Philosophers Series · Part 12 of 12
Religion: What the Great Traditions Say About Remaining
No question has been answered as thoroughly by religions as the question of what comes after death. The finale of our Philosophers Series does not set out to judge any of these answers. It asks what they have in common. Part 12.
Two answers in one
Look closely, and the great traditions almost always give two answers to the question of what remains. One goes beyond earthly life: soul, resurrection, rebirth, salvation. The other is entirely of this world: remembrance, passing things on, good deeds that continue to have an effect.
Christianity
At the heart of Christianity is the hope of resurrection and eternal life. Alongside it is a rich culture of remembrance: days of commemoration, epitaphs, prayers for the dead. The biblical image of the “Book of Life” expresses that no one is forgotten.
Judaism
Judaism holds a range of views on life after death. The commandment to remember is very strong. Each year on the anniversary of a relative’s death, a candle is lit and the Kaddish is recited. Of the dead, people say: may their memory be a blessing.
Islam
Islam teaches resurrection and judgment. A well-known tradition of the Prophet Muhammad also names three things whose effect does not end with death: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge from which others profit, and a righteous child who prays for them.
Hinduism
In Hinduism, the inner self, the atman, is considered imperishable. It passes through the cycle of rebirths until it finds liberation. At the same time, families honour their ancestors with rites of their own, the shraddha ceremonies.
The logical conclusion
What someone believes about the hereafter is a personal decision, and this series doesn’t want to make it for anyone. But the second, earthly part of the answer is remarkably similar across all traditions: what remains is remembrance, love and knowledge that is passed on.
The phrase from the Islamic tradition could hardly be more current: beneficial knowledge from which others profit. That is exactly what every person can leave behind, regardless of their faith. Faith and recording are not opposites. One concerns what is beyond our control. The other concerns what we decide for ourselves.
From David Deutsch’s beginning of infinity to humanity’s oldest traditions, this series leads to one simple insight: what remains of you is up to you.
Three questions to think further
- Which knowledge from your life could be useful to others?
- How does your family remember those who have died?
- What do you yourself believe remains after death?