A Christian Approach to Eternal Life

Abstract

Christian ideas of eternal life vary dramatically. Recently an increasing minority of Christian theologians and philosophers have rejected the idea that eternal life should be seen as involving personal survival of death. Instead they see eternal life as a different quality of life here and now. To ‘live in the eternal’ is to live life in a different way, to turn one’s back on self-interest and materialism and to live a life of self-giving love for others. By living this sort of life one may overcome death, not by surviving it but by refusing to let death trivialise the meaning of life. If someone ‘walks with God’ by living the holy life, then whatever adversity may affect such an individual, nothing can really harm him or her as nothing can take away the individual’s inner orientation. Eternal life, on this view, is not something to be sought after death but a different way of approaching life and living in this world. The words of absolution in the Anglican Alternative Services Book (ASB), when compared with the wording in the Book of Common Prayer, can be seen to leave room for this approach. The Book of Common Prayer said:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father … have mercy upon you; pardon and deliver you from all your sins; confirm and strengthen you in all goodness; and bring you to everlasting life.