Rest in peace: Reconciling reformed funeral practices with protestant views on intercession

Theologia Viatorum

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Rest in peace: Reconciling reformed funeral practices with protestant views on intercession
 
Creator Mudau, Ndidzulafhi
 
Subject Practical Theology, Liturgics, Homiletics, Inculturation reformed theology; funeral practices; saintly intercession; protestant reformation; death rites; pastoral theology; theological anthropology; eschatology
Description Contemporary reformed funerals often incorporate expressions such as ‘rest in peace’ and ‘provide us a place’, which seem to contradict traditional Protestant doctrine regarding the intercession of saints and the condition of the deceased. Academic inquiry within reformed contexts generates a theological tension. This article analyses the prohibitions imposed by 16th-century Protestant theology on certain behaviours in reformed funerals, emphasising post-mortem agency. This study analyses the influence of reformed interpretations of death and the afterlife on contemporary funeral rituals by a thorough examination of reformation-era documents, reformed confessions and current theological literature employing historical-theological methodology. Contemporary reformed funerals necessitate a theological reassessment, rather than forsaking them for the sake of pastoral sensitivity, which remains significantly relevant. This work enhances reformed practical theology by providing the inaugural comprehensive examination of the theological conflicts between traditional Protestant doctrine and modern funeral practices while also proposing future pathways for theologically robust pastoral care.Contribution: This work enhances reformed practical theology by providing the inaugural comprehensive examination of the theological conflicts between traditional Protestant doctrine and modern funeral practices while also proposing future pathways for theologically robust pastoral care.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor University of Venda
Date 2025-03-27
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Review
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/tv.v49i1.298
 
Source Theologia Viatorum; Vol 49, No 1 (2025); 8 pages 2664-2980 0378-4142
 
Language eng
 
Relation
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https://theologiaviatorum.org/index.php/tv/article/view/298/800 https://theologiaviatorum.org/index.php/tv/article/view/298/801 https://theologiaviatorum.org/index.php/tv/article/view/298/802 https://theologiaviatorum.org/index.php/tv/article/view/298/803
 
Rights Copyright (c) 2025 Ndidzulafhi Mudau https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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