recognized the importance of history in demonstrating the truth of Christianity.


Modern historical apologists, such as John Warwick Montgomery and Gary Habermas, continue this tradition by emphasizing that the historical facts of Christianity, particularly the resurrection of Jesus, are verifiable through the evidence and can be used to defend the entire Christian faith, including the existence of God. These apologists argue that the resurrection, as a historical event, is the key to demonstrating that Jesus is the Son of God, and through Him, the Bible is affirmed as the Word of God.


The Foundation of Historical Apologetics: Christianity’s Historical Basis


Christianity is fundamentally rooted in historical events. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are not presented in the Bible as mere spiritual metaphors but as actual events that occurred in real places and times. The Apostle Paul makes this clear in 1 Corinthians 15:17 when he writes, "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins." This passage demonstrates the essential role of the resurrection as a historical fact in the validity of the Christian faith. If the resurrection did not occur, then the foundation of Christianity collapses. However, if it did occur, then it provides strong evidence that Jesus is who He claimed to be—the Son of God—and that His teachings are true.


The Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and Paul’s letters in the New Testament offer a detailed record of the events surrounding Jesus’ ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection. These documents have been scrutinized by historians, and their reliability has been defended by apologists who argue that they meet the criteria for trustworthy historical sources. Luke begins his Gospel by affirming the historical accuracy of his account, writing, "Since I have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses... it seemed good to me... to write an orderly account for you... that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught" (Luke 1:1-4). This emphasis on eyewitness testimony is foundational to historical apologetics.



The Role of the Resurrection in Historical Apologetics


The resurrection of Jesus Christ is often referred to as the linchpin of historical apologetics. Historical apologists argue that if the resurrection can be demonstrated as a historical fact, then it confirms the truth of Christianity as a whole, including the existence of God and the inspiration of Scripture. This is because, as Paul points out in Romans 1:4, Jesus was "declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead."


The historical evidence for the resurrection includes several key points that historical apologists emphasize:

  1. The Empty Tomb: All four Gospels record that Jesus’ tomb was found empty after His crucifixion (Matthew 28:1-6, Mark 16:1-6, Luke 24:1-3, John 20:1-9). The empty tomb is a critical piece of evidence because it demonstrates that Jesus’ body could not be produced by those who opposed His followers. The fact that women were the first witnesses to the empty tomb is another significant detail, as women’s testimony was not highly regarded in the culture of the time. This suggests that the Gospel writers were committed to truthfulness over societal norms.

  2. Eyewitness Testimonies: The New Testament records numerous post-resurrection appearances of Jesus to different individuals and groups. These appearances were witnessed by the apostles, including Paul, and over 500 others at one time (1 Corinthians 15:6). The fact that many of these witnesses were still alive at the time Paul wrote his letters allowed for verification of their claims.

  3. The Transformation of the Disciples: Before the resurrection, Jesus’ disciples were fearful and disillusioned, but after encountering the risen Christ, they became bold proclaimers of His resurrection, willing to suffer persecution and death for their belief (Acts 4:33). This radical transformation is difficult to explain unless they genuinely believed they had witnessed the risen Jesus.

  4. The Birth of the Early Church: The rapid growth of the early Christian movement, centered on the resurrection of Jesus, is another significant piece of historical evidence. Within a few decades of Jesus’ resurrection, the Gospel had spread throughout the Roman Empire, and the early church was firmly established, despite intense opposition and persecution.



Historical Apologetics and the Reliability of the New Testament


A central part of historical apologetics is defending the reliability of the New Testament documents. Apologists argue that the New Testament meets the criteria for trustworthy historical records based on its early composition, the number of manuscript copies, and the consistency of the text.


First, the New Testament was written by individuals who were either eyewitnesses of the events they described or who had access to firsthand accounts. For example, both the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of John were written by apostles who had personally followed Jesus and witnessed His ministry. Mark is traditionally believed to have been a close associate of Peter, while Luke, a companion of Paul, conducted careful research and interviews with eyewitnesses to compile his Gospel and the book of Acts.


Additionally, the New Testament was written relatively close to the events it records. Most scholars date the composition of the Gospels and the letters of Paul to within a few decades of Jesus’ life, meaning that many of the eyewitnesses would have still been alive to confirm or refute the accounts. The fact that these documents were written while the events were still fresh in the memory of those who experienced them lends credibility to their historical accuracy.


Second, the sheer number of New Testament manuscripts available today far surpasses any other ancient work. Over 5,800 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament exist, some dating as early as the second century C.E., along with thousands more in Latin, Coptic, and other languages. This extensive manuscript evidence allows scholars to cross-reference and verify the consistency of the text over time, giving confidence in the reliability of the New Testament.


Finally, the New Testament exhibits remarkable internal consistency. Despite being written by multiple authors over several decades, the New Testament presents a unified message centered on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This coherence suggests that the documents were not fabricated or altered but are genuine accounts of historical events.



Criticisms of Historical Apologetics


While historical apologetics is a compelling approach, it is not without its critics. Both presuppositionalists and some classical apologists have raised objections to the assumptions and methodology of historical apologetics.


The Problem of Bare Facts

One of the most common critiques is the assumption by historical apologists that historical facts “speak for themselves.” Presuppositional apologists argue that facts are not neutral or self-interpreting but must be understood within the framework of a worldview. They claim that historical evidence cannot prove the existence of God or the truth of Christianity unless one already holds to a theistic worldview. As such, they argue that historical apologetics begins with a false premise.


For instance, while a Christian might view the resurrection of Jesus as a divine miracle that proves His deity, an atheist or naturalist might interpret the same event as a myth or, at best, an unexplained anomaly. The presuppositionalist argues that without a Christian worldview, the resurrection cannot be properly understood as evidence for the existence of God.


Historical apologists, on the other hand, argue that the evidence for the resurrection is strong enough to convince skeptics, even if they do not initially hold a theistic worldview. They believe that the historical facts themselves—such as the empty tomb, the eyewitness testimonies, and the rapid growth of the early church—are sufficient to demonstrate the truth of Christianity.


Identifying Miracles

Another challenge for historical apologetics is the identification of miracles. Critics argue that it is difficult to identify an event as a miracle without first establishing the existence of God. How can one claim that a miracle is the work of God unless one already knows what God is like and what His actions would look like? Without a prior belief in a theistic God, it becomes difficult to identify an event as a supernatural act of God rather than a natural phenomenon or unexplained event.


Historical apologists respond by arguing that the resurrection of Jesus is so extraordinary and well-attested that it can only be explained as a miraculous act of God. The resurrection, they claim, is not just an unusual event but one that has profound theological significance. Jesus Himself predicted His resurrection as a sign of His divine authority (Matthew 12:40), and the resurrection serves as the ultimate validation of His claim to be the Son of God.

The Need for a Theistic Framework

Finally, critics argue that historical apologetics depends on the assumption that God, as a morally perfect Being, would not allow miracles to be performed by deceivers. In other words, in order to trust that a miracle confirms the truth of a prophet’s claims, one must already believe that God would not use miracles to support falsehoods. This means that historical apologetics implicitly relies on a prior belief in the nature and character of God, even if it claims to begin solely with historical evidence.


Despite these criticisms, historical apologists maintain that the historical evidence for Christianity, particularly the resurrection, is strong enough to warrant belief in God and the truth of Christianity, even if the skeptic does not initially accept a theistic worldview.



Conclusion: The Power of Historical Apologetics


As we have seen, historical apologetics emphasizes the importance of historical evidence in defending the truth of Christianity. By focusing on the reliability of the New Testament and the historical reality of Jesus’ resurrection, historical apologists seek to demonstrate that Christianity is not only a faith based on abstract theological principles but a faith grounded in real, verifiable events.



About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220 books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).


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