Crisp Oliver - On the resurrection of the dead: a new metaphysics of afterlife for Christian thought

James T. Turners On the Resurrection of the Dead is an important contribution to the literature on analytic theology, which helpfully integrates philosophy of religion, biblical studies, and systematic theology. Provocatively, Turner critically objects to a traditional view of Christian anthropology and develops a fascinating case for the immediate resurrection view of the afterlife.

Joshua R. Farris, Houston Baptist University and Heythrop College, University of London

Turner makes an original and significant theological contribution to the resurgent debate about substance dualism as he explores the question of afterlife in Christian theology. Notably, Turner rejects substance dualism not because it lacks philosophical coherence but because he finds it inconsistent with his view of the overriding theological importance of embodiment in afterlife. The work moves deftly across the philosophical and theological landscape to challenge the consistency of a disembodied intermediate state, advocating instead an immediate resurrection underpinned by a novel combination of hylemorphism and Eschatological Presentism. The book gives substance dualists reason to check their theological foundations and is an excellent example of contemporary analytic theology.

Jonathan J. Loose, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Psychology, Heythrop College, University of London

Christian tradition has largely held three theological affirmations about the afterlife of human beings. Firstly, that bodily resurrection is not a superfluous hope of afterlife. Secondly, there is immediate post-mortem existence in Paradise. Finally, there is numerical identity between pre-mortem and post-resurrection human beings. The same tradition also largely adheres to a robust doctrine of The Intermediate State, a paradisiacal disembodied state of existence following the biological death of a human being. This book argues that these positions are in fact internally inconsistent, and so a new theological model for life after death is required.

The opening arguments of the book aim to show that The Intermediate State actually undermines the necessity of bodily resurrection. Additionally, substance dualism, a principle The Intermediate State requires, is shown to be equally untenable in this context. In response to this, the metaphysics of the afterlife in Christian theology is re-evaluated, and after investigating physicalist and constitutionist replacements for substance dualist metaphysics, a new theory called Eschatological Presentism is put forward. This model combines a broadly Thomistic hylemorphic metaphysics with a novel theory of Time.

This is an innovative examination of the doctrine of life after death. It will, therefore, be of great interest to scholars of analytic theology and philosophy of religion.

James T. Turner, Jr. is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Anderson University in South Carolina, USA. From 2016 to 2018 he was Postdoctoral Research Associate on the Analytic Theology Project at Fuller Theological Seminary. He has published various articles in analytic theology and philosophy of religion dealing with, among other topics, Christian conceptions of afterlife, the imago Dei, the metaphysics of human beings, and Christology in journals such as Journal of Analytic Theology, International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, and Journal of Reformed Theology.

The Routledge New Critical Thinking in Religion, Theology and Biblical Studies series brings high quality research monograph publishing back into focus for authors, international libraries, and student, academic, and research readers. This open-ended monograph series presents cutting-edge research from both established and new authors in the field. With specialist focus yet clear contextual presentation of contemporary research, books in the series take research into important new directions and open the field to new critical debate within the discipline, in areas of related study, and in key areas for contemporary society.

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On the Resurrection of the Dead

A New Metaphysics of Afterlife for Christian Thought

James T. Turner, Jr.

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First published 2019

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British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Turner, James T., Jr., author.

Title: On the resurrection of the dead : a new metaphysics of afterlife for Christian thought / James T. Turner, Jr.

Description: New York : Routledge, 2018. | Series: Routledge new critical thinking in religion, theology, and biblical studies | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018027274 | ISBN 9781138350625 (hardback : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780429789007 (pdf) | ISBN 9780429788994 (epub) | ISBN 9780429788987 (mobi)

Subjects: LCSH: Resurrection. | Future life. | Hylomorphism.

Classification: LCC BT873 .T87 2018 | DDC 236/.8dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018027274

ISBN: 978-1-138-35062-5 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-0-429-43577-5 (ebk)

Typeset in Sabon

by Apex CoVantage, LLC

To Bethany, a tangible presence of the New Creation

Christians the world over will be familiar with the words of the creed that say, We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come. They echo similar sentiments found in the New Testament, especially in the theology of the apostle Paul (see for example his account of the central place belief in the resurrection of the body occupies in the Christian gospel in 1 Cor. 15). However, notably absent in the creedal affirmations is some comment about the intermediate state. What are we to make of that? How should we think about the relationship between the end of our bodily existence at the moment of somatic death, which terminates life this side of the grave, and the new life promised by the New Testament and the Christian tradition in the life hereaftera new life that is clearly and emphatically