We all know where ageing leads… Our death is inevitable. Of course, no one knows what happens after death. For too long, our Christian faith has offered us images from an earlier age that no longer make sense or satisfy us. (An excellent resource for debunking unhelpful images of afterlife, I recommend John Spong’s Eternal Life, part of which is summarized later in this section.) If you have an interest in exploring contemporary theology on afterlife, this section may provide an introduction. Again, it is by no means exhaustive, but it presents some of the more exciting progressive theological reflections we have come across in recent years.
We offer you four perspectives on the subject:
- Robert Newell, A Catholic author
- John Spong, retired Episcopal Bishop
- Morton Kelsey, a well-known mystic and writer on mystical themes
- Darmuid O’Murchu, an Irish priest, who has written extensively on theology emerging from the New Science.
As you read this material, ask yourself these questions:
- To what extent do these new ideas help me with my own thinking about what happens to me after death?
- What ideas for spiritual practices are suggested to me as a result of these new ideas of the universe and of afterlife?
- How might I incorporate these new ideas into my own prayer practice?