“Corporeal” of the Rational Response Squad says that the recent discovery among the Dead Sea Scrolls gives Christianity a “death blow.”  What is it that he speaks of?  Why it is a tablet that contains a myth about a savior who dies and rises again on the third day.  Thing is, this tablet predates Jesus by decades–and the story, therefore, is probably much older than that.

Here’s the story.  Is it the end of Christianity as we know it, or something altogether different?

Personally, I think that it is something altogether different.  I think that this tablet actually strengthens the case for Christ and for Christianity.  How, do you ask?

Well, I won’t say just yet.  Let’s just say that I agree with Ben Witherington and Theology Web member “ApologiaMonk:”

In Christianity, this was all said to be done according to the Scriptures and that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. If someone reading the OT sees it beforehand, why should that cast doubt on what happened?

Nonetheless, many opinions, both scholarly and otherwise, have been and will be advanced on this topic.  Originally, I had planned on following this story without offering much in the way of commentary on it.  However, I’ve been asked by Rook Hawkins of the Rational Response Squad to offer whatever insight I can to the equation.  So in a future post, I will do just that.

Meanwhile, feel free to discuss the find below in comments, here on Theology Web, or here at the Rational Response Squad forums.  My comments will follow by Wednesday of this week.  I have three full days off to study this find and offer an informed opinion.