Spiritual death

Spiritual death

In Christian theology, Spiritual Death is defined as a spiritual separation from God, usually brought on by sin. Christians believe that both spiritual death and physical death (defined in this context to be the separation of the body and the soul) were brought into the world through the The Fall of Man.

Some Christians believe that whereas a man only suffers physical death once, he can suffer spiritual death every time he sins. Others believe that once made alive through Christ, a believer is no longer subject to spiritual death (although he loses a state of fellowship with God when he sins, and must confess to regain this state of fellowship).

Some Christian religions define Hell as the ultimate spiritual death; being completely removed from the presence of God both physically and spiritually. This is also called the Second Death.

Followers of Ascended Master movements such as the Theosophical Society, I AM Foundation, and Elizabeth Clare Prophet have a different definition of the second death: The final extinguishing of the identity of a soul deemed by God to be beyond redemption. In this theology, people are believed to continue to reincarnate for many lifetimes on Earth with one of two final outcomes: 1) Reunion with God in the ritual of the Ascension, like Jesus, or 2) Final judgment at the "court of the sacred fire," where the soul would be destroyed forever.

The Unification Church teaches that spiritual death is the state of separation from God, but that it is not ever irreversible.

Famous Quotes

In his famous anti-war address " [http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkatimetobreaksilence.htm Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence] ," delivered 4 April 1967 at a meeting of Clergy and Laity Concerned at Riverside Church in New York City, Dr. Martin Luther King observed that " [a] nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death."


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  • Spiritual death — Death Death (d[e^]th), n. [OE. deth, dea[eth], AS. de[ a][eth]; akin to OS. d[=o][eth], D. dood, G. tod, Icel. dau[eth]i, Sw. & Dan. d[ o]d, Goth. dau[thorn]us; from a verb meaning to die. See {Die}, v. i., and cf. {Dead}.] 1. The cessation of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spiritual death — death (def. 7). * * * …   Universalium

  • spiritual death — noun see death * * * death (def. 7) …   Useful english dictionary

  • spiritual death —  Духовная смерть …   Вестминстерский словарь теологических терминов

  • Spiritual transformation — is the act of transforming the deepest aspects of the human spirit via a self induced or divine act.ee also*Integral transformative practice *Transpersonal psychology *Sivananda *MeditationThe Way of Spiritual Transformationby Hieromonk… …   Wikipedia

  • Death — (d[e^]th), n. [OE. deth, dea[eth], AS. de[ a][eth]; akin to OS. d[=o][eth], D. dood, G. tod, Icel. dau[eth]i, Sw. & Dan. d[ o]d, Goth. dau[thorn]us; from a verb meaning to die. See {Die}, v. i., and cf. {Dead}.] 1. The cessation of all vital… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Death adder — Death Death (d[e^]th), n. [OE. deth, dea[eth], AS. de[ a][eth]; akin to OS. d[=o][eth], D. dood, G. tod, Icel. dau[eth]i, Sw. & Dan. d[ o]d, Goth. dau[thorn]us; from a verb meaning to die. See {Die}, v. i., and cf. {Dead}.] 1. The cessation of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Death bell — Death Death (d[e^]th), n. [OE. deth, dea[eth], AS. de[ a][eth]; akin to OS. d[=o][eth], D. dood, G. tod, Icel. dau[eth]i, Sw. & Dan. d[ o]d, Goth. dau[thorn]us; from a verb meaning to die. See {Die}, v. i., and cf. {Dead}.] 1. The cessation of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Death candle — Death Death (d[e^]th), n. [OE. deth, dea[eth], AS. de[ a][eth]; akin to OS. d[=o][eth], D. dood, G. tod, Icel. dau[eth]i, Sw. & Dan. d[ o]d, Goth. dau[thorn]us; from a verb meaning to die. See {Die}, v. i., and cf. {Dead}.] 1. The cessation of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Death damp — Death Death (d[e^]th), n. [OE. deth, dea[eth], AS. de[ a][eth]; akin to OS. d[=o][eth], D. dood, G. tod, Icel. dau[eth]i, Sw. & Dan. d[ o]d, Goth. dau[thorn]us; from a verb meaning to die. See {Die}, v. i., and cf. {Dead}.] 1. The cessation of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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