The Journey of the Soul After Death
It's Halloween so let's talk about death
Today is halloween (or all hallow’s eve). So, let’s talk about death.
Death is a tragedy.
The Orthodox Church teaches that the human person is composed of body and soul—the human person is not just the soul and not just the body, but both together. When a person dies, the body and the soul are forcibly separated and, though the human person is not dissolved, he exists in an unnatural state until the body and soul are reunited in the resurrection of the dead. The teaching of the Orthodox Church on what happens at the moment of death, and afterward as we await the resurrection, are not as laid out as our Catholic brothers and sisters. At the same time, there is more to it than is commonly expressed from the confines of a Protestant minimalism.
The Orthodox Church believes firmly in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. But what happens to the person between the time of death and the general resurrection?
The Soul After Death
We do not believe in what is commonly referred to as soul sleep—nor do we believe that death is the end of the journey. There are few dogmas within the Church herself that answer questions of this nature. However, within the Orthodox tradition, upon death the soul begins a journey of its own. The traditional opinion is that the soul wanders for three days, following which it is taken through a series of events, tests, or temptations; it then sees the abode of the saints and the abode of sinners and, on the fortieth day, the soul undergoes a particular judgement—the verdict of which dictates “where” or “in what state” the soul will wait for its reunion with the body and the final judgment.
The Orthodox teaching of the soul after death is sobering. We are encouraged to pray specifically for the departed soul as they begin the next part of their journey. Though somewhat controversial, Fr. Seraphim Rose notes that the journey on the other side is rife with demonic traps, delusions, and accusations. The human person who is not attached to the world can take flight while the one who is tied to the world is weighed down by his worldliness. But in flight it is attacked by the prince of the air (who was defeated by the King—raised up and crucified in the air). Sobering, too, are Christ’s words to the rich man in Luke, indicating that his life will be demanded of him by demons who will come to collect what is theirs (Luke 12:13-21).
Near Death Experiences and the Light at the End of the Tunnel
“Don’t go to the light!”
There is a common idea that a light at the end of a tunnel reflects the approach of death. But what is this light?
Some that have had near death experiences report that this light is a warm, comforting presence that beckons them to it. While some have contended that this is Jesus Christ Himself, or at the very least, an angel, it is important to note that this amorphous presence does not announce itself—and likewise does not declare the oft-heard, “do not be afraid.” Due to this fact, some say, that this light may very well be, in fact, Lucifer, the angel of light, looking to be worshiped by unsuspecting persons—or to tempt the soul of undiscerning Christians.1
But what’s interesting is that this experience of a tunnel and a light at the time of death is uniquely American. Other cultures around the world reflect different near-death experiences. Take the the experiences in India as an example. Many report feeling great fear and the appearance of dark presences—at visitations of demons and the God of death. This reflects the culturally hindu idea surrounding death. But begs a question: if that which people see during near-death experiences differ by culture and belief, could the light at the end of the tunnel be a reflection of the American ideal of comfort?
Commemorations, Memorials, and Services
Concerning those left behind, so to speak—the living faithful still alive on earth—there are a series of commemorations in the Church and home that take place after a loved one’s death. The Orthodox funeral service itself is quite theologically revealing —but that’s a topic for another post.
The departed soul is commemorated (often informally) on the third, ninth, and (more often formally) the fortieth day. Formal commemorations then take place every year. But this is not the only time we remember those that have fallen asleep in the Lord. We also commemorate them in our prayers and each week in the Eucharist.
Death is a grave matter indeed. And there is much more. But we must remember that the Orthodox Church has been careful in what it dogmatizes. The poetic and symbolic aspect of language give flex to some images and we must not too quickly dismiss them out of strict, literal interpretation. What is clear, however, is that death is something we must remember; that we might be prepared. In the words of Elder Sophrony,
“Grant me to know Thy truth before I depart this life. Maintain my life in this world until I may offer Thee true repentance. Take me not away in the midst of my days but when Thou art pleased to bring my life to an end, forewarn me of my death that I may prepare my soul to come before Thee.”
Amen.
See Fr. Seraphim Rose, Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future. If Fr. Seraphim isn’t your cup of tea, aspects of the souls journey after death can be found all throughout the fathers (which was compiled a few years ago into a book called “The Departure of the Soul”), including Saint Ignaty Brianchoninov.