Required reading
Dogmatic Theology Vol 2 by William G.T. Shedd (Available from Amazon or here) - Commence Chapter I 'The intermediate or disembodied state' by reading up to the paragraph 'The Early-Patristic and Reformed view of the Intermediate State agrees with the Scriptures, as the following particulars prove'. (Page 610 in my edition)
My summary
This week we start the chapter on the Intermediate State and Shedd outlines the views of:
(i) the Reformed;
(ii) Protestants;
(iii) Pagans;
(iv) Later-Jews;
(v) Christian Fathers.
Most of the reading is concerned with proving that paradise is not located in Hades and that Christ did not visit Hades.
What grabbed me
I appreciated the tight outline of the Reformed view: 'The substance of the Reformed view, then, is, that the intermediate state for the saved is Heaven without the body, and the final state for the saved is Heaven with the body ; that the intermediate state for the lost is Hell without the body, and the final state for the lost is Hell with the body. In the Reformed, or Calvinistic eschatology, there is no intermediate Hades between Heaven and Hell, which the good and evil inhabit in common. When this earthly existence in ended, the only specific places and states are Heaven and Hell. Paradise is a part of Heaven ; Hades is a part of Hell. A pagan underworld containing both Paradise and Hades, both the happy and the miserable, like the pagan idol, is "nothing in the world." There is no such place.'
Enough said!
Next week's reading
Continue Chapter I 'The intermediate or disembodied state' by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'In the nine places from the New Testament which have been cited in this discussion, the connection shows that Hades denotes the place of retribution and misery.' (Page 622 in my edition)
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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