You didn't ask, but I will answer: yes, I do believe in the literal resurrection of Jesus Christ. Like empty tomb and bodily resurrection and appearances and bodily life with God and all of that.
Since a number of popular theologians read by progressives deny or at least downplay the resurrection (perhaps most famously Marcus Borg), this is a meditation in short statements (formatted to cross-post on Twitter).
The least interesting argument against resurrection is the supposedly scientific one. Quantum physicists posit all kinds of things that haven't been observed and can't yet be fully explained. Saying resurrection is impossible because it is unlikely is kind of boring.
On the other hand, I'm not saying it is required to believe in the bodily resurrection in order to be a (good) Christian. Because resurrection is complex, I think theologians like Borg are Christian but insufficiently curious.
Denying resurrection is a simplistic solution to a complex problem. The desire is to re-focus Christian faith on this life rather than escape to the next. Better theologies of resurrection understand the resurrection to contribute precisely to a robust this-worldly eschatology.
We can look at Feuerbach as the progenitor of one of the most popular hot-takes. Feuerbach understood belief in resurrection as wish-fulfillment for immediate certainty of life after death.
There are two problems with this as a denial of the resurrection. First, since perception/knowing rides close to existence, for all we know our perceptions of a thing are the thing, in which case the wish for resurrection establishes it.
But that's just conjecture. Of more interest theologically, Jesus doesn't immediately experience life after death in the resurrection. Christian doctrine is he dies and is dead, full stop. Then there's Saturday. Sunday he is raised. Life after death is not guaranteed. It is harrowed and accomplished.
Why does that distinction matter? Well, since most of us wish not to die, baked into the actual event of resurrection is something none of us would wish. Even if popular notions are we go to heaven right away when we die, that's not actually Christian doctrine.
So what about Christ's earthly life. Does resurrection distract from it? I argue it deepens it. Christ's death establishes his incredibly fidelity TO THIS LIFE. His resurrection shows God's fidelity to HIS LIFE, and just so this life.
Having read this, you are free to believe what you wish, and I won't deny the faithfulness of those who think Jesus just died, full-stop, and that was the end. I can see how that's clean and clear. I just don't think its brazen enough to be the whole story.
Nice! Last Easter it occurred to me, if bodily resurrection is real, then he could be somewhere, bodily, on this Earth different than Matt 25 sense, Jesus. Imagine that!