(Abridged) Alban Goodier's The Risen Jesus takes the reader inside the main witnesses to Jesus Christ' s death, burial, and resurrection and the subsequent apparitions to his closest followers. Goodier goes well beyond the narration of the Gospel facts to dive deep into the inner workings of their hearts and minds. The author turns well-known Scripture into page-turning drama. Here, Mary Magdalen emerges as a heroic figure of extraordinary love and courage, the closest of Jesus' followers. Striking out first from their refuge and hiding place, she boldly seeks Jesus out in the early morning darkness and, with the angel' s testimony, is rewarded with the first news of his resurrection. What makes Goodier' s account unique is its focus on the participants' psychological and emotional states. The lesson of this book on the risen Jesus Christ is clear: the apostles' lack of faith weakened their understanding and vision to such an extent that they required multiple incidents of proof to accept that Jesus had indeed returned to life. And Jesus, infinitely patient and loving, offered them this proof, again and again.
