Christians believe that Jesus is the son of God. They believe that the best proof of this is that he came back to life after his death. In Christian theology, the death, resurrection, and return to heaven of Jesus are the most important events of the Christian faith. The Nicene Creed states: "On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures". According to Terry Miethe, a Christian philosopher at Oxford University, the question " 'Did Jesus rise from the dead?' is the most important question regarding the claims of the Christian faith." According to John R. Rice, a Baptist evangelist, the resurrection of Jesus was part of God's plan for forgiving people by paying the penalty for man's sin. The Catholic church teaches: 