You Tube Theology

Did Jesus exist — and did He actually rise from the dead? In this christian apologetics interview, Brian sits down with Dr. Mike Licona to discuss Christianity's central claim: the resurrection of Jesus.

Dr. Licona is co-author (with Gary Habermas) of "The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus" — a book built on years of research into the historical Jesus. He walks through the non-biblical and non-Christian sources that mention Jesus, including Josephus, Tacitus, Lucian of Samosata, and Mara Bar-Serapion — and explains why hostile witnesses like Tacitus actually strengthen the case.

The heart of the conversation is the "minimal facts" approach developed by Gary Habermas: using only the historical facts accepted by the vast majority of scholars — believer and skeptic alike — to build a case for the resurrection of Jesus. Dr. Licona breaks down how this method works, why it's so hard to refute, and what it means for anyone asking "did Jesus exist?" or "is the resurrection proof Jesus existed?"

Whether you're a Christian looking to strengthen your faith, a skeptic exploring the evidence, or simply curious about the historical jesus — this is a clear, accessible starting point.

📌 Timestamps:
0:00 — Introduction to Dr. Mike Licona
0:25 — The book: research timeline and origins
0:59 — Non-biblical sources: Polycarp, Clement of Rome
1:30 — Non-Christian sources: Josephus and Tacitus
2:10 — Why hostile witnesses make the case stronger
2:50 — Lucian of Samosata and Mara Bar-Serapion
3:33 — The "minimal facts" approach explained
4:03 — Habermas's 12 original minimal facts
4:37 — How Licona's 4+1 method works
5:08 — Challenging the argument: how would you refute it?
5:40 — Paul's conversion as a minimal fact

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