Saturday, April 08, 2006

The "resurrection of the body"

Interesting article: Most don’t expect to rise from their graves

Most Americans don’t believe they will experience a resurrection of their bodies when they die, putting them at odds with a core teaching of Christianity.

The findings of a new Scripps Howard/Ohio University poll surprised and dismayed some top theologians because they seem to put Americans in conflict with both the Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed, ancient statements of faith meant to unify Christian belief.

The Nicene Creed, adopted in 325 at the First Council of Nicea under Roman Emperor Constantine, concludes with the famous words: "We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen."

Similarly, the Apostles’ Creed professes a belief in "the resurrection of the body."

Thirty-six percent of the 1,007 adults interviewed a month ago by the Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University said "yes" to the question: "Do you believe that, after you die, your physical body will be resurrected someday?" Fifty-four percent said they do not believe, and 10 percent were undecided.

My husband, of the "Church of the Restful Sabbath" was raised in a family of "Bible-believing Christians" (Apostolic, I think) and said he had never heard of that belief. I tried to explain what I remember about it, but it's been a lot of years since I learned about that in Catholic schools. But the words "rise from the grave" made me think of bad horror movies more than any Christian teachings. I don't recall ever being taught that we would have the *same* body in the next life. For those of you who were raised in a Christian denomination, what were you taught about this? If your understanding of this has changed over the years, how?

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