There are those out there who would argue that the resurrection of Jesus was a metaphor. He did not rise. There is no historical evidence for it. But the story of his resurrection as a story of redemption has meaning for us.

Rubbish. This is not new. Paul needed to correct this thinking with the Corinthians.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:12-19
12Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 15We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ — whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. 19If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

If we say that the resurrection is a metaphor, why should we suffer? We should no longer care for salvation or the life to come. We should listen to the wisdom of the meditationers, who follow Buddha, who see nothing beyond this life. There is evidence it works (mindfulness cognitive therapy is Buddhism with a scientific gloss on it).

Without a historical resurrection, there is no way we can change our history. there is no salvation. But if he has risn, then… things change. If there is a historical resurrection, Jesus has triumphed over death. If not, we are deluded in thinking that Christianity is of use.

There is no postmodern, irrational way out of this. It’s unfashionable, judgmental and intolerent. But if Jesus rose, and we say he has every time we recite the creeds then there is but one means of salvation, and that is through Jesus Christ.