During the last decades of the 19th century, a philosophical work was released into the
world of the European intelligentsia. This work entitled “Thus Spake Zarathustra” caused no
small stir among its readers and is perhaps best known for it bold statement declaring that “God
is dead!” Of course this statement in no way intended to claim that the almighty God had given in
to mortality. Rather the author, one Herr Friedrich Nietzsche, was claiming that the belief in God
was dying in the world around him. Nietzsche, a professed atheist, claimed that in the modernscientific and culturally developing world of the 1880’s, the idea of the Christian God was simply
no longer believable. He predicted the imminent demise of the Church and a totally reshaping of
the structure morality. Nietzsche boldly claimed that God was dead and now everything is
permissible.
If one were criticize Nietzsche’s claims, one could start by illustrating the fact that more
than a century after the predicted “imminent demise of the Christian Church” the Catholic Church
that Jesus founded still exists with a billion members. It would appear that our Lord’s promise
that “the gates of hell shall not overcome her” carries more validity that the predictions of
modernist philosophers. However, where Nietzsche did have a valid point was in his observation
regarding the foundations of morality. Nietzsche held that without God standing as the ultimate
standard and rule of right conduct, there were no actions that were any longer prohibited. Ideal
notions such as right and wrong, good and evil were now seen to be outdated products of human
origin. The will to power was now the dominate factor in human action. In this worldview might
makes right and justice becomes whatever the strongest party has decided. If Nietzsche were
correct about God being dead, then each person would logically and reasonably be required to
change their entire view of themselves and world around them. Fortunately Nietzsche claim is
ridiculous and totally unfounded. Over the centuries many voices have declared that the Church
of Jesus was either dead or dying; for the last two thousand years Holy Mother Church has
outlasted all of them. Nietzsche’s idea however, can serve as a useful basis of comparison for
another proposal of world altering proportions.
In opposition to Nietzsche’s claim, I posit that “Jesus Christ rose from the dead and now
everything is different!” God has humbled Himself to take on our flesh and die that we might live
with Him for eternity. No longer is humanity subject to the hopelessness of our impending
deaths. No longer must we be slaves to our irrational passions as are lower animals. Jesus
Christ has risen from the dead, now everything is different! Truth is now knowable by the
assurance of divine revelation, no longer are we restricted to power of our frail human intellects.
Goodness and justice are no longer matters of mere opinion, but now are clear concepts that are
mandated by God. Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, now everything is different! Humanity
is no longer separated from its creator by an unbridgeable chasm; we now have access to God
who invites us all into personal relationship with Him. Grace is now available in abundance to all
who would seek the living God, and the Father now stands ready to share with us his very divine
life. Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, and each person now logically and reasonably is
required to change their entire view of themselves and world around them. I think a fruitful
practice this Easter season would be to reflect on just how we have allowed this world-changing
truth to alter are thinking and our actions. It is only logical, if we believe that Jesus has indeed
risen from the dead then everything is now different.