Has anyone skimmed through, or read the book called "90 Minutes in Heaven"? The author says he was dead for 90 minutes and recounts his experience in heaven. Scientists probably explain this experience as a continuation of the brain waves or a hoax perpetuated b the author. I don’t really know what to think. To answer dan, I believe eternal life is what God promises through Christ, but I don’t really know what it would look like. The book by N.T. Wright, "The Resurrection of the Son of God", traces Jewish thinking on resurrection and eternal life and says that the Jewish people of the Old Testament didn’t think about eternal life the way many Christians do today, they didn’t think our souls go to dwell forever in some place after death. Their idea of soul included the body, so the separation of soul and body was not a good thing.
Resurrection and eternal life are important components in Christian theology because death is the last enemy to be overcome. Resurrection promises victory over this enemy. It also allows believers to be fearless in the face of injustice on this earth. The Greeks developed their tragedies around this one great limitation of death and I think you can feel the response to Greek tragedy in gospel accounts of Christ’s death and resurrection. It is fascinating to read (as N.T. Wright alludes to) Jesus’ last statement of submission to God, "Into your hands I commit my spirit", as a recognition of the human limit of death. Jesus obeyed God throughout his life but had no control over the ministry after death. Just as the Teacher of Ecclesiastes bemoaned the fact that all he worked for would be given to his children and he had no control over how they furthered his work, so Jesus recognizes the need for a higher power that is not limited by death. But because Christ was righteous, he overcame death, or the Father of life "raised him up on the 3rd day". So I understand resurrection to be connected with why Christians should be content with the seeming futility of their work on earth, not as a comfort for those who want to avoid the tortures (or inconvenience) of hell.
grant
Nov 05 2007
11:47 am
Has anyone skimmed through, or read the book called "90 Minutes in Heaven"? The author says he was dead for 90 minutes and recounts his experience in heaven. Scientists probably explain this experience as a continuation of the brain waves or a hoax perpetuated b the author. I don’t really know what to think. To answer dan, I believe eternal life is what God promises through Christ, but I don’t really know what it would look like. The book by N.T. Wright, "The Resurrection of the Son of God", traces Jewish thinking on resurrection and eternal life and says that the Jewish people of the Old Testament didn’t think about eternal life the way many Christians do today, they didn’t think our souls go to dwell forever in some place after death. Their idea of soul included the body, so the separation of soul and body was not a good thing.
Resurrection and eternal life are important components in Christian theology because death is the last enemy to be overcome. Resurrection promises victory over this enemy. It also allows believers to be fearless in the face of injustice on this earth. The Greeks developed their tragedies around this one great limitation of death and I think you can feel the response to Greek tragedy in gospel accounts of Christ’s death and resurrection. It is fascinating to read (as N.T. Wright alludes to) Jesus’ last statement of submission to God, "Into your hands I commit my spirit", as a recognition of the human limit of death. Jesus obeyed God throughout his life but had no control over the ministry after death. Just as the Teacher of Ecclesiastes bemoaned the fact that all he worked for would be given to his children and he had no control over how they furthered his work, so Jesus recognizes the need for a higher power that is not limited by death. But because Christ was righteous, he overcame death, or the Father of life "raised him up on the 3rd day". So I understand resurrection to be connected with why Christians should be content with the seeming futility of their work on earth, not as a comfort for those who want to avoid the tortures (or inconvenience) of hell.