• They saw him
• he spoke to them
• the tomb was empty
• he ate with them
• it was the fulfilment of prophecy

– gives Christians faith that they will be raised from the dead, by proving that it is possible, helps them overcome fear of death, encourages some to lay down their life for their faith

– creates faith that good can triumph over evil, so helps Christians face persecution and suffering

– proves that Jesus was God’s son, so gives authority to his teaching and example and gives them stronger reason to follow his teaching.

Arguments in support

NB Some candidates might take ‘resurrection of the dead’ to refer only to the resurrection of Jesus, or else to the resurrection of Christians, or they might take it to refer to both. Accept all reasoned arguments based on these understandings. Also, accept any reasonable argument concerning what might be the most important Christian belief other than in resurrection.

– For most Christians, suffering, and death are the worst things they have to deal with / so if they believe that the dead are resurrected, then they no longer have to fear suffering or death.

– Christians fear separation from their families at death / so belief in resurrection to heaven means that they will be reunited with those they love.

– Christians believe that after their resurrection they will live forever in God’s kingdom / in a state of perfect happiness.

– Ideas such as these are the central claim of Christianity: that Jesus was God incarnate / crucified, resurrected and ascended / and is the means of salvation from sin, since Jesus’ death and resurrection atone for human sin.

– St Paul states clearly that God raised Jesus from the dead / and if he had not done so, then the (human) dead are not raised either / in which case faith is futile, for Christians are still in their sins / and those who have already died will remain dead (1 Corinthians 15:15-19) / so Paul shows that the resurrection of Jesus and of Christians are the most important Christian beliefs: one follows from the other.

– There is so much evidence for the resurrection of Jesus that it must be true / the four Gospels all have an account of the resurrection of Jesus / so the resurrection of Christians must also be true / and must be the most important Christian belief.

– St Paul reached this conclusion at his trial described in Acts 24, where he says that he is on trial for his life because of his belief that the dead will be raised to life, etc.

Arguments in support of other views

– Some might argue that belief in God as Creator is the most important Christian belief / since for resurrection to be important to believers, people have to be created first.

– In the same way, some might argue that the most important belief is that God is good / this is not obvious from all the evil in the world / but if God is not good then there will be probably be no resurrection.

– Equally, some might argue that the most important Christian belief is not just in the resurrection of the dead but in resurrection to judgement / this can be seen in the Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matthew 25) / which teaches that the dead will be resurrected to God’s kingdom or else to eternal fire / so the most important belief must be to follow the teachings of God/Jesus to avoid being sent to hell.

– Some might argue that belief in resurrection of the body is more important than belief in resurrection of the soul / eg because Jesus’ resurrection was bodily / or else that resurrection is a metaphor for being with God in some unknown way.

– Some might argue that all Christian beliefs are equally important / and that the incarnation / crucifixion / resurrection / ascension / Pentecost are all equally necessary for Christian belief / belief in human resurrection is just one part of a connected group of beliefs, etc.

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Arguments in support

•Christians celebrate Easter because it celebrates Jesus’ resurrection from the dead / death is perhaps the most feared event for most humans, so if Jesus overcame death through being resurrected by God, then Christians have no need to fear death, making it the most important belief / all Christians therefore are given the hope of resurrection if they accept Jesus.
• If Jesus was resurrected, this proves to his followers that he was the son of God / God’s son could survive death, bringing the promise of eternal life.
• Resurrection saves Christians from their sins, because as St Paul says: ‘… I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures.’ (1 Corinthians 15:3) / Paul goes on to list the reasons why he was sure of this, for example that Jesus’ burial and his being raised on the third day were in accordance with the scriptures / further, he appeared to Cephas and then to the twelve, then to more than 500 at one time, then to Paul himself / Paul is clear that for him, this is a proof of Jesus’ resurrection as the most important part of his own belief / because if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised and his preaching and their faith are in vain (1 Corinthians 15:13-14).
• Paul goes on to argue that if the resurrection is not true, then Jesus’ other promises are not true / ‘If the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised / and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile’ (because they are still in their sins) / moreover those who have died believing in Christ have simply ‘perished’. (1 Corinthians 15:16-18).
• Without the resurrection there can be no Church / because the Church would have been founded on false beliefs / for example there can have been no ‘great commission’ before the Ascension, since Jesus would not have been alive to command it / in other words, if belief in Jesus’ resurrection is undermined, then Christianity as a whole is false / so Jesus’ resurrection is true.
• If there is no resurrection, the human condition will remain such that there would be no vindication or hope for those who suffer from disease, famine, war or other evils / as the resurrection confirms the all-powerful nature of God / belief in Jesus’ resurrection is therefore justified on many different grounds, etc.

Arguments in support of other views
• To be the most important Christian belief, belief in Jesus’ resurrection needs to be compared with other important beliefs / for example Jesus’ crucifixion / many Christians believe that during the crucifixion, Jesus suffered terrible pain and death / so that humans who suffer can take comfort in knowing that Jesus shared human pain / moreover without Jesus’ crucifixion there could have been no resurrection / Jesus was dead, so belief in the crucifixion as part of Jesus’ passion is as important as belief in the resurrection / they are two aspects of one event.
• Some might view the belief that God created the world and how Jesus is sent into the world as the most important / as the Incarnation of God / and view his ongoing interaction with the world as proof of God’s immanence and love for creation as a more powerful belief / including how God sends the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
• Some might argue that Jesus’ miracles of healing and miracles over nature are the most important Christian belief, since they show that Jesus can heal the worst diseases of the body and mind / some might refer to Jesus’ raising from the dead of Jairus’ daughter and of Lazarus, proving his divine authority.
• Others might argue that the main value of Christianity is in its moral teachings and not in its beliefs about the resurrection of Jesus / for example Jesus taught the Christian virtues of compassion and agapeic love for others / and these might be illustrated from his parables / for example the parable of the Good Samaritan, which illustrates how people should show love to everyone.
• Some might therefore argue that the most important Christian belief is the Christian way of life / as opposed to any basic belief in Jesus’ resurrection / since Christian principles are important whether or not Jesus rose from the dead / faith must be accompanied by works (Paul).
• Christians have different beliefs about whether resurrection would be of the body or the soul / such uncertainty might lead some to focus on Christian values and doing good actions than on this Christian belief.
• Some might argue that ‘the most important Christian belief cannot be defined / or that Christian beliefs form an interlocking whole / in which the package of beliefs is more important than any single belief, etc.

• Jesus rose / was carried up into heaven / Jesus met with God in heaven.
• It took place in Bethany.
• It happened 40 days after the resurrection.
• It marked the end of Jesus’ life on earth.
• Two men appeared in white robes.
• The two men told the disciples that just as they had seen Jesus ascend to heaven / he would return to earth in the same way.
• It was the point at which the disciples began to worship Jesus.
• At this point the disciples became joyful / were no longer sad.
• Jesus also told the disciples about the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• It showed the truth of Jesus’ promises, eg about heaven / proved Jesus was right.
• Jesus’ disciples were present.
• Jesus rose to heaven so Christians can too, etc.

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•Jesus’ ascension pictures him as being taken ‘up’ to heaven / so some Christians might be influenced to think of heaven as being literally up in the sky.
•Some might be influenced to believe that like the disciples, following God’s commands / will allow them also to enter heaven and be with God when they die / proves to them that heaven exists.
•Jesus was apparently in physical form during the ascension / so some will be influenced to understand life after death as being in a physical form / to believe in a bodily resurrection.
•The ascension shows that Jesus is with God / so some will be influenced to believe that the ascension was the event that led to the coming of the Holy Spirit.
•Jesus has gone up to heaven and is now with God judging humanity / interceding for humanity / so some are influenced to live a morally-good life / pray for forgiveness of sins / do charity work / worship God / take the sacraments / evangelise / prepare for Jesus’ return.
•As the disciples strain to see Jesus being ascended, two angels appear to the disciples (Acts 1:10-11) who foretell the return of Jesus / so some Christians will be influenced to believe in angels as messengers from God, etc.