Spiritual Resurrection Flashcards
whats spiritual resurrection?
-the idea of an immortal soul is not biblical, derives from Greek thought
-for some Christians idea of physical resurrection doesn’t make sense
-argue the dead body rots away to nothing in the grave or is completely destroyed by fire in cremation
-elements that make up body returned to nature and re-used in such a way that resurrection of flesh is nonsensical idea
-doesnt mean reject resurrection
what happens in spiritual resurrection?
-soul or spirit of person that is resurrected
-when body comes to an end in death, soul lives on with God
what do Christians support spiritual revolution with?
- Pauls first letter to Church in Corinth
“its sown a physical body, its raised a spiritual”
“we shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed”
what does Paul mean in the letters?
-indicates resurrected body will be quite diff to body that has died.
-some think Pauls words imply there will be some kind of physical aspect to resurrection, but that the soul may be resurrected in new heavenly body that had no physical existence on Earth
-others say Paul trying to explain that a miraculous change will come over physical bodies so that they become perfect, no longer subject to ageing and decaying
what questions does spiritual resurrection raise?
-what age and condition will resurrected body be?
-will someone who died in infancy be resurrected as an infant?
-will someone with missing limb be resurrected as a whole?
Religion does not provide answers to any of these questions
whats the significance of 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 and 50-54?
-in his first letter Pauls purpose was to intervene in disputes that risked splitting the community. one of these was resurrection.
“now if Christ preached as raised from dead, how can some of you say that there’s no resurrection of dead?”
-corinthians struggling to make sense both of idea of resurrection of JC and also implication humans too can be resurrected
what does Pauls explanation focus on?
-pauls explanation focuses on an insistence that resurrection is possible. humans can indeed be resurrected and JC has been raised from dead.
-if corinthians don’t believe in resurrection their faith in J has been pointless
-“In fact Christ has been raised from dead, the first fruits of those who have died” (1 corinthians 15:20)
1 Corinthians 15:40-42?
“with resurrection of dead, what is sown in perishable, what is raised is imperishable?”
“for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed”
whats importance of 1 Corinthians 15:40-42?
-v early piece Christian theology
-only written 20-25 years after death of J. Shows development of Christian though at an early stage, at a time when ppl who remembered J would still be alive
-Paul uses his certainty that Jesus was raised physically from dead to argue that belief in resurrection both rational + essential for members of emerging Church
what else is important about 1 Corinthians 15:40-42?
-forms basis for Christian teaching on resurrection. according to Paul, the death and resurrection wasn’t one-off spectacular historical event.
-it was cause of, and evidence for, the start of a new relationship between humankind and God, one that was no longer damaged by sin of Adam
-death wasn’t the end, but there was hope for eternal life in the presence of God alongside the risen, ascended Christ
third importance of 1 Corinthians 15:40-42?
-provided hope during periods of persecution that Church would soon experience, and theological justification for martyrdom. 1st period of persecution of Christians was under Roman emperor Nero in 64CE after he blamed Christians for causing a fire which destroyed large parts of Rome
-wouldve been easy for Christians to give up their faith rather than risk imprisonment, torture or death
-belief in resurrection to eternal life was so attractive that Christians were prepared to die bearing witness to JC as Lord
-without these martyrs Christianity might’ve died out altogether
