Beliefs about the Afterlife

[Smoky]

What are Anglicans required to believe about the afterlife in order to be considered orthodox? Is it heresy to believe in conditional immortality or universal restoration?

 

[Liberasit]

What are Anglicans required to believe about the afterlife in order to be considered orthodox? Is it heresy to believe in conditional immortality or universal restoration?

We are not "required" to believe anything. We are guided by the Holy Spirit on God's timings.

 

[PaladinValer]

What are Anglicans required to believe about the afterlife in order to be considered orthodox? Is it heresy to believe in conditional immortality or universal restoration?

We know, from Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition, that upon biological death, a person's soul departs for sheol/hades, which is where all souls go to await the resurrection and Christ's Second Advent. Our bodies go to the dust. There, our souls shall experience a foretaste of heaven or hell, given particular judgment.

Upon Jesus' return, the trumpet shall sound and the Kingdom of Heaven and our material plane shall be one. Then the Resurrection of the Dead occurs: our souls return to our resurrected and reconstituted bodies, healed, transfigured, and perfected, and we become actual persons again. Then these who were once dead and those who were still living at the time, who shall presumably healed, transfigured, and perfected as well, shall be given Last Judgment. Those judged worthy by the Lamb shall experience heaven and those not judged worthy shall experience hell.

 

[Picky Picky]

By "judged worthy" do you mean judged on merit?

 

[Smoky]

[BThose judged worthy by the Lamb shall experience heaven and those not judged worthy shall experience hell.
][/B]

In your opinion is hell endless torment? Is anything else heresy? And can any of us be judged worthy? I thought it was all about grace.

 

[Liberasit]

We know, from Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition, that upon biological death, a person's soul departs for sheol/hades, which is where all souls go to await the resurrection and Christ's Second Advent. Our bodies go to the dust. There, our souls shall experience a foretaste of heaven or hell, given particular judgment.

Upon Jesus' return, the trumpet shall sound and the Kingdom of Heaven and our material plane shall be one. Then the Resurrection of the Dead occurs: our souls return to our resurrected and reconstituted bodies, healed, transfigured, and perfected, and we become actual persons again. Then these who were once dead and those who were still living at the time, who shall presumably healed, transfigured, and perfected as well, shall be given Last Judgment. Those judged worthy by the Lamb shall experience heaven and those not judged worthy shall experience hell.

I don't think many Anglicans hold this view.

 

[everbecoming2007]

What are Anglicans required to believe about the afterlife in order to be considered orthodox? Is it heresy to believe in conditional immortality or universal restoration?

We don't define it much, but there is life everlasting and heaven and hell. I don't know if conditional immortality falls into those beliefs or not -- Anglicans tend to have a great deal of room in regard to interpretation if the basics are held to. I do not hold to the idea of the annihilation of the soul. C.S. Lewis said that what is cast into hell is not a man, but the remains, although he did not by this mean the soul is annihilated.

We do not know the destiny of any particular soul as regards salvation. Because we do not know whether any individual shall be saved, it is prudent to give everyone the benefit of a doubt and pray for the salvation of all souls -- we pray for all sorts and conditions of people in the prayers of the people and other times.

I try not to dwell on this sort of topic too much anymore. What is true about it will remain true regardless of what I believe or can comprehend.

 

[ebia]

What are Anglicans required to believe about the afterlife in order to be considered orthodox? Is it heresy to believe in conditional immortality or universal restoration?

It's permissible to believe that all may be saved. As it is in the RCC and many other places.

 

[graceandpeace]

What are Anglicans required to believe about the afterlife in order to be considered orthodox? Is it heresy to believe in conditional immortality or universal restoration?

Follow this link to the Episcopal Church's BCP: The Online Book of Common Prayer

Select The Catechism from the left side of the page's options, then click on the link. Scroll down toward the bottom of the page & read the Q&A under The Christian Hope. The answers are short without deep explanations, though I would expect a priest instructing a potential convert might go into more detail. I agree with the response PaladinValer offered.

I think it would be safe to assume that there are Anglicans, as well Christians in other groups, who profess belief in conditional immortality or universal reconciliation, but neither of those positions are historically Christian or officially approved by any Anglican Church that I'm aware of. I don't think either of those positions have been declared "heresy" by any Anglican body (I don't know).

I think it is acceptable for Anglicans to believe that all could be saved, but to declare that all will be saved (universal reconciliation) departs historical Christian thinking & goes beyond the scope of what's been revealed to us, IMO.

 

[PaladinValer]

I don't think many Anglicans hold this view.

Many Anglicans unfortunately don't hold very solid theological views, although that's true in all churches and denominations sadly.

It is, however, the orthodox Christian view, and the historical record shows that.

 

[PaladinValer]

I think it is acceptable for Anglicans to believe that all could be saved, but to declare that all will be saved (universal reconciliation) departs historical Christian thinking & goes beyond the scope of what's been revealed to us, IMO.

I feel this needs to be repeated. That's an excellent point, one that is either misunderstood, missed, or even outright maliciously ignored by some: believing that all could be saved is NOT the same as believing that all WILL be saved.

It might be that way! God's ways are not our own, although it would seem clear that there will be those who will experience hell. Could we get a surprise? Possibly, but personally, I think that there will be those who will wail and gnash their teeth.

In the end, I believe hell's experience will be populated by those who wanted it. And amazing as that sounds to Christians, there are plenty alive today even who say it and really do mean it: I'd rather go to hell. Frightening, but real.

 

[Liberasit]

Many Anglicans unfortunately don't hold very solid theological views, although that's true in all churches and denominations sadly.

It is, however, the orthodox Christian view, and the historical record shows that.

You mean they don't hold your views or the ones you ape?

 

[PaladinValer]

By "judged worthy" do you mean judged on merit?

I mean "judged" and leave it at that. I don't dare to presume how God will judge, only that He will.

In your opinion is hell endless torment? Is anything else heresy? And can any of us be judged worthy? I thought it was all about grace.

Is hell "endless torment"? Well, we need to define first endless torment before I can give an honest answer.

Is anything else heresy? Well, anything that denies the theology found in the Apostles' Creed when combined with that Jesus says to St. Dismas (the Repentant Thief) would seem to be clearly unorthodox.

What do I mean by this? Well, what did He say? "Today you will be with me in paradise". Well, paradise in 1st century ce Jewish and Christian theology was the "good half" of sheol; it was also known as Abraham's Bosom, and we know this from extrabiblical writing; the historical record of the time. Other writings, including those of the Bible, show this as well, like the Parable of Dives (the Rich Man) and Lazarus. Since Jesus had not ascended, where did He go? To the immediate afterlife, where he took Dismas, Abraham, and all the righteous dead with Him. The Gospel even said that people had been raised when Jesus passed.

This shows what happens when we die: there's NO immediate heaven or hell. And the Apostles' Creed says that we go to "infernos", which isn't hell, but hades. And since there is no heaven or hell under after the Judgment, and no Judgment until after the Resurrection, and no Resurrection until Christ's Second Advent (according to the Nicene Creed), then it is logical to conclude that our souls go to sheol/hades and will be raised upon the resurrected to our reconstituted bodies when Christ comes again, and then we shall be Judged and then experience either heaven or hell.

As for your last question, it is based on the presupposition that my comment had anything to do with merit. All my post says is that there will be Judgment, which is found throughout the Holy Writ. So I don't see how that is at all questionable.

 

[PaladinValer]

You mean they don't hold your views or the ones you ape?

What did my post actually say?

As what my earlier post said: "Many Anglicans unfortunately don't hold very solid theological views, although that's true in all churches and denominations sadly."

I at least show my theology. I've yet to see any in your posts on the subject.

 

[Liberasit]

What did my post actually say?

As what my earlier post said: "Many Anglicans unfortunately don't hold very solid theological views, although that's true in all churches and denominations sadly."

I at least show my theology. I've yet to see any in your posts on the subject.

I was expecting a straw man.

#disappointed

 

[AlexLL]

What did my post actually say?

As what my earlier post said: "Many Anglicans unfortunately don't hold very solid theological views, although that's true in all churches and denominations sadly."

I at least show my theology. I've yet to see any in your posts on the subject.

If I may ask, do most Anglican priests hold the theological views you mentioned in your earlier post?

 

[Liberasit]

If I may ask, do most Anglican priests hold the theological views you mentioned in your earlier post?

Nope

 

[PaladinValer]

I was expecting a straw man.

#disappointed

It wasn't a Straw Man reply, although the goading speaks volumes.

 

[PaladinValer]

If I may ask, do most Anglican priests hold the theological views you mentioned in your earlier post?

I know mine does, using his own particular words.

I also know it is the historic Christian view, and that the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, and all the major Protestant Fathers were in pretty much agreement on the issue. John Calvin in particular was very keen on it, and the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox have never once questioned it.

A reading Anglican theologian, probably THE LEADING Anglican theologian of our time...and one of the greatest theologians period of our time...and Biblical experts of our time, would also appear to agree: the former Bishop of Durham, +N.T. Wright (who also just happens to be a real Open Evangelical).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7vJ6P_r3W0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZC6tbgpsl4

Even the language used to describe Purgatory by the hierarchs, even popes, in that particular church which holds to it has changed radically since the days of Trent to be very similar, arguably reconcilable to what I have described.

I hope this answers your question, and I'd like to add that I personally appreciate a true and honest question being asked. A pity it isn't done as often here on CF; it is refreshing.

 

[Liberasit]

It wasn't a Straw Man reply, although the goading speaks volumes.

Of course, because we set fire to him after the last silly episode.