Overview

The Facts Up, Options Down approach is simple—five facts and a memory-aid—yet powerful enough to eliminate every alternative except one. However, the catalogue of claims surrounding the resurrection is larger than only five.

Depending on the audience and need, you may want to include other things well-established by historical evidence. Professor Craig Hazen has also done excellent work using Habermas’ “Minimal Facts,” and produced a useful flowchart below, utilizing twelve established facts.

  1. Jesus died due to the effects of Roman crucifixion. [minimal fact #1]
  2. Jesus was buried, most likely in a private tomb [identified specifically in the NT].
  3. Afterwards, the disciples were discouraged, bereaved, and despondent, having their previous hope challenged.
  4. The tomb was discovered to be empty just a few days later. [minimal fact #2]
  5. The disciples reported experiences which they believed were actually appearances of the risen Jesus. [minimal fact #3]
  6. The teaching and proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection and the subsequent appearances took place very early after the disciples’ experiences. [minimal fact #5]
  7. These experiences [combined with their previous interactions during Jesus’ ministry] accounted for the disciples’ lives becoming thoroughly transformed, [from being afraid to identify themselves with Jesus after the crucifixion to bold proclaimers of his death and resurrection] even to the point of being willing to die for their belief.
  8. The disciples’ reports, preaching, and teachings of these resurrection experiences took place in the city of Jerusalem, where Jesus was crucified and buried shortly before.
  9. The gospel message [of the early church] centered on the message of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  10. The gatherings of the Christian community began at approximately this same time, featuring the first day of the week [Sunday] as a frequent time for worship.
  11. James, the brother of Jesus and a skeptic or at least an unbeliever before his conversion, most likely believed and became a follower after he also believed that he saw the risen Jesus. [minimal fact #4]
  12. Just a few years later, Saul of Tarsus (Paul) also became a Christian believer due to an experience that he also concluded was an appearance of the risen Jesus to him. [minimal fact #4]