In Defence of the Soul
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In Defence of the Soul
In Defence of the Soul
Some concept of the soul as a spiritual reality capable of surviving bodily death is one of the most widespread of human ideas. It is particularly common in religious traditions, though there is considerable diversity about how the concept of the soul should be understood.
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In the first article of this new series, Paul Badham takes us on a journey of how the soul is viewed in Eastern religions, in Greek philosophy and then into the changing thought of the Christian tradition.
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About the Author
Paul Badham is Professor Emeritus of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Wales and former Director of the Alister Hardy Religious Experience Research Centre at the University of Wales, Lampeter.
Do the Dead Sleep?
Do the Dead Sleep?
What is the state of the soul after death? Do we enter some sort of stasis when we die, or is the soul active in the afterlife? Matt Arnold takes on a journey through Scripture and Christian history.
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“Often in conversation about the physically dead, scriptures referring to the dead as being in a state of sleep form part of the argument that the dead are not active in the afterlife. We shall explore how this notion of “soul sleep”, or psychopannychia, arose predominantly during the Reformation, with Luther as a major proponent of this concept. However, as we shall see, the idea that the physically dead are inactive and in a state of unawareness of their condition is not only unbiblical, but the metaphor of sleep for the dead is highly appropriate for the state of the physically deceased.
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About the Author
Matt Arnold is Editor of the CFPSS journal The Christian Parapsychologist, and author of the website Ghosts, Ghouls and God.
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In 2019 he graduated with a distinction level Masters in Pioneering Ministries / Fresh Expressions from Manchester University through Cliff College, winning the award for the dissertation with the highest mark with a thesis entitled Paranormal Hauntings and Applications in Deliverance Ministry: A Critical Investigation.
Why Does God Allow Stuck Spirits?
Why Does God Allow Stuck Spirits?
That the spirit of a departed human can be ‘stuck’ on earth is often contended in Christian circles. But is it so difficult to believe? After all, Jesus told his disciples that he was not a ghost (Luke 24: 36-81). Would he have needed to reassure them in this way if ghosts couldn’t exist?
If ghosts therefore do exist - why? Why would God not take them straight to the afterlife? Newton Green offers a rationale.
Deathbed Phenomena and
Palliative Care
Deathbed Phenomena and Palliative Care
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Reports of deathbed phenomena are commonplace, but little scientific study has been undertaken on the subject. This article comes out of a deathbed research project undertaken in answer to a plea from palliative carers who want to understand how they can provide better support for patients during the dying process.
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About the Authors
Sue Brayne and Hilary Lovelace are among those who are conducting research into the phenomena, working with neuropsychologist Dr Peter Fenwick. They talk about the experiences they have encountered in their studies and what these might tell us about the state of the soul after death.