Believe it or not, even the most die-hard atheist should take note of 2033. This crazy notion of life-after death has been with us a very long time. All across the world, archeologists have found ancient peoples leaving grave goods for the afterlife. Certainly debated even then, Christianity takes this proposition to a summit, not only might there be life after death, but if someone were to rise from the dead, we would really have something to celebrate and believe in!
Ideas are important. They can be rejected, some are out of favour, others in favour, but the idea still exists. We all agree that such debate is healthy, as is the damming of some very bad ideas! The idea that some or all might live on after death, is perhaps one of the most important, since it has the power to change our whole perspective on life. This then makes the memorial to the supposed resurrection of Christ an extremely important historical and philosophical milestone.
Christians are not celebrating this just to keep alive a memory, they believe this information changes lives. Atheists too, however, should in their own way, mark this event, since the rejection of this idea is very important too! At a very least Christianity has done humankind an important favour in raising the debate.
As a Christian organisation, we feel this idea is still as relevant and as believable today, but we would call on all who think the resurrection so unlikely to remember this important event and use the occasion to think through why you reject it. Similarly, we have equally met Christians who have not really though through this either!
May 2033 truly give the impetus, as a celebration or just a memorial, as individual or as all of humanity, to ask the BIG QUESTIONS.
Malcolm Allan
