Expert: Germania Rodriguez - 1/22/2005

Question
Hi!

I'm a 17 year old R.S. student in the UK. I am just looking for extra information / ideas on a topic I am currently writing a piece of work on. It is fairly specific and so I understand if this is not your area of expertise…

I am looking into both New Testament teaching on life after death, with a view to the philosophy of religion. I.e. does the teaching of the New Testament (e.g. the gospels and I Corinthians) ‘hold up' under philosophical scrutiny? The specific question I am answering at the moment is :

“The New Testament teachings on life after death are philosophically unsound and therefore do not provide and adequate answer to the question of what happens when we die / whether there is life after death.” Examine and evaluate the accuracy of this statement.


I'd appreciate any ideas you have on this subject – and any wider thoughts not based around this particular question as this may not come up exactly as shown in the exam I'll take.


Thank you!

Saz  

Answer
Hi,
In the Bible, death means separation. It does not mean annihilation, destruction, or ceasing to exist. A person who is spiritually dead is spiritually separated from God.
When a person dies physically he/she does not cease to exist. There is a separation ebtween the material part (body) and the inmaterial part (soul/spirit) of the person.
When this separation occurs, the body "falls asleep" and is buried. But the inmaterial part of the person immediately goes to one of two places, depending on the person's relationship with Christ. The departed spirit of a believer in Christ goes immediately into the presence of the Lord.
If you have a bible go to Luke 16:19-22.
The destiny of unbelievers is very different. When an unbeliever dies, his departed spirit goes immediately into hades to experience conscious, unreelenting torment. In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus Lukes 16:19-31 Jesus tell us what  happens to unbelievers at death.