To the editor:
In his April 10 column concerning faulty views of the Resurrection, Father Richard McBrien criticizes those who believe it occurred in such a “literally real fashion that (Jesus’ body) could have been photographed, if the technology had existed in those days.” He then goes on to describe the “metaphorical character” of Biblical accounts of the Resurrection.
Rather than focus on the two extreme views, “rationalist” and “fundamentalist,” that McBrien claims are pitted against one another, readers might find it interesting this Easter season to learn what the Church actually teaches about the matter.
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we learn that “(t)he mystery of Christ’s resurrection is a real event, with manifestations that were historically verified, as the New Testament bears witness. ‚Ķ Given all these testimonies, Christ’s Resurrection cannot be interpreted as something outside the physical order, and it is impossible not to acknowledge it as an historical fact.” The Catechism also teaches that “(t)he faith of the first community of believers is based on the witness of concrete men known to the Christians and for the most part still living among them.” Perhaps in a subsequent column, McBrien can explain the “metaphorical character” of the explicit language the Catechism uses to describe the Resurrection.
Rich Leonardi
Monteith Avenue
Cincinnati
EDITOR’S NOTE: Mr. Leonardi, a Rochester native, reads the Catholic Courier at www.catholiccourier.com.
