Mystery of the Resurrection of the Dead

The Fifth Pillar — Our Ultimate Hope

The Mystery of the Resurrection of the Dead (Meshtire Tinsae Mutan) is the crown of our faith — the ultimate Christian hope that at the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the bodies of all who have died will be physically resurrected.

This will be followed by the Final Judgment, in which our Lord Himself has told us:

“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come forth — 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

The Resurrection of LifeEternal life with God for those who have done good

The Resurrection of JudgmentEternal separation for those who have done evil

St. Paul teaches that our resurrection bodies will differ in glory as the stars differ:

“There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So it is with the resurrection of the dead.” — 1 Corinthians 15:41–42

The Resurrection is not just a doctrine to hold — it is the hope for which we live, and by which we bury our dead in confident expectation.

What follows is ten teachings on this Mystery — drawn from the words of our Lord Himself, the witness of St. Paul, the raisings recorded in Scripture as proofs of what is to come, and the Resurrection of Christ our Lord as the foundation of all our hope.

The Communion of the Ancient Churches

Based on all these teachings, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church offers belief and worship to the High God who creates and rules over all things, and who will raise the dead on the Last Day.

In this teaching, our Church stands in perfect accord with the ancient Apostolic and Oriental Orthodox Churches:

Ethiopian Tewahedo

Alexandrian

Syrian

Armenian

Indian

These are the churches that have kept the ancient Miaphysite Christological faith from the days of the Apostles — and who together await, with one voice, the Resurrection of the Dead and the life of the world to come.

✝ Christ is Risen — He is Risen Indeed. Alleluia. ✝