A TV Special entitled Peter Jennings Reporting was about the life and times of Jesus. The scholars used on the program for the most part were liberal in their interpretation of Scripture and history. We have seen like hatchet jobs over the years via television specials with liberal scoffers as hosts.
As a contrast and from an earlier era, a similar study was presented, live, and without directors and rehearsals. Alexander Campbell debated the Scottish skeptic Robert Owen in Cincinnati, Ohio, in April 1829. As to the subject of the historical evidences of Jesus Christ, Campbell said, The resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is, too, the capital item in the apostolic testimony; and the fact on which the whole religion, and hopes of Christianity depend and terminate, I feel strongly disposed to show that this is the best attested fact in the annals of world (Campbell-Owens Debate, page 312-313).
Campbell had just started his famous twelve-hour speech on Christian Evidences. The twelve-hour speech was over a three-day period. This was after Owen ran out of soap, giving up, observing that Campbell was ready to reply to his arguments without regular half hour interruptions.
Campbell went through documented evidence upon evidence. The following quote is part of Mr. Campbell's speech.
Celsus, contemporary with Lucian, was an Epicurean philosopher was one of the most virulent adversaries the Christian religion ever had, and also a man of considerable parts of learning He wrote against Christians, in the year 176 His attack is conducted not by denying the facts contained in the scriptures, of which he all along admits the truth, but by reasoning from such as the following topics: That it was absurd to esteem and worship one as God who was acknowledged to have been a man, and to have suffered death (Campbell-Owens Debate, page 297)
Celsus along with another adversary of Christianity, Trypho the Jew, never denied the facts of the gospel but ridicule the idea of Jesus could be the Christ, our Savior.
Skeptics of the world will remain skeptical. History, testimony, verifiable evidence will remain on the side of Jesus Christ and Christianity. - DONALD R. FOX