The position thus stated has found con- siderable support, among both theologians and scientists. It is to ' the type of phenomena col- lected by the Society of Psychical Research, and especially by the late Mr. F. W. H. Myers,' that Lake, e.g., turns for help in understanding the nature of the appearances of the Risen Christ (The Resurrection of Jesus Christ, p. 272). As to the results already obtained in this sphere he expresses himself more cautiously than Myers. He thinks it po.ssible that at least 'some evidence' already exists pointing to the fact of such communications having taken place. But ' we must wait until the experts have sufficiently sifted the arguments for alternative explanations of the phenomena, before they can actually be used as reliable evidence for the survival of personality after death' (p. 245). As to the value of the evidence, however, when thus sifted and substantiated, Lake has no doubt. The belief in the Resurrection even in the sense of the personal survival of Jesus after death depends on the success of the experiments and investiga- tions of psychical research. It must remain ' merely an hypothesis until it can be shown ' through these experiments and investigations ' that personal life does endure beyond death, is neither extinguished nor suspended, and is capable of manifesting its existence to us' (ib.). Some of the leading representatives of present-day science, too, have found in the phenomena of psychical research new support in favour of belief in the recorded ap- pearances of Christ after His death. Lodge, e.g., maintains that the narratives of the appearances are substantially accurate records of genuine psychical experiences on the part of the apostles. The appearances during the forty days are mys- terious enough, but they can be accepted very much as they stand, for they agree with our experi- ence of genuine i)sychical phenomena the world over (cf. Man and the Universe, p. 290). This relat- ing of the appearances of the Risen Christ to psy- chical phenomena is held to explain .some of the difficulties belonging to the narratives, in particular the apparent discrepancy in regard to the locality of the appearances (see liesurrertlo Christi, London, 1909 ; Interpreter, vi. [1909-10] 306).
Now this branch of psychological science is still in its infancy, and it is difficult to speak yet of any
362 RESURKKCTION OF CHRIST
RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
doliniteness of results. But already it is evident llial a new chapter in the discussion of the Resur- rection has opened here. The whole question of relation of body and spirit has taken on a new aspect through these investigations. The mystery of human (lersonality and the possession of hitherto unrecognized |)0\vers, not only of mind over mind, but of mind over body, is lieing revealed as never be- fore. The evidences of h ypeniormal mental control, especially in the hypnotic state, over bodily processes {e.g. the production of blisters and ecchymoses of the skin, the so-called 'stigmata' by verbal sug- gestion) show that mind has the power of exerting a far greater induence over body than had been generally recognized by physiologists (see, e.//., MacDougall, Bof/i/ ami MinU, ch. .\xv.). And the evidence produced by such investigations of the control of matter by si)irit in e.xtraordinary if not preternatural ways may aid not a little in removing prejudice to the facts recorded in the narratives as to the resurrection and ascension of Christ. ' When scientists of workl-wide reputation, trained in the strictest school of scientific inquiry, such as Sir William Crookes, Sir Oliver Lodge, and Sir Alfred Wallace, declare, as they have done, that they have verified the fact by repeated experiment that ponderable bodies can be moveil without physical contact by some hitherto unrecognised force which was brought into play by the action of human will, it is no longer possible to treat with scientific contempt the assertions contained in the Gospels that Christ's material body disappeared from the tomb as the result of a hitherto unrecog- nised force which was exerted upon it without physical contact' (Robinson, Studie.<: in the Resiir- re.ctinn, p. 97). It is doubtful, however, how far help can be obtained from this quarter in under- standing the bodily manifestations of Jesus to His disciples recorded in the narratives. The verdict of most critics will, we fancy, be at present one of non-committal.
Against the attempt to bring the resurrection of Christ into line with the phenomena dealt with by psychical research and to make belief in the Resurrection dependent on the scientilic verification of these phenomena in the way that Myers and Lake suggest, various objections may be urged.
(1) Itdoesless than justice to I he apostolic claim. Accordingto Myers, the ' essential claim ' of the tradition of Christ's resurrec- tion is taken to be 'the soul's life manifested after the body's death.' Its claim extends, that is to say, only to a spiritual Resurrection, a Resurrection in the sense of a personal survival of .Jesus, an assurance that though His body was laid in the tomb and remained there He lived in spirit. ' What we mean by resurrection is not resuscitation of the material body, but the unbroken survival of personal life ' (Lake, p. 2ti5). Soit is held that 'the existence of verified apparitions would substantiate all that is useful in the study of the resurrection, and make human experience in all as^es akin ' (J. H. Hyslop, Psychical Research aiid the ResunecUon, Boston, 1908, p". 383). As for a physical resurrection, ' this must remain incredible so long as such phenomena are not now frequent, and as long as human experience does not reproduce it as a law of nature ' iib.). But it was not upon such spiritual apparitions or ' manifestations of a surviving personality ' that the faith of the Church in the resur- rection of Christ was built ; it was, as we have seen, upon His victory over death and the grave, as witnessed by the empty tomb on the third day and His subsequent appearances.