The Soul and Its Destiny: Christian Perspectives: Journal of Vaishnava Studies

Abstract

I deeply appreciated the invitation from Shaunaka Rishi and Anuttama Dasa to prepare the Christian position paper for this conference, and I enjoyed the warm atmosphere created by our friendly hosts. When preparing my manuscript I was naturally aware of significant doctrinal differences between not only the various branches of Christendom, but also between traditional and
progressive thinkers in one and the same denomination. I intended to give a summary of what I thought was mainstream traditional Christian teaching on the soul and its destiny, beginning with a study of some Biblical notions relating to soul, giving an outline of Thomas Aquinas’ and mediaeval official Church teaching, providing some mystical/experiential accounts, summarising a major
contemporary Roman Catholic theologian’s view on the “destiny of the soul,” mentioning some major modern challenges to Christian views of the soul, and ending with a few personal/critical remarks on the issue.