If he did not rise from the dead...

Easter is gone. Whilst Easter eggs and chocolate figures predominate in European countries of Protestant heritage, what is left in the Mediterranean nations are the vestiges of Catholic processions, statues of the virgin Mary and a dark view of the passion of Christ.

For some, including us, the vision of Easter brings together gratitude for the Cross and the joy of seeing Jesus defeating death. Whilst some evangelicals tweeted daily the final stages of Jesus’ life, on the Facebook page of Evangelical Focus we joined in the happiness of the message of Easter Sunday:

Christ is risen! Indeed, He is risen!

Chrystus zmartwychwsta?! Prawdziwie zmartwychwsta?!

Christ est ressuscité! Il est vraiment ressuscité!

Kristus är uppstånden! Han är sannerligen uppstånden! (...)

But do all Christians believe the resurrection is a historical fact? The theological debate in Protestantism has led some groups to see it as symbolic, spiritual or figurative.

Yet if there is no resurrection, what message is there? Would it make any sense to live out a biblical faith today in 2015 knowing that Jesus did not really rise? The question was one that the first Christians in Greece asked themselves, and Paul’s conclusion was clear: if Christ did not defeat death, we are to be pitied and man’s biggest problem (blame) remains unresolved (1 Corinthians 15).

What do you believe? Did Jesus really conquer death?