Liberal Christianity

Liberal Christianity is alive and well on the planet earth. In support of that fact is the recent statement by German New Testament scholar Gerd Luedemann: "The tomb was full and the manger empty." Of course, what he means by that is simply that there never occurred a virgin birth and there was no resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The Apostle Paul responded to similar suspicious teachings in his day, and he said, "Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain . . . we are of all people most to be pitied" (1 Cor. 15:12-14, 19). The very foundations of Christianity are the historical incidents of the incarnation and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Much of liberal Christianity, however, proclaims a Christ without a manger, a Christ without a cross, and a Christ without a resurrection. If what these people teach is true, then what hope is there? As Paul said, "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins . . . If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied" (1 Cor. 15:17, 19). But, true believer, do not despair! Paul announces: "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead" (1 Cor. 15:20). Our hope is true and real. No, Prof. Luedemann, we believe that "the tomb was empty and the manger full."