Approaching the End: A Theological Exploration of Death and Dying (Oxford Studies in Theological Ethics)

253 Pages·2007·1.18 MB·English

by  David Albert Jones

OXFORD STUDIES IN THEOLOGICAL ETHICS
General Editor
Oliver O’Donovan
Approaching the End
OXFORDSTUDIESINTHEOLOGICALETHICS
The series presents discussions on topics of general concern to
ChristianEthics,asitiscurrentlytaughtinuniversitiesandcolleges,
at the level demanded by a serious student. The volumes will not
be specialized monographs nor general introductions or surveys.
They aim to make a contribution worthy of notice in its own right
butalsofocusedinsuchawayastoprovideasuitablestartingpoint
fororientation.
The titles include studies in important contributors to the
Christian tradition of moral thought; explorations of current
moral and social questions; and discussions of central concepts
in Christian moral and political thought. Authors treat their topics
in a way that will show the relevance of the Christian tradition,
but with openness to neighbouring traditions of thought which
have entered into dialogue with it.
Approaching the
End
ATheological Exploration of Death and Dying
DAVID ALBERT JONES
1
3
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DedicatedtoEustace,whotaughtmethatweshould neither fear
death too much nor love life too little.
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Contents
ListofAbbreviations ix
Introduction 1
1. TheNeedforaTheologicalApproachtoDeath 9
Death,grieving,andkilling 9
Thecontribution oftheology 15
Themethodofthepresentstudy 22
2. InEveryWayaGoodThing:DeathintheThought
ofAmbroseofMilan 24
BackgroundtothethoughtofAmbroseofMilan 24
Threedeaths 27
Deathasbonum 31
Freeingthesoulfromthebody 32
Ambrose’sachievement 35
3. NotGoodforAnyone:DeathintheThought
ofAugustineofHippo 37
BackgroundtothethoughtofAugustineofHippo 37
Threedeaths 39
Deathasmalum 43
Platonism 45
ThefallfromEdenandthePlatonicfallmyth 49
4. AnIlluminatingComparison:AugustineandAmbrose
ontheTheologyofDeath 56
Striking parallels 57
PaulthroughtheeyesofAmbroseandAugustine 59
Virginityandmortification 63
Suicideandmartyrdom 68
Fearofdeath,grief,andcarefor thedead 72
Thingsleftunsaid 86
viii Contents
5. InOneWayNatural,inAnotherUnnatural:Death
intheThoughtofThomasAquinas 90
BackgroundtothethoughtofThomasAquinas 90
Soulandbody 94
Theseparatedsoul 106
Isdeathnatural? 110
Homicideandsuicide 118
Mortalfear 129
Hopeofheavenandcarefor thedead 134
6. BothSomethingSufferedandaHumanAct:Death
intheThoughtofKarlRahner 144
BackgroundtothethoughtofKarlRahner 144
Aneventconcerningthehumanbeingasawhole 149
Theconsequenceofsin 154
DyingwithChrist 157
Martyrdom 161
Lexiconsandotherinfluences 165
ThedevelopmentofRahner’sthought 169
Ambroseredivivus? 173
Deathasahumanact 177
Thelibertyofthesick 181
Themodernproblematic 184
7. FinalReflections 187
Reviewingthecentralargument 187
Goodgrief 190
Fearfulhope 195
Killing 198
Suicideandmartyrdom 201
Assistedsuicideandeuthanasia 205
Lawandpublicpolicy 209
Withholdingandwithdrawingtreatment 212
Sustainingtheunconscious 215
Makingagooddeath 219
Bibliography 222
Index 239
ScripturalIndex 242
List of Abbreviations
BM Ambrose of Milan, De bono mortis; English trans. by
M.P.McHugh,‘DeathasaGood’inP.M.Peeblesetal.
(eds.)SaintAmbrose:SevenExegeticalWorks,TheFathers
ofthe Church: A New Translation, vol.65, Washington:
CatholicUniversityofAmericaPress,1972.
CD Augustine of Hippo, De civitate Dei; English trans. by
H. Bettenson, Augustine: City of God, London: Penguin
Books,1984.Allquotationsreproducedbypermissionof
PenguinBooksLimited.
FR AmbroseofMilan,Defideresurrectionis;Englishtrans.by
H. De Romestin, ‘On the Belief in the Resurrection’, in
Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (NPN),
seriesII,vol.10,GrandRapids,Mich.,1887.
ST Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae; English trans. by
the Fathers of the English Dominican Province, Summa
Theologica, London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne,
1912–36.
QD2 KarlRahner,ZurTheologiedesTodes,QuaestionesDispu-
tatae 2, 1958; English trans., On the Theology of Death,
QuaestionesDisputatae2,NewYork:HerderandHerder,
1961.AllquotationsreproducedbypermissionofCross-
roadPublishing.