Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright
Week 10: Part II, Chapter 9 — Purgatory, Paradise, and the Intermediate State
Read Part II, Chapter 9 of Surprised by Hope. Key passages: Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:1–10; Philippians 1:21–23; Revelation 6:9–11.
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What happens to believers between death and resurrection? Wright engages this ancient question with pastoral honesty and theological care.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Wright distinguishes carefully between 'life after death' (the intermediate state, being with God) and 'life after life after death' (the final resurrection). Why does he think this distinction is important, and how has its loss confused Christian thinking and practice?
2.Wright engages the Catholic doctrine of purgatory — the idea of a post-mortem process of purification before the final state. He is sympathetic to the underlying pastoral concern (that most Christians die still imperfect) but critical of the specific doctrine. What is his objection, and what does he offer as an alternative?
3.Jesus's words to the dying thief — 'Today you will be with me in paradise' (Luke 23:43) — seem to promise immediate conscious existence after death. How does Wright reconcile this with the emphasis on resurrection as a future event?
a.What does Wright say 'paradise' meant in Jewish usage, and how does that clarify the verse?
b.Does being 'with Christ' in the intermediate state require full, embodied resurrection? Why or why not?
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