Affirms
Eternal life in God's presence affirmed through Christ's resurrection
Disciples affirm the hope of eternal life grounded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The denomination's ecumenical participation and its broadly Christian theology place it within the mainstream affirmation of heaven as the ultimate destiny of the redeemed. Weekly communion is practiced in part as an eschatological anticipation — a foretaste of the heavenly banquet.
The specific nature of heaven — whether it involves a bodily resurrection, a renewed earth, or a spiritual existence — is not spelled out in binding Disciples doctrine. The hope is expressed in worship and liturgy, while the details are held with appropriate theological humility.
Key Distinctions
- Heaven nature:
- eternal conscious presence with God; beatific vision; transformed creation
- Access timing:
- at final resurrection and judgment (Last Day)
- Bodily resurrection:
- full bodily resurrection; glorified body reunited with soul
Scripture References
Sources
- Disciples of Christ, Design of the Christian Church (1968)