Here I continue the discussion from the previous episode about the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, which is represented in numerous creedal, ecumenical, and confessional statements. I consider the doctrine of conditionalism and suggest that it is largely consistent with what I have said in the last several episodes because I was affirming the doctrine of the soul which entails some version of immortality (as the catholic statements affirm) contra the immediate resurrection and extinction re-creation views affirm. That being said, conditionalism does contradict the clear teaching of many of the ecumenical and confessional statements mentioned, which prompts several other important questions about the nature of the soul and the nature of immortality of which there are nuances in the philosophical, biblical, and theological discussions that deserve our attention but in another context.

In the present episode, I briefly clarify some issues regarding the nature of the soul doctrine and the immortality doctrine that is represented in the wider Christian Church and catholicity throughout history. I highlight the dialectic for which I am addressing the immortality of the soul in recent episodes and restate why it is important to affirm that, in fact, there is a soul and that soul is immortal in some sense as entailed by the doctrine of disembodied persistence. This is done, once again, in the context of a discussion going back, in large measure, to Oscar Cullmann who raises the question: "Immortality of the Soul or Resurrection of the Body?", which I take to be primarily the object of criticism in recent episodes as it has found its way into many of the biblical and theological discussions concerning anthropology and eschatology. What I affirm explicitly is contradicted by the immediate resurrection views and the extinction re-creation views of the afterlife. What I do not explicitly lay out, although they may be implied in some way, is whether or not this entails essential, natural, or conditional immortality. These issues are rather nuanced and deserve further attention of which I only give some nuanced distinction in the present episode.

Here we discuss the rationale for The Creation of Self and why persons have unexpected origins despite reports to the contrary. We should take seriously that humans are ensouled, which means that their origins are probably different than what some expect concerning biological origination. We actually have very good reasons to affirm this, but when we do it leads down a path that many are unwilling to accept.