“Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” — John 5:28–29 (BSB)
“And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who dwells within you.” — Romans 8:11 (BSB)
“So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable… It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.” — 1 Corinthians 15:42, 44 (BSB)
“But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body…” — Philippians 3:20–21 (BSB)
This truth is central to biblical Christianity. The resurrection of the body is not an optional doctrine or metaphor—it is the climax of God’s redemptive plan. As 1 Corinthians 15 teaches, if there is no resurrection, then our faith is in vain. But Christ has indeed been raised, “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” And because He lives, we too shall live. John Stott once said, “The resurrection body will be the same and yet different—our identity preserved, our frailty glorified.”
Anglican theology has consistently upheld this hope. Article IV of the Thirty-Nine Articles affirms that Christ “ascended into heaven, and there sitteth… until He return to judge all men at the last day,” and the Book of Common Prayer prays that “we may rise with Him to newness of life.” The burial liturgy includes the resounding hope: “In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This hope defines how we face death—not as final, but as the passage to glory.
Bishop J.C. Ryle preached, “Our souls and bodies are both redeemed. As surely as our souls shall live with Christ, so shall our bodies rise from the grave, changed and made fit for the presence of God.” Similarly, N.T. Wright writes, “The resurrection is not escape from the world, but the remaking of it. The Christian hope is not for immortality of the soul but resurrection of the body.” This future resurrection gives meaning to our present suffering and dignity to our physical lives.
To confess “the resurrection of the body” is to reject both despair and escapism. It affirms that death is not the end, that our bodies matter to God, and that His promise is to make all things new—including us. This hope empowers Christians to persevere in faith, comfort the dying, honor the body, and live in joyful anticipation of Christ’s return.
Irenaeus emphasized the bodily resurrection as essential to the fullness of redemption.
Tertullian (c. 155–220 AD) declared: “God formed man from dust, and He shall raise him again from the dust. The resurrection of the body is the foundation of Christian hope.” — On the Resurrection of the Flesh, 6
Tertullian fiercely defended the bodily resurrection against early heretical denial.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 313–386 AD) taught: “This body shall be raised again—not another, but this very one—glorified and made incorruptible. For God is faithful.” — Catechetical Lectures, 18.18
Cyril encouraged believers with the hope of personal bodily resurrection.
St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD) wrote: “Not only the soul, but the body also shall rise again—changed, indeed, but still truly human and truly ours.” — The City of God, 22.5
Augustine stressed the continuity and transformation of the resurrected body.
St. Gregory the Great (c. 540–604 AD) said: “Let the faithful consider that just as Christ rose with the same body, so shall they—glorified, but known.” — Homilies on the Gospels, 21
Gregory encouraged the Church with the tangible and glorious reality of future resurrection.
An Anglican Catechism (Expanded) offers over 350+ Scripture-based answers to the core truths of the Christian faith. Each entry includes biblical texts, theological insight, and reflections from historic and contemporary Anglican voices. Rooted in the classical tradition, it is designed for teaching, discipleship, and spiritual formation.
An Ancient Worship Movement invites readers into the rich, historic worship of the early Church rediscovered through the Anglican tradition. This book calls believers into a deeper, Spirit-filled encounter with Christ through timeless practices.
St. Thomas Church
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St. Thomas Church is a Church planting movement in ancient tradition.
