We can't prove Christianity is true the same way that we prove gravity exists. Why not? Because we prove gravity by the scientific method, by having a controlled environment where an experiment is repeated again and again and observations recorded. The experiment must be repeatable. The central claims of Christianity, which are the death, burial, and Resurrection of Jesus, are historical claims and cannot be repeated. You can’t take Jesus, kill and bury him, and see if he resurrects again and again and again. Specific historical events are unrepeatable. You can’t prove historical events using the scientific method. You must evaluate historical claims using the legal-historical method of proof. How would you determine whether something occurred in history? Look at the written testimony, the oral testimony, and the physical testimony. How would a jury determine whether someone was guilty of a crime? Look at the written testimony against him, the oral testimony of those who watched it and were willing to testify, and look at the physical evidence, such as fingerprints. In the same way, Christianity, being historical, can be shown to be true using the legal-historical method.
The fact that Christianity’s central claims (the death, burial, and Resurrection of Jesus) can be analyzed by the legal-historical method of proof makes it different from other religions. Unlike Christianity, many other religions cannot be proven true or false using the historical method. But if Christianity is true, because of its unique historical claims, it can be demonstrated to be true, not by the scientific method, but by the legal-historical method.
This does not mean that science or the “sciences” such as archaeology or textual criticism1 cannot be used to help confirm Christianity. In fact, scientific facts do a lot to support the validity of Christianity. I am simply saying you can’t use what is called “the scientific method” to prove Christianity. You must use the legal-historical method of proof.
The fact that Christianity’s central claims (the death, burial, and Resurrection of Jesus) can be analyzed by the legal-historical method of proof makes it different from other religions. Unlike Christianity, many other religions cannot be proven true or false using the historical method. But if Christianity is true, because of its unique historical claims, it can be demonstrated to be true, not by the scientific method, but by the legal-historical method.
This does not mean that science or the “sciences” such as archaeology or textual criticism1 cannot be used to help confirm Christianity. In fact, scientific facts do a lot to support the validity of Christianity. I am simply saying you can’t use what is called “the scientific method” to prove Christianity. You must use the legal-historical method of proof.
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