The Denial of Death?

I remember one of the first books I read in seminary was called the Denial of Death by Cultural Anthropologist, Ernst Becker. The premise was much more psychological than theological. The author asserted that most human action is ultimately a defense mechanism against the knowledge of our mortality. We have this innate “immortality project” in which we want to create or become a part of something that will last forever. This project, Becker said, is what gives our life meaning, purpose and significance (in an existence that is moving only toward death). Where Becker was talking about a belief system, as with most existential philosophers, he does not project much hope.

In the past several weeks, we have all been touched by the death of our Children and Families Minister, Monica Warrick. Her death has brought about several feelings in me that perhaps you share. The first, things just don’t feel quite right. Monica has been a fixture here since 1998 and her presence on the campus is missed. Next, I have needed to talk about Monica with other people. Yes, I have been extra busy putting together the fall program and making sure that Children’s Ministry continues to run smoothly, but I have talked to many of you, as has Katherine Geeslin, about our feelings and love for Monica as a child of God and the love she shared with us. I have noticed a sense of anxiety in many people (me included) and found myself being very sad for myself, her family and our parish family. Perhaps Becker is on to something when he says a great deal of our actions is motivated by our need to deny the reality of our own death.

But the Christian message includes not only death but also grief, and eternal life. The Christian belief in life after death is not a denial of death but an acknowledgment of what death does to friends and loved ones who are left behind. The Christian message is one of allowing the grief process to happen. You all remember the Kubler-Ross process of grief: denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance? Even though we believe in a life after death, we need to go through these stages so that we do not deny the reality of death but feel what the Bible calls “the sting of death.” After all, death and sin are our ultimate enemy. As the Baptism service shares, “Moses came to set the Israelites free from their bondage in chains in Egypt but Jesus came to set us free from the bondage of sin and DEATH.” Alleluia

Death still hurts. We still miss our loved ones. But the truth for us, as people of faith, is that life is not ended…it is changed. For Christians, there is no denial of death, only its ultimate defeat. That is a belief statement I will hold on to.

One final thought: I was sitting by the side of a friend who, when he was dying, said, “The images of heaven found in the Bible just don’t work for me.” He said that Christians really needed to use our imaginations to think and dream of new images for heaven that might bring more comfort for contemporary people. My wife found these images that I’d like to share with you in out time of community grief.

Imagine stepping onto a shore and finding it heaven
Imagine taking hold of a hand and finding it God’s hand
Imagine breathing new air and finding it celestial air
imagine feeling invigorated and finding it immortality
Imagine passing from storm and tempest to an unknown calm
Imagine waking and finding it home.

Imagine………..

Fr. Rand ✞