Oriental Orthodox churches teach that human beings possess immortal souls that survive bodily death. At death, each soul is subject to a particular judgment, entering a state of closeness to God or separation from him depending on the life lived. The tradition affirms continued conscious existence of the soul before the general resurrection, though descriptions of this intermediate state vary across Oriental Orthodox traditions.

The resurrection of the body at the Last Day is a foundational belief expressed in the Nicene Creed and in the funeral rites of every Oriental Orthodox church. The liturgical traditions of these churches are rich in prayers for the departed, reflecting a strong sense of the communion between the living and the dead. The Ethiopian and Coptic traditions in particular have elaborate commemorative liturgies for the deceased that are integral to community life.