The resurrection of the dead was as Tertullian says ‘the chief article of the whole Christian faith’ (De resurrectione 39.3) and one of those beliefs which most distinguished Christian thought from much other contemporary thinking. This book looks at the way in which post-death existence is represented in the work of the early Church Fathers - notably Athenagoras Tertullian and Origen - and the Letter to Rheginos and how these representations compare with its treatment both in Scripture and in contemporary modern theological reflection. Examining these attitudes to life after death and putting them into conversation with more modern interpretations the book asks four main questions. Firstly whether resurrection happens immediately after death. Secondly if there is continuity or discontinuity of space and time between death and a resurrection life. Thirdly it explores whether post-death existence was thought to be embodied or not and if so how might it be embodied. Finally it addresses the issue of continuity or discontinuity of personal identity after death. This book sheds light on the formation of a key doctrine of Christian faith. As such it will be of significant interest to scholars and academics working in the History of Religion Theology and Patristics. |The Early Church and the Afterlife Post-death existence in Athenagoras Tertullian Origen and the Letter to Rheginos | Religion
