Is Jesus Risen? Literal View Gains Ground

"We are just aware that life is much more mysterious and surprising," Markham said. "People are less inclined to dismiss things just because they are unscientific."

This resonates with Gary Habermas, a historian who chairs the Liberty University philosophy and theology department and has written 13 books about the Resurrection. Last year, he released a review of the most recent 2,200 scholarly articles and books about the subject and concluded that about three-quarters of New Testament scholars embrace the belief that Jesus rose from the dead. His research, which some dismiss because he is not a biblical scholar, was published in the Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus.

Polling is thin about beliefs among Christians in general about the Resurrection and whether they have changed. The Barna Group, which researches the behavior and beliefs of Christians, found in 2000 that more than 50 percent of Americans disagreed with this statement: "After he was crucified and died, Jesus Christ did not return to life physically." A 2003 Harris poll found that 96 percent said they believed in Jesus's Resurrection. A Scripps Howard poll that year found that 63 percent of Americans were "absolutely certain" Jesus physically rose from the dead.

The Rev. Steve Huber of St. Columba's Episcopal Church in the District said he sees a "deep spiritual hunger afloat in our culture" but isn't sure whether that translates into more people believing in the physical Resurrection -- or whether it matters.

"The truth of the Resurrection shouldn't be the real battleground. I think what we want to do is try and rise above that and ask, 'What is the metaphoric truth of Easter?' " he said. "The real power of Easter is the transformation that, as Christians, we believe continues to happen in people's lives.

"If Easter is about proving the veracity of some historical event that happened 2,000 years ago, that misses the point," Huber said.

That was the point, however, at an event Wednesday night at New Beginnings Community Church in Bowie, where about 40 people watched the program "The Case For Easter."

Pastor Michael Hall organized the showing because he said he sensed that people "want to receive credible evidence. . . . They are leaning more toward believing this, but they want to know for sure."

Jesus's return from the dead is key to faith for Dickerson and the women in her study group in Herndon. His ability to overcome death serves as an inspiration to "live your life differently because of what Easter did," she said, to find the motivation to try to overcome the challenges of life.