Question 328: What Is Death?

An Anglican Catechism (Expanded Version)

Death is the temporary separation of the soul from the body, brought into the world through sin. It is the last enemy of mankind and the consequence of humanity’s fall. Though death is a fearful reality, for those who are in Christ, it is not the end. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has defeated death and transformed it into a doorway to eternal life with God. (Genesis 3:19, Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:26, Philippians 1:21–23, John 11:25–26)

Full Scripture References

“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground—because out of it you were taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” – Genesis 3:19 (BSB)

“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.” – Romans 5:12 (BSB)

“The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” – 1 Corinthians 15:26 (BSB)

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain… I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed.” – Philippians 1:21, 23 (BSB)

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.’” – John 11:25–26 (BSB)

Expanded Explanation of Catechism Question

Death was not part of God’s original creation. It entered the world through Adam’s sin and now touches every human life. Fr. Isaac Rehberg (ACNA, All Saints San Antonio, TX) writes, “Death is the unnatural end of fallen humanity—not what we were made for, but what we brought upon ourselves. Yet God, in mercy, does not let death have the final word.” (The Gospel and the Grave, 2021)

The Bible calls death an enemy—not just a biological event, but a spiritual rupture. Bishop Charlie Masters (ANiC, Diocese of the Living Word) explains, “Death is the great disruptor, separating body from soul and tearing at what God joined together. But in Christ, it becomes not destruction but transition—from this world into His presence.” (Hope Beyond the Grave, 2022)

Jesus confronted death directly and conquered it through His own death and resurrection. For those united to Him, death has lost its sting. Fr. Caleb Evans (Anglican Orthodox Church, St. Stephen’s Mission, GA) teaches, “Christ passed through death to rob it of power. Now for the believer, death is not punishment but passage—to be absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord.” (Death and the Christian Hope, 2020)

For Christians, death still grieves us, but it does not defeat us. Our hope is not in denial but in resurrection. Fr. Thomas Buchan (Anglican Union, St. Mark’s Anglican Church, VA) writes, “In the face of death, we grieve with faith. We wait in hope. And we proclaim that Jesus Christ has risen, and so shall we.” (Resurrection and the Body, 2021)

Canon George Grant (ACNA, Parish Presbyterian Church, TN) adds, “Death humbles all men, but it exalts Christ, who alone can bring life from the tomb. The Christian prepares for death not with fear, but with faith and readiness to see the King.” (Recovering Anglican Piety, 2019)

Early Church Fathers On Catechism Question

“Death came through sin, but life comes through Christ. The grave is no longer a prison, but a resting place until the resurrection.” – Augustine of Hippo, City of God, c. 426 AD

“For the faithful, death is sleep. The soul goes to God, and the body awaits the trumpet of glory.” – John Chrysostom, Homily on Philippians 1, c. 390 AD

“Death is swallowed up in the victory of Christ. The martyr does not fear death, for he knows whom he shall see.” – Cyprian of Carthage, On the Mortality, c. 252 AD

“He who lives in Christ dies in peace. Let us not mourn as the hopeless do, for our hope lies in the risen Lord.” – Basil the Great, On the Resurrection of the Dead, c. 370 AD

An Anglican Catechism (Expanded Version)

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An Anglican Catechism (Expanded Version)