This Flesh Will Rise Again : Retrieving Early Christian Faith in Bodily Resurrection

The doctrine of bodily resurrection is fundamental to the Christian faith. Its significance is grounded in the fact that the Christian faith arises from and is dependent upon the belief that Jesus returned to life after having been dead and buried. As a result of this belief and the teaching of Christ\u27s first followers, the early Church articulated a hope for a similar resurrection. In spite of the centrality of the doctrine of bodily resurrection for the early Church, the doctrine\u27s present relevance is questionable. This dissertation provides an answer to the question, What does it mean to affirm faith in bodily resurrection? Through its response, this study also demonstrates that the doctrine of bodily resurrection can be articulated in a way that is meaningful to contemporary Christian faith. This study explores the various expressions of faith in resurrection from Ante-Nicene Alexandria. After the examination of these ancient testimonies, three more recent interpretations of the doctrine are considered. They are found in the explanations of the Apostles\u27 Creed provided by Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI), Wolfhart Pannenberg, and Hans Urs von Balthasar. The dissertation concludes with an articulation of the doctrine of bodily resurrection intended for an audience who does not view the epistemological foundations of previous generations as valid