2. Historicity (Implications) - Does it Matter if Jesus of Nazareth Existed?

If Jesus of Nazareth never actually lived, would Christianity still matter?

Imagine waking up to the headline: "New evidence proves Jesus of Nazareth never existed." Such evidence is practically impossible, but for the sake of the argument, imagine it is trustworthy, irrefutable, and fundamentally true. How would that change the way you think about Christianity as a religion or belief system?

This topic weighs how much of the Christian message depends on Jesus’ historical authenticity, or historicity. Some believe that the central claims of Christianity depend entirely on Jesus living as a real person, while others believe that you can draw deep meaning from Christianity's values and message even if Jesus never existed.

View 1: Historicity Matters

This view holds that the historical existence of Jesus is essential for Christianity to be meaningful, coherent, and true. Christianity is understood here as a faith rooted in real events, not in fictional stories or abstract spiritual ideas.

According to this perspective, the stories about Jesus’ life are accounts of events that actually took place in history. Key claims like God becoming human in Jesus, his sacrificial death, and his resurrection only make sense if he existed as a real person. If Jesus never lived, these core beliefs are not just weakened, they lose their meaning. God becoming a man becomes a poetic image rather than God actually entering human history. Jesus’ death on the cross becomes a symbol rather than a real act of sacrifice. The resurrection becomes a metaphor rather than an actual victory over death. At that point, every claim about Jesus functions only as symbol, metaphor, or allegory rather than as a record of what truly happened. Christianity would no longer stand as a truth claim about what God has done in the world, but would instead be reduced to a collection of inspiring narratives that people are free to appreciate without any obligation to believe or obey.

In summary, this view concludes that if Jesus is not a real historical figure, Christianity loses its most critical foundation and should not be trusted to teach us about God or reality.

View 2: Historicity Is Secondary

In contrast to the first view, this perspective places far less weight on whether Jesus actually existed. Christianity is understood here as a faith whose power lies primarily in its story and message, not in the historical details behind it.

According to this perspective, the accounts of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are treated as stories that reveal deep spiritual and moral truths. They point to themes such as sacrificial love, forgiveness, hope beyond suffering, and the triumph of good over evil. These truths can influence a person's life regardless of whether the events happened exactly as described or whether Jesus was ever a real person. In this way, the story of Jesus functions as a powerful lens for understanding God, ourselves, and the world, even if it is not grounded in literal history.

People who lean this way often compare Jesus' story to other influential narratives that have shaped cultures and individuals. A story can inspire courage, compassion, and purpose even if it is not historically factual. Similarly, Christianity's value is seen in the meaning it gives to life, the community it forms, and the transformation it produces, regardless of its historical accuracy. Even if Jesus were fictional, they reason that the Bible can still be received as a rich narrative that helps people live with purpose, compassion, and hope.

From this perspective, faith is less about affirming that certain events took place and more about entering into the story and allowing its themes to define how you live. The teachings attributed to Jesus can still guide ethics, identity, and hope even if someone remains agnostic or skeptical about his historical existence. However, critics of this view argue that if Christianity is treated primarily as a meaningful story rather than as a record of real events, it becomes difficult to explain why its story should carry more authority than any other inspiring narrative.

In summary, this view sees Christianity's strength in its symbolic and transformative power. Whether or not Jesus of Nazareth was a real person is considered a secondary question, not a decisive one.

So, Does it Matter?

These two approaches answer the same question in very different ways. One sees Jesus' historicity as a load-bearing part of the Christian faith. Remove it, and the structure collapses. The other sees the story of Jesus as meaningful and life-shaping regardless of what actually happened in history.

What about you? Does it matter to you whether Jesus was a real historical figure, or is the value of the story enough on its own?