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This book presents a significant repudiation of the traditional eschatological doctrines, both Catholic and Protestant, based on the key idea that human death, as a dying into the death of Christ, is to be construed positively as a salvific event that confers the plenitude of life to the human. Offering helpful critiques of selected contemporary theologians, Novello explores how the proposed theology of death has liturgical and pastoral implications for Christian faith and praxis.

How do we make sense of death--in theology, in philosophy, in experience? How do religions other than Christianity deal with death and with dying? In the now predominantly secular societies of the West, what are we to make of the theologies of death developed by writers such as Becker, Hick, Thielicke, and Macquarrie? Ray Anderson tackles his subject with clarity and without sentimentality. He discusses first the treatment--and indeed, the denial--of death by contemporary Western society, and its place in other religious traditions. Going on to discuss the origins of a Christian theology of death, he examines the legacy of Judaism and seeks to lay the foundations for a Christian anthropology in the unity of the body and soul. Death, he argues, is alien to God's determination of our personhood. Outlining a classic Christian understanding of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he explores the implications of the Passion for our own mortality. Even if the sting of death has been removed, the experience of dying and bereavement remains. Ray Anderson considers pastoral approaches to dying in the light of his observations and arguments and makes his case for a reintegration of the experience of dying into our communities.

The first part of the book is grounded in biblical issues and in historical and philosophical theology. It seeks to establish several schemes of death theology related, for example, to early Christianity's Jewish cultural milieu, to belief in Christ's resurrection and to Christology, to issues of millennial belief and to an emergent liturgical practice. The rise of notions of the soul in relation to medieval thought and practice and the place of death in reformation theology are both covered, as is the role of the nineteenth and twentieth century. Finally the rise of biblical theology is considered, especially in the twentieth century. The second part of the book takes up several contemporary models of the theology of death. The first pursues a traditional acceptance of an other-worldly afterlife, the second explores worldly analysis of eternal life as a quality of contemporary existence devoid of any future state. The third develops the worldly model and considers a wider sense of self as a part of an ecological view of the world as a divine creation and explores the meaning of birth-life and death amidst a divine environment. The Theology of Death aims to offer some sharply defined schemes to focus thought in a Christian environment in which death, hell and heaven have almost lost their place. The topic of hope is a key element and the book explores the birth and fostering of hope within Christian traditions.

A Biblical Theology of Resurrection Hope from Genesis to Revelation Death is a powerful and sobering reality. While everyone must face death, it is not the end for those united with Christ. Followers of Jesus Christ have resurrection hope—the proclamation that Christ has defeated death and the promise that believers shall share in his victory. The resurrection is essential to the Christian faith and is rooted in the faithfulness of God. With scholarly insight, Mitchell L. Chase traces the theme of resurrection hope throughout Scripture, walking through each section of Scripture from the Law to Revelation. Having a proper understanding of death and resurrection will not only stir up our soberness for the reality of sin and death, but it will also motivate our praise to God. Founded on Scripture: Highlights the interconnectedness of the Bible For Learners: Ideal for students or anyone looking to grow in their knowledge of God and the Scriptures Part of the Short Studies in Biblical Theology Series: Other volumes include The New Creation and the Storyline of Scripture, The Lord's Supper as the Sign and Meal of the New Covenant, and The Kingdom of God and the Glory of the Cross

At the age of thirty-nine, Christian theologian Todd Billings was diagnosed with a rare form of incurable cancer. In the wake of that diagnosis, he began grappling with the hard theological questions we face in the midst of crisis: Why me? Why now? Where is God in all of this? This eloquently written book shares Billings's journey, struggle, and reflections on providence, lament, and life in Christ in light of his illness, moving beyond pat answers toward hope in God's promises. Theologically robust yet eminently practical, it engages the open questions, areas of mystery, and times of disorientation in the Christian life. Billings offers concrete examples through autobiography, cultural commentary, and stories from others, showing how our human stories of joy and grief can be incorporated into the larger biblical story of God's saving work in Christ.

This book offers a theological foundation for engaging with the realities of suffering and dying. Designed particularly for practical theology students and trainee caregivers, it introduces the spiritual and theological issues raised by suffering and dying. The chapters consider: how Christian theology deals with the problem of suffering and how the Bible treats these difficult issues post-biblical interpretations of Jesus’ suffering and the Cross modern instances including ecology, poverty, discrimination and war comparative religious approaches and the depiction in popular culture. Natalie Weaver relates theology to practical issues of caregiving and provides a ‘toolbox’ for thinking about suffering and death in a creative and supportive way.