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Immortality versus resurrection in the Christian tradition
1School of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA 91182, USA. nmurphy@fuller.edu
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|October 13, 2011
Summary
Early Christianity emphasized bodily resurrection, not an immortal soul. This paper argues for returning to this view, promoting environmental care and a unified human nature for eternal life.
Area of Science:
- Theology
- Philosophy of Religion
- History of Christianity
Background:
- Contemporary afterlife beliefs often center on an immortal soul.
- Early Christian doctrine focused on bodily resurrection.
- Greek and Roman philosophies influenced Christian views on human nature and the afterlife.
Purpose of the Study:
- To trace the historical development of Christian afterlife beliefs.
- To critique the entrenched doctrine of body-soul dualism and soul immortality.
- To advocate for a return to the early Christian concept of bodily resurrection.
Main Methods:
- Historical analysis of theological and philosophical texts.
- Examination of early Christian writings and their adaptation.
- Argumentative essay presenting a case for a specific theological position.
Main Results:
- Christianity incorporated body-soul dualism and soul immortality by the time of Augustine.
- This created a hybrid afterlife view: body dies, soul ascends, followed by a future resurrection.
- This hybrid view remained dominant until the 20th century.
Conclusions:
- A return to the early Christian emphasis on bodily resurrection is proposed.
- This aligns with original Christian sources and promotes a unified view of human nature.
- This perspective can foster greater attention to environmental stewardship.
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