On the Resurrection of the Dead

<p>Christian tradition has largely held three theological affirmations on the resurrection of the physical body. 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. </p><p></p><p>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. </p><p></p><p>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.</p>