“But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
Mt. 22:31-32
“…the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
Jn. 5:28-29
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Subsection
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Order of Contents
Articles 6+
Only God can Resurrect 1
How is the Same Body Raised? 3
Glorified Body 4
Reincarnation 1
Latin 4
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Articles
See also ‘Commentaries on the Apostles’ Creed’ on ‘The resurrection of the body’.
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1500’s
Melanchthon, Philip – 31. ‘Of the Resurrection of the Dead’ in Melanchthon on Christian Doctrine, Loci Communes, 1555 tr. Clyde L. Manschreck (1555; NY: Oxford Univ. Press, 1965), pp. 280-86
Calvin, John – 25. ‘Of the Last Resurrection’ in Institutes of the Christian Religion tr. Henry Beveridge (1559; Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1845), vol. 2, bk. 3, pp. 606-30
Vermigli, Peter Martyr – The Common Places… (d. 1562; London: Henrie Denham et al., 1583), pt. 3
15. ‘Of the Resurrection’ 327
16. ‘Of the Taking Up of Elijah & Enoch, & of their Return’ 370-85
Beza, Theodore – pp. 20-23 in A Book of Christian Questions & Answers… (London, 1574)
Olevian, Caspar – An Exposition of the Apostle’s Creed (London, 1581), pt. 2
’The Resurrection of the Flesh’
Testimonies out of the prophets and apostles
The meaning of this article
That the dead, as well righteous as unrighteous, must needs rise again
That the same bodies, which we bear here, shall rise again
Olevian (1536–1587) was a significant German reformed theologian, and has been said to be a co-author of the Heidelberg Catechism along with Zacharias Ursinus (though this has been questioned).
Zanchi, Girolamo – ch. 28, ’Of the State of Souls after Death & of the Resurrection of the Dead’ in Confession of the Christian Religion… (1586; Cambridge, 1599), pp. 258-63
Ursinus, Zachary – The Sum of Christian Religion: Delivered… in his Lectures upon the Catechism… tr. Henrie Parrie (Oxford, 1587)
Of the Resurrection of the Flesh
1. What the Resurrection is
2. The Errors concerning the Resurrection
3. Whence it may appear that the Resurrection shall certainly be
4. For what end the Resurrection shall be
5. By whom the Resurrection shall be
6. How the Resurrection shall be
7. When the Resurrection shall be
8. What bodies shall rise
9. Whether the soul be immortal
Beza, Theodore, Anthony Faius & Students – 80. ‘Of the Resurrection of the Flesh’ in Propositions & Principles of Divinity Propounded & Disputed in the University of Geneva by Certain Students of Divinity there, under Mr. Theodore Beza & Mr. Anthony Faius… (Edinburgh: Waldegrave, 1591), pp. 266-72
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1600’s
Perkins, William – ‘The Resurrection of the Body’ in An Exposition of the Symbol, or Apostles’ Creed… (Cambridge, 1595), p. 521
Perkins (d. 1602) was an influential, puritan, Anglican clergyman and Cambridge theologian.
Bucanus, William – 37. ‘Of the Last Resurrection’ in Institutions of Christian Religion... (London: Snowdon, 1606), pp. 451-66
What does ‘resurrection’ signify?
What is resurrection?
How manifold is resurrection?
May the general Resurrection be declared by phylosophical arguments?
On what foundations then does the faith of the Resurrection consist?
But by what arguments is the faith of the Resurrection confirmed?
What is the efficient cause of the Resurrection?
What are they that shall rise again?
Whereas Rom. 8:20-21, the creature is said to be subject to vanity, under hope, because it also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, does it follow that the brute creatures shall also rise again?
Why is the Resurrection, which is Christ’s singular blessing, granted to the wicked?
What is the subject of the Resurrection?
Shall the same bodies in number, or shall new bodies rise again?
What shall be the form or manner of the Resurrection?
When shall the Resurrection be?
What shall be the conditions and qualities of the bodies that rise again?
What shall be the state of the godly souls?
What is the end of Resurrection?
What is the use of the doctrine of the Resurrection?
What is the contrary hereunto?
Rivet, Andrew – 51. ‘On the Resurrection of the Body & the Last Judgment’ in Synopsis of a Purer Theology: Latin Text & English Translation Buy (1625; Brill, 2016), vol. 3, pp. 508-82
Wolleb, Johannes – 34. ‘The Events that Will Precede the Last Judgment, or, Christ’s Coming and the Resurrection of the Flesh’ in Abridgment of Christian Divinity (1626) in ed. John Beardslee, Reformed Dogmatics: J. Wollebius, G. Voetius & F. Turretin (Oxford Univ. Press, 1965), bk. 1, pp. 178-83
Wolleb (1589–1629) was a Swiss reformed theologian. He was a student of Amandus Polanus.
Rutherford, Samuel – ch. 20, ‘On the Soul & the Resurrection of the Flesh’ in Examination of Arminianism tr. by AI by Monergism (1639-1642; Utrecht, 1668; 2024), pp. 690-97
1. Whether souls are immortal? We affirm against the doubting Remonstrants and Socinians.
2. Whether the same number of bodies are to resurrect as are dissolved into dust? We affirm against the Remonstrants and Socinians.
It is asked whether the hellish tortures of the damned are eternal, or whether at last in the end it will be that the impious at length will be wholly destroyed and will be reduced to nothing? The Remonstrants waver. We deny the latter.
Maccovius, Johannes – ch. 19, ‘On Resurrection’ in Scholastic Discourse: Johannes Maccovius (1588-1644) on Theological & Philosophical Distinctions & Rules (1644; Apeldoorn: Instituut voor Reformatieonderzoek, 2009), pp. 271-75
Maccovius (1588–1644) was a Polish reformed theologian.
Leigh, Edward – ch. 1. Of the General Resurrection in A System or Body of Divinity… (London, A.M., 1654), bk. 10, pp. 857-59
Turretin, Francis – Institutes of Elenctic Theology, tr. George M. Giger, ed. James Dennison Jr. (1679–1685; P&R, 1994), vol. 3, 20th Topic
1. ‘Will there be a resurrection of the dead on the last day? We affirm.’ 561
2. ‘Are the same bodies numerically which have died to be raised again? We affirm against the Socinians.’ 571
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1700’s
à Brakel, Wilhelmus – ch. 101, ‘The Resurrection of the Dead’ in The Christian’s Reasonable Service, vol. 4 ed. Joel Beeke, tr. Bartel Elshout Buy (1700; RHB, 1992/1999), pp. 327-39
a Brakel (1635-1711) was a contemporary of Voet and Witsius and a major representative of the Dutch Further Reformation.
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2000’s
Feser, Edward – pp. 519-21 of Immortal Souls: a Treatise on Human Nature Ref (Editiones Scholastica, 2024), pt. 4, ch. 11
“…Aquinas’s conception of the resurrection… holds that the soul of a person persists between death and resurrection, so that there is continuity between the person who died and the later person whose body is indistinguishable from that of the person who died. If Socrates is ressurected, he will be Socrates and not a mere replica because the same one soul, which had informed the matter of Socrates’ body before he died, comes to inform that matter again…
Another thing philoophy can tell us is that if a resurrection were to occur, only God could bring it about. That, in any event, was Aquinas’s view (Cf. Summa Theologiae, Supplement, 75.3). Natural material causes can no more reunite soul and body than they could generate a soul in the first place. Nor could even an angelic intellect reunite a soul and its body, since angels can only manipulate natural causes, even if they can do so more powerfully than we can (Cf. Summa Theologiae I.65.3-4 and I.105.1).”
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Only God can Resurrect
Quote
Edward Feser
Immortal Souls: a Treatise on Human Nature Ref (Editiones Scholastica, 2024), pt. 4, ch. 11, p. 520
“Another thing philoophy can tell us is that if a resurrection were to occur, only God could bring it about. That, in any event, was Aquinas’s view (Cf. Summa Theologiae, Supplement, 75.3). Natural material causes can no more reunite soul and body than they could generate a soul in the first place.
Nor could even an angelic intellect reunite a soul and its body, since angels can only manipulate natural causes, even if they can do so more powerfully than we can (Cf. Summa Theologiae I.65.3-4 and I.105.1).”
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How is the Same Body Raised?
Articles
1600’s
Turretin, Francis – 2. ‘Are the same bodies numerically which have died to be raised again? We affirm against the Socinians.’ in Institutes of Elenctic Theology, tr. George M. Giger, ed. James Dennison Jr. (1679–1685; P&R, 1994), vol. 3, 20th Topic, p. 571 ff.
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2000’s
Feser, Edward – pp. 137-38 in Aquinas: a Beginner’s Guide (OneWorld, 2010), ch. 4, ‘Psychology’
Feser, an analytical Thomas, describes Aquinas’s view as to in what way the same body is raised at the general resurrection, seeking to answer the cannibal objection, amongst other issues.
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Quote
Edward Feser
Immortal Souls: a Treatise on Human Nature Ref (Editiones Scholastica, 2024), pt. 4, ch. 11, pp. 519-20
“But the soul is not a complete substance in its own right. Though it can to some extent operate independently of the body, that is not its natural state, and only if the body is restored to it will the complete human person be restored.
Nor can resurrection be an alternative to the soul’s immortality. For suppose a body that is physically indistinguishable from Socrates’ body were suddenly to appear. Should we say that Socrates has been resurrected? Or should we say instead that a perfect replica of Socrates has come into being? Recall from chapter 10 that Antony Flew raises this problem for the view that reconstituting a person’s body suffices to ensure that the person survives death.
And recall that Aquinas’s conception of the resurrection is not open to this objection, because it hold that the soul of a person persists between death and resurrection, so that there is continuity between the person who died and the later person whose body is indistinguishable from that of the person who died. If Socrates is ressurected, he will be Socrates and not a mere replica because the same one soul, which had informed the matter of Socrates’ body before he died, comes to inform that matter again.”
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On the Glorified Body
Article
1600’s
Turretin, Francis – 9. ‘What are the endowments and qualities of glorified bodies?’ in Institutes of Elenctic Theology, tr. George M. Giger, ed. James Dennison Jr. (1679–1685; P&R, 1994), vol. 3, 20th Topic, p. 617 ff.
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Latin Articles
1600’s
Heidegger, Johann H.
Locus 28, ‘Of Glorification’, section 71, ‘Of the Endowments of the Glorified Body’ in The Marrow of Christian Theology… (Zurich, 1713), p. 423
Locus 28, ‘Of Glorification’, sections 150-52 in A Body of Christian Theology… (Tigur, 1700), vol. 2, pp. 781-83
Voet, Gisbert – 3. Of the Glorious Body in Syllabus of Theological Problems (Utrecht, 1643), pt. 1, section 2, tract 6 Abbr.
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On Reincarnation
Latin Article
1600’s
Voet, Gisbert – Appendices: (2) On Metempsuchosei, or the Transmigration of Souls in Syllabus of Theological Problems (Utrecht, 1643), pt. 1, section 2, tract 6 Abbr.
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Latin
1600’s
Alsted, Johann H.
ch. 30, ‘Resurrection of the Flesh’ in Distinctions through Universal Theology, taken out of the Canon of the Sacred Letters & Classical Theologians (Frankfurt: 1626), pp. 135-37
ch. 18, ‘On the Resurrection of the Flesh & of Life Eternal’ in Theological Common Places Illustrated by Perpetual Similitudes (Frankfurt, 1630), pp. 105-111
Wendelin, Marcus Friedrich – ch. 27, ‘Of Glorification: of the Resurrection & Life Eternal’ in Christian Theology (Hanau, 1634; 2nd ed., Amsterdam, 1657), bk. 1, ‘Knowledge of God’, pp. 551-69
Rutherford, Samuel – ch. 20, ‘On the Soul & the Bodily Resurrection’ in The Examination of Arminianism ed. Matthew Nethenus (1639-1643; Utrecht, 1668), pp. 753-61
Voet, Gisbert – Syllabus of Theological Problems (Utrecht, 1643), pt. 1, section 2, tract 6 Abbr.
3. Of the Resurrection (Knowledge of the Resurrection, on Whether & What it may be, on the Subject & Object of it & of its Causes)
Appendices:
(1) Of the Living at the Last Day
(2) Of Others Not Having Died, such as Enoch & Elijah
(3) Of those that Died Twice
(4) Of the Resurrection of the Martyrs, Rev. 20 [& Premillennialism]
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“So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.”
1 Cor. 15:42-44
“And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life… And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.”
Rev. 20:11-13
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Related Pages
Bible Verses: Degrees of Reward in Heaven
Bible Verses on Degrees of Punishment in Hell
On the Renovation, New Heavens & Earth & Believers’ Eternal Home