What happens to your body when you die ? What could different people believe about this ?

To distinguish between religious and philosophical reasons for the resurrection of the body To evaluate why there must be a resurrection of the body

Bodies rot because of sin. We sin through our bodies. If the body was sin-free and holy then after death, it would return to God: what is of God, would return to God. Instead, the body dies and decomposes. This happens, because it is lacking in God’s Spirit. Sin has chased out God’s holy spirit, so our bodies rot. The bodies of great Saints do not decompose. This iss evidence that human bodies can escape the natural processes of death and decay through holiness. LinkLink 1.Describe what happened to St Catherine Laboure after her death. 2.Why do holy saints’ bodies remain intact from corruption and decay? 3.Do you think this proves that a holy spirit can triumph over nature? Does it make resurrection of the body more likely or not really? St Catherine Laboure died on 31st Dec When her body was exhumed 56 years later, it was unblemished. Her eyes were as blue as the day she died. Her glass coffin is still lying in state in a Churchin Paris, and she still looks as though she had died only yesterday.

Research a saint whose body was found incorrupt after a number of years in the grave. (Google “incorrupt saint”) a.Find a saint. Describe why they are considered a saint. b.Describe what the state of their body is now. How does it look, how has it changed? What is surprising about this? c.Discuss: does this evidence persuade you that sin is responsible for rot/ decay? Why?

We are going to look at different reasons why Christians believe in the resurrection of the body: religious reasons philosophical reasons C Jesus rose from the dead in a glorified human body. This was witnessed by hundreds of people. So Christians believe that through faith in Jesus, our human bodies will resurrect as well. D To be human, we need our body. If human beings do resurrect, it has to be with their bodies as well (or it wouldn’t really be a “human” being resurrected). B Jesus is God who took on human flesh. So human bodies are now forever a part of God, through Jesus. So human bodies must resurrect, to be with God. A Eternal life with God is a life of love, but spirits without a body can’t communicate: how would they recognise each other? So resurrection must include a form of the body – bodies must resurrect. 1.Write out the 4 points in 2 groups: philosophical reasons and religious reasons 2.Which type of reasons do you find most convincing? Explain why **How would you argue against any of the points?

PointExplanation it shall rise in power It will “shine” with the glory of God, with different degrees of glory it shall rise a spiritual (non- physical ) body -it will no longer suffer, decay or be corrupted by anything. it shall rise in imperishable (un- destroyable) - it will not need to depend on food, rest etc. It will have power to be itself. it is raised in gloryit will be unrestricted by time or space, able to move quickly and easily wherever it wants “ This is how it will be when the dead are raised to life. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 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.Match up what the body will be like, with the explanations. 2.How different is it, from our present bodies? **Draw our old “weak” body dying, as a seed, and coming back as a resurrected body at the end of time.

Bar-tat & the recycling of matter How does this song challenge the belief in resurrection of the body ? How could a Christian respond to this challenge ?

The body is corruptible which means… The body must be resurrected after death because without it…