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

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 theolo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Theologia Viatorum (Sorenga) Vol. 49; no. 1; pp. e1 - e8
Main Author: Mudau, Ndidzulafhi
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 27.03.2025
African Online Scientific Information Systems (Pty) Ltd t/a AOSIS
Subjects:
Analysis
death rites
eschatology
funeral practices
Jesus Christ
Mediation
pastoral theology
protestant reformation
reformed theology
Religious aspects
Rites, ceremonies and celebrations
saintly intercession
theological anthropology
Theology, Protestant
United States
South Africa
United Kingdom
ISSN:0378-4142, 2664-2980
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary: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.ContributionThis 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.
ISSN:0378-4142
2664-2980
DOI:10.4102/tv.v49i1.298