Catholic
Roman Catholic
At the end of time all the dead will rise bodily — the just to the resurrection of life, sinners to the resurrection of judgment.
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The Resurrection of the Dead
Will our bodies rise? Compare what six traditions teach about the bodily resurrection, the last day, and the resurrection of the just and the unjust.
Key versesJohn 5:28-291 Corinthians 15:42-44John 11:24-251 Thessalonians 4:16-171 Corinthians 15:20-23Daniel 12:2Philippians 3:20-21Luke 20:35-36Revelation 20:11-13
Review status: initial-release
The Apostles’ Creed ends with “the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting” — and every Christian tradition confesses it. But what does bodily resurrection mean? All six traditions affirm that at Christ’s return the dead will be raised bodily: the just to life, the unjust to judgment. They differ on the details — the nature of the resurrection body, what happens between death and the last day, and how the resurrection relates to the final judgment. This topic focuses on the resurrection itself: Christ’s resurrection as the firstfruits and pledge, the raising of our bodies on the last day, and the resurrection unto life and unto judgment. (The intermediate state is treated more fully under Purgatory.)
Content review notice: Initial release — under theological review. Positions summarize official denominational sources; named reviewers from each tradition are being onboarded.
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In 30 seconds
Every Christian tradition confesses 'the resurrection of the body': when Christ returns, all the dead will rise bodily — those who have done good to the resurrection of life, those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. Catholics, Orthodox, Lutherans, Reformed, Baptists, and Methodists all agree that the risen body is the same body, transformed and glorified like Christ's — not a ghost, and not a replacement. They differ on the details: the nature of the resurrection body, what happens between death and the last day, and how the resurrection relates to the final judgment. This page presents each church's teaching in its own words.
At a glance
Six traditions, one line each
Tap a tradition to jump to its full column below. Traditions aren't ranked — shown in historical order, with your tradition first if you've picked one.
| Tradition | In one line |
|---|---|
| Catholic | At the end of time all the dead will rise bodily — the just to the resurrection of life, sinners to the resurrection of judgment. |
| Orthodox | At Christ’s second coming the dead are raised bodily and transfigured; the Church lives in constant expectation of the resurrection. |
| Lutheran | On the Last Day Christ will raise me and all the dead bodily — believers to eternal life, unbelievers to judgment. |
| Reformed | At the last day all the dead shall be raised with the selfsame bodies — the just unto honor, the unjust unto dishonor. |
| Baptist | At the last day God will raise the dead bodily — the righteous to life everlasting, the wicked to judgment — as the Baptist Faith and Message confesses. |
| Methodist | Methodists confess the bodily resurrection of the dead at Christ’s return — the blessed hope of life everlasting with the Lord. |
Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox
At Christ’s second coming the dead are raised bodily and transfigured; the Church lives in constant expectation of the resurrection.
Lutheran
Lutheran
On the Last Day Christ will raise me and all the dead bodily — believers to eternal life, unbelievers to judgment.
Reformed
Reformed
At the last day all the dead shall be raised with the selfsame bodies — the just unto honor, the unjust unto dishonor.
Baptist
Baptist
At the last day God will raise the dead bodily — the righteous to life everlasting, the wicked to judgment — as the Baptist Faith and Message confesses.
Methodist
United Methodist
Methodists confess the bodily resurrection of the dead at Christ’s return — the blessed hope of life everlasting with the Lord.
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How we got here
The story of this doctrine across the centuries — how the early church practiced it, where the traditions diverged, and why.
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What the early church said
Quotes from the early church on this topic — its writers, councils, and creeds: what Christians believed before the traditions split, with full source citations.
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Common objections, answered
The pushback each view tends to hear — and how that tradition answers it, steelmanned fairly with sources.
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Verse breakdowns
The key passages behind this topic, verse by verse — tap any verse to see how each of the six traditions reads it.
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Word studies
The Greek and Hebrew terms where the meaning shapes the debate — what each word actually says, and why traditions read it differently.
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Go deeper
Keep exploring
Related topics where this conversation continues.
The End Times →
The resurrection happens at Christ’s return — end-times compares how the traditions understand the millennium, the tribulation, and the order of last-day events.
Purgatory and the Afterlife →
What happens between death and the resurrection is the intermediate state — purgatory compares how the traditions understand purification after death.
Salvation →
The resurrection is the completion of salvation — salvation compares how each tradition understands what Christ’s death and resurrection accomplished.
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- Word studies — the Greek and Hebrew terms where meaning shapes the debate
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Class-ready resources for apologetics teachers and study leaders: key passages to assign, discussion questions, the toughest objections answered, and fathers to quote.
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