Mike Licona

About Mike Licona

Michael R. Licona (born 1961) is an American New Testament scholar and Christian apologist whose work focuses on the historical case for the resurrection of Jesus and the reliability of the Gospels. He holds a Ph.D. in New Testament Studies from the University of Pretoria, earned with distinction, as well as an M.A. in Religious Studies from Liberty University. Since 2012 he has served at Houston Christian University (formerly Houston Baptist University), where he currently holds the rank of Professor of New Testament Studies. He is also Extraordinary Associate Professor of Theology at North-West University in South Africa.

Theological Position and Approach

Licona operates within the evangelical tradition but is distinguished by his commitment to applying rigorous historical-critical methodology to questions that matter deeply to Christian faith. He does not dismiss historical scholarship but engages it directly, arguing that the resurrection of Jesus can be defended on historical grounds accessible to scholars of any worldview. He is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, the Society of Biblical Literature, the Institute for Biblical Research, and the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas. His approach is explicitly apologetic in purpose while remaining academically rigorous in method.

Key Scholarly Contributions

His 2010 book The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach (IVP Academic) is his magnum opus, running to over 700 pages. The work applies the criteria used by professional historians to the question of the resurrection and argues that the bodily resurrection is the best historical explanation of the available evidence, including the post-mortem appearances, the empty tomb, and the transformation of the disciples. A second major work, Why Are There Differences in the Gospels? What We Can Learn from Ancient Biography (Oxford University Press, 2017), argues that apparent contradictions between the Gospels are better explained by the compositional conventions of Greco-Roman biography than by error or theological fabrication. This work generated significant discussion both within evangelical scholarship and in broader New Testament studies.

Debates and Public Engagement

Licona has debated the resurrection and Gospel reliability with a range of scholars across the ideological spectrum, including Bart Ehrman, John Dominic Crossan, Richard Carrier, Matt Dillahunty, and various Muslim apologists such as Shabir Ally, Yusuf Ismail, and Ali Ataie. His debate archive is one of the most extensive in contemporary Christian apologetics. The channel hosts full-length debates alongside lectures, Q&A sessions, and podcast episodes from the Risen Jesus Podcast, which he co-hosts. Licona engages respectfully with critics and is known for acknowledging scholarly complexity rather than offering oversimplified answers.

The Risen Jesus Ministry

Licona runs Risen Jesus, Inc., a nonprofit apologetics ministry dedicated to training Christians to defend the historical resurrection and to engage honestly with skeptical scholarship. The ministry produces books, courses, podcast content, and public debates. The YouTube channel serves as the primary distribution platform for this material, hosting both archival debates and newly produced content including the Risen Jesus Podcast series.

Content on the Channel

The channel's 151 videos span formal debates, lectures, podcast episodes, and interview-format conversations. The most referenced biblical texts reflect Licona's scholarly preoccupations: Mark and 1 Corinthians (particularly chapter 15) dominate, followed by John, Romans, and Matthew. Recurring topics include the minimal facts argument for the resurrection, the nature of Gospel differences, the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, and the historical existence of Jesus.

Target Audience

The channel is primarily aimed at Christians who want academically defensible answers to skeptical challenges, as well as open-minded skeptics willing to engage serious historical argument. Graduate and undergraduate students in biblical studies and theology frequently use Licona's debates as case studies in historical methodology. The channel's tone is measured, scholarly, and civil, making it accessible to viewers who want substance without rhetoric.