Have you ever read something that just stuck with you? That changed your thinking or challenged your viewpoints? I love reading books like that and purposely search out such reading. Last night I stayed up way to late to finish a book that did just that. It's called "A Skeleton in God's Closet" by Paul Maier. It is a fictional novel centering on biblical archaelogy professor Jonathan Weber, who becomes involved in a plot surrounding the discovery of the supposed bones of Jesus Christ. Now, like many mainstream Christians, I believe in the ressurection of Christ and His assention to heaven following a time here on earth in which He met with followers and instructed them in the ways to continue His ministry. Being a "moderate" Methodist by choice, I have rarely stopped to consider the implications of such a discovery on the church, our Christian belief structure and the world in general. I believe this book gives a wonderful account of the chaos that might result from such a discovery. It has caused great and deep thinking in my soul though about my own beliefs about the Resurrected Savior. Do I believe in a very physical resurrection, where no bones would be left behind, or do I believe more in a "spiritual" resurrection, whereby the physical body would have been left behind? Many people point to the fact that when Christ met with Doubting Thomas and offered to let him touch his wounds (although the Bible doesn't say that Thomas actually did so) and following this He was given a piece of fish which He ate in their presence. But with God all things are possible, so who is to say that His resurrection body was the same physical body that was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimethea? Does believing or not believing in a physical resurrection make the resurrection any less powerful or less important? Does it make His message any less real in today's world? Ok, so I'm not sure what I believe in this respect, although I lean toward the literal interpretation of the Bible, meaning that I lean toward belief in a physical resurrection. Obviously more study and contemplation is needed, but that's what faith is all about isn't it? Believing what is unseen, only felt. More to ponder, more to consider, more to discover...

As always...

-CC