What distinguishes Christianity from all other religions? Christianity rises or falls on the resurrection of Christ. It is thus a testable, or reasonable, faith.
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Let me start by saying I wonder whether I might have understood Dr. Craig Hazen not correctly. Did he mean that anyone could be able to grasp the core of Christianity – the resurrection of Christ – with reason alone? Would this mean a Christian could convince an atheist who is, let’s say, endlessly searching to prove them wrong who can believe, with a conceivable explanation that the resurrection of Christ is a fact?
If so, then I made some things wrong in the past since I was never able to convince anyone, especially of Jesus’ resurrection. The same problem I see as to the virginity of Mary who was made pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Every atheist shakes his head in disbelief when faced with these quixotic curiosities.
I remember a long conversation I had with a Muslim about the role of Jesus. Strangely enough he believed that Christ was risen, but he couldn’t understand why Jesus doesn’t intervene in this earthly life, so that everyone could see it. At that time, I didn’t know what to answer him. Today I would say that the kingdom of God – currently – is still invisible, and that Jesus does reign. However, only a believer could “see” His hand in all things. But this explanation wouldn’t help him either, at least as long as God wouldn’t give him faith to believe in the truth.
As for such interreligious talk, I found myself often helpless because I was always seeking for the best answer as quick as possible. Today it’s quite different since I saw what went wrong on the whole: when somebody asked me something or tried to convince me that my faith would be wrong, I got soon stuck in details…But I never really sat back and looked at the big picture, and I never prayed earnestly in order to receive God’s wisdom instead of babbling away. My today’s method “Listen first, pray second, speak as soon as you know what to say” works better, and is far more relaxing than to feel urged to make someone believe in the truth.
However, I am not an apologist either.
I didn’t take Craig Hazen to be commenting on the likelihood of someone to believe. Rather, I took him to be saying that faith in Christ is based on facts which can and should be examined. If the central fact of Christ’s life – His resurrection from the dead – is false, then faith in Christ is worthless. This is the point made by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19.
There is no amount of evidence which will convinced someone who is unwilling to believe. However, for the person with an open mind and an honest heart, there is more than enough evidence to provide a solid basis for faith.