Jordan Peterson is a controversial figure. I have written about him before.

I found this fascinating YouTube clip where he is at Liberty University (another controversial topic) and he is responding to a question about the resurrection of Christ.

I loved how he wrestled with it. Watch this clip and listen to how he addresses it through the lens of mystery, metaphysics, and symbolism.

Of course Falwell’s smug jest at the end wreaks of certainty – but that is all the more contrast to what Peterson had just said.

Two years ago, Easter was on April 1st and I preached a message called ‘Easter Fools’ and I said:

It is not about physics. It is not about verification of historical accounts. That is the wrong kind of foolish.

Easter fools are people who live into hope, possibility, justice, imagination, and second chances.

  • Life ruptured death.
  • Christ penetrated history and split it in two.
  • Hope overcame darkness.
  • New life rose up out of the ashes.

This is the fascinating and troubling thing to me. We live in an either/or world. Nearly every topic gets broken down into ‘this or that’ categories.  [examples]

Easter has been affected too. Every year I hear people (and especially preachers) talk about a physical vs. a spiritual resurrection. Did Jesus’ corpse get resuscitated or did his spirit just manifest which is why the disciples thought he was gardener or a pilgrim and it took a while to recognize him and figure out who he was.

The truth is that both of these positions are to miss the point!!!  The reality is that neither is a good option. The problem is that one starts with science and then reads that back onto the narrative – the other starts with history and the imposes that on the text.

But if you actually look at the gospel accounts of Easter, you get a very different picture. The better option might be a third way called “glorified”.

Listen to the Peterson clip and let me know what you think.

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