Published in the 1970's so O'Collins spends a bit more time than he might today in addressing the claims of folks like Bultmann, but this was obviously necessary at the time. O'Collins is rigorous in his respect for reason and historical method, but he also offers lots of interesting and even exhilarating reflections on what we can learn from the Apostlic witness recorded in scripture. He uses 1 Corinthians 15 (Paul's list of resurrection appearances) as a sort of framing device for reflections from different perspectives. The postscript quotes both the young Karl Marx, and The Lord of the Rings! Well worth reading.

O'Collins, early in the '70s, wove a wondrous path past the 'God is Dead' pseudo-theologies of Geering and others and the 'cause of Jesus goes on' theologies of Marxsen and others, and countless other dismantlings and demythologizings of New Testament orthodoxy, and presented a profound case for resurrection-language as deeply "other". This work was one of the great late 20th century statements of optimistic christological orthodoxy. Now marred by pre-inclusive language, it is nevertheless a great text. ( )