Intermediate state

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Intermediate state refers to a state in the afterlife in both Tibetan Buddhist and Christian theology .

Buddhist tradition

The Tibetan Book of the Dead knows the term bardo , which means something like "intermediate state". The Book of the Dead contains instructions on the process of dying and rebirth in three intermediate states and the possibility of breaking out of this cycle. It includes the Tibetan belief in reincarnation (rebirth), also as another living being (for example as an animal). The three intermediate states (Tibetan bardo) can be divided into:

  • Moment before death: The essence of your own spirit shines in a bright light.
  • Essence of the Supreme Reality: The peaceful and frenzied deities appear as an unfolding mandala .
  • Intermediate state of becoming: The personal karma (fate) and the deeds of life are lived through.

There is entry into the six realms of rebirth.

literature
  • Albrecht Frasch: Liberation through hearing in the intermediate state - the so-called ´Tibetan Book of the Dead`. Tashi Verlag, Berlin 1999, ISBN 3-9806802-1-5 .
  • Robert AF Thurman: The Tibetan Book of the Dead or The Great Book of Natural Liberation through Understanding in the Intermediate State. Frankfurt am Main 2000.
  • Chögyam Bernd Westphal: About death and afterwards - The Tibetan teaching of the post-death state. Audiobook, Benjamin von Ammon Verlag, ISBN 3-9810095-6-8 .

Gnosis

Newer Gnosis
literature
  • Annie Wood Besant : Death - And Then What? A detailed study of what goes on in death, in the intermediate state, and in rebirth. Stuttgart 1984.

Christian-Jewish tradition

Old Church and Middle Ages

The first discussion of the idea of ​​an intermediate state can be found in early Christian grave art. Theologically, the term refrigerium interim was first coined by Justin and Irenaeus, then above all by Tertullian (De monogamia 100.10.), Which, however, must be distinguished from ideas of purgatorium , such as those spread by Augustine , for example . From the biblical and patristic motifs, medieval scholasticism then developed a complex of ideas that gave a clear answer to the question of a 'place' for the dead.

See also
literature
  • Alfred Stuiber : Refrigerium interim. The ideas of the intermediate state and the early Christian grave art. Bonn 1957.
  • Heinz Finé: The terminology of the afterlife in Tertullian. A semasiological contribution to the dogma history of the intermediate state. (= Theophaneia . Vol. 12). Hanstein, Bonn 1958.

Catholic theology of the 20th century

In the currents of Catholic theology or classical school theology, the intermediate state is the period between death and the Last Judgment . In modern theology this is controversial because z. B. the time-eternity problem and the paradox of a bodyless soul oppose this.

Especially in the 1970s, a heated discussion arose around this question: The two opposing poles were Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as the defender of the church's understanding of tradition and Gisbert Greshake as the representative of the "resurrection in death".

literature
  • Karl Rahner : About the 'intermediate state'. In: Ders .: Writings on theology XII. Einsiedeln u. a. 1975.
  • Gisbert Greshake : Stronger than death. Future, death, resurrection, heaven, hell, purgatory (= Topos pocket books. Vol. 50). Unchanged reprint of the 5th, extended edition, Matthias-Grünewald-Verlag, Mainz 1991, ISBN 3-7867-0562-3 .
  • Joseph Ratzinger : eschatology - death and eternal life. New edition. Pustet, Regensburg 2007, ISBN 978-3-7917-2070-8 .
  • Michael Schmaus: The Faith of the Church. Vol. 6: God as the one who forgives through Christ and as the finisher. Part-Vol. 2: God the Finisher. 2nd, significantly changed edition. EOS-Verlag, St. Ottilien 1982, ISBN 3-88096-161-1 .
  • Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith : Writing on some questions of eschatology. Rome, May 17, 1979 ( available online ).

Protestant theology of the 20th century

In Protestant theology, there is hardly any mention of an intermediate state , but rather the assumption of dying into the timelessness of God ( Carl Stange / Emil Brunner ), of death sleep ( Oskar Cullmann ) or of being lifted up in God's will ( Paul Althaus ). On the evangelical side, Jürgen Moltmann in particular took part in the discussion and rejected Ratzinger's concept.

literature
  • Jürgen Moltmann: In the end - the beginning. A little lesson of hope. Gütersloh 2003.
  • Matthias Remenyi: For the sake of hope. Investigations into the eschatological theology of Jürgen Moltmann. 2005 (showing the positions of Greshake and Ratzinger).