Josephus does not tell us that Christianity is true, and Christians do not need Josephus to tell them that Christ is risen. But Christianity makes claims about things that happened in public history under identifiable rulers, priests, and governors. For that reason, testimony from outside the church matters.
Today, the longing for cultural Christianity on both the left and the right hearkens back to an older version of Christendom that was a mixed blessing for the church in the western world. The cultural mediation of Christian views on created order has certainly benefitted the civilization we’ve inherited. But the gospel itself isn’t something that can be reduced to cultural mediation either. Instead, the gospel as a message stands apart from all human accomplishments and achievements, no matter how beneficial they might be.
The student of Scripture should always have a map open next to their Bible as they read. If possible, they should also travel to Israel, not to make a pilgrimage, but to see the context of the land in which these stories took place. These are not fairy tales made up about fictional fantasy lands; these are stories about real people in real places interacting with a real God.

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Rick Ritchie gives a brief summary on the importance of Plato’s thought in Christianity
Reading includes, on some level, striving. Hearing, on the other hand, remains passive.
The German Bible made Sola Scriptura a reality for all believers.
Bonhoeffer was in the unenviable position of trying to break a spell. The spell was the Nazi crisis, where the totalitarian state threatened the church, and yet to many, seemed to be saving the culture and nation from mortal dangers.
Whoever your president is, you have a King. A King who elected you.
Physicality is good. Some way or another, choose a full performance of Messiah and give it your full attention. More than one time. Consider it a devotional practice.
We have seen a vision better than an angel. We have seen God on the cross. A God who is willing to suffer for us.
We discover in the book that all of history is unfolding according to a plan, but the plan is hidden from our typical ways of seeing.
He is holding you in the faith, even if you imagine your faith has failed you.
“We all partake of the one cup, the cup of blessing which we bless. This is not seen as a bunch of different cups, but as one cup, the same cup that Jesus blessed at the Last Supper.”
We practice infant baptism because that is the ancient practice, following the command of Scripture.
As I came to read the Reformers, I found their words comforting. I started to hope again.