Personal Identity and Resurrection. How Do We Survive Our Death?

Georg Gasser (Ed.)

What happens to us when we die? According to Christian faith, we will rise again bodily from the dead. This claim raises a series of philosophical and theological conundrums: is it rational to hope for life after death in bodily form? Will it truly be “we” who are raised again or will it be post-mortem duplicates of us? How can personal identity be secured? What is God's role in resurrection and everlasting life? In response to these conundrums, this book presents the first
ever joint work of leading philosophers and theologians on life after death. This is an impressive demonstration of interdisciplinary cooperation between philosophy and theology. Various models are offered which depict what resurrection into an incorruptible post-mortem body might look like. Therefore this book is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the doctrine of bodily resurrection – be they philosophers, theologians, scholars in religious studies, or believers interested in examining their faith.

Reviews:

'This is an important and timely collection of essays on the related topics of personal identity and the resurrection of the body that will be an important resource for students of metaphysics and philosophy of religion. The essays take the discussion forward in constructive and sometimes surprising ways, making it a valuable addition to the literature in this field. Highly recommended.' Oliver Crisp, University of Bristol, UK

'… provide[s] a valuable resource for anyone trying to work out for themselves a coherent view of the general resurrection, and they also show that the application of philosophical method to theological questions is very much alive and kicking.' Journal of Theological Studies

'… the volume covers an exceedingly broad range of areas, theses, and topics.' Theologische Revue

'For scholars interested in some current philosophical speculation on the metaphysical possibility of resurrection, this volume will be a very helpful and important resource. It will also be a significant point of reference for those attempting to rethink anthropology, particularly for those interested in its relation to theology. … an important collection of notable voices that enable the conversation to move forward.' The Thomist

Farnham: Ashgate, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4094-0493-4