The History of Jesus' Resurrection
The historical stream, and anecdotal evidence, of the resurrection of Christ spans nearly two centuries. New theories and annotated histories continue to appear to this day. One thing is certain; believers and non-believers alike profess ardent support, or fervent denial, of what is often called the one event upon which all of history turns.
The long record of history
Most comprehensive studies of the resurrection blend three strands of history, each with varying degrees of veracity and validation: contemporary appearances of the risen Christ, the vacant tomb and the explosion of the Christian sect (including the transformation of the apostles) immediately following the ancient, commemorated date of Christ's death. Like most New Testament annals, the stories of Christ's life and death are largely anecdotal; however, academic theologians consider ancient Hebrew texts, corroborated through archaeology, geographical excavations and historical artifacts, as decisive evidence of Christ's life and resurrection. The works of Josephus, along with other Roman historians at the time of Christ's life, provide specific details that are uniformly accepted and remain indisputable, in the crucial environs of academia and ancient religious thought.
The explosion of faith
The individual stories of Christ's post-death appearances differ in detail and fashion the weakest link in the chain of historicity regarding the resurrection of Jesus. Like most eyewitness accounts, they are highly personal and subjective in nature, and their validity in the eyes of scholars remains equivocal. The most startling recorded, and well-verified, element of the history of Christ's resurrection remains the birth, survival and continuation of the Christian faith from the time of his death and crucifixion. Historical records, replete with contemporary accounts of thousands instantly converting to the Christian faith and becoming followers of Christ, sometimes 3000 at a time, provide compelling corroboration of the strength and unity of his followers from the outset. Today, the Christian faith remains a transformative element in the global religious landscape and is perhaps the single most evident and viable truth of the living history of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As one can see, there are many things to learn about this important part of Christian history.