Professor Dotson has rendered a distinct service to both believers and non-believers in this challenging but quite personal work. Belief in the resurrection of Jesus has been the “stumbling block” of Christian faith since its inception, and in the first four chapters of his book Dr. Dotson addresses this issue. Rather than resort to some sort of “God of the Gaps” explanation, he applies his physics expertise to show how our contemporary understanding of the physical world makes it possible to explain the mechanics of appearances of Jesus after his crucifixion. I think we will all feel indebted to Dotson for his contribution to this discussion.

Although some mainline and conservative scholars may quibble with his biblical scholarship, his frequent references to the work of both Bart Ehrman and The Jesus Seminar provide a relatively sound basis for his textual conclusions. At the same time, his views about the differences between Paul’s “Gospel” and “Jesus’ teachings” may not stand on equally solid ground. Nevertheless, his personal style makes for pleasant reading and his positions are reasonable.

His observations about how we should live will be welcomed by hosts of readers concerned about the pollution of our world, as he urges the development of a “heart of compassion” that would include the entirety of Creation. Although he does not reference his work, Dotson’s argument at this point is reminiscent of Albert Schweitzer’s philosophy of “reverence for life.”

Dotson’s experience as a teacher shines through the book, as he manages to explain and apply difficult concepts like quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity in language understandable to the layperson. His work should provide the basis for interesting discussions among both believers and non-believers.