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Eternal Life: What You Need to Know About Death, Judgment, and Life Everlasting
Italian-born German priest, Romano Guardini has written a book with honest answers to the hard questions about death and the afterlife. From his patient and thoughtful study of Scripture and Church teachings, he shares those things that will diminish grief, calm fears, and melt away doubts.
- GenresChristianity
138 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
7 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Romano Guardini
381 books164 followersRomano Guardini was a Catholic priest, author, and academic. He was one of the most important figures in Catholic intellectual life in the 20th century.
Guardini was born in Verona, Italy in 1885. His family moved to Mainz when he was one year old and he lived in Germany for the rest of his life. After studying chemistry in Tübingen for two semesters, and economics in Munich and Berlin for three, he decided to become a priest. After studying Theology in Freiburg im Breisgau and Tübingen, he was ordained in Mainz in 1910. He briefly worked in a pastoral position before returning to Freiburg to work on his doctorate in Theology under Engelbert Krebs. He received his doctorate in 1915 for a dissertation on Bonaventure. He completed his “Habilitation” in Dogmatic Theology at the University of Bonn in 1922, again with a dissertation on Bonaventure. Throughout this period he also worked as a chaplain to the Catholic youth movement.
In 1923 he was appointed to a chair in Philosophy of Religion at the University of Berlin. In the 1935 essay “Der Heiland” (The Saviour) he criticized Nazi mythologizing of the person of Jesus and emphasized the Jewishness of Jesus. The Nazis forced him to resign from his Berlin position in 1939. From 1943 to 1945 he retired to Mooshausen, where his friend Josef Weiger had been parish priest since 1917.
In 1945 Guardini was appointed professor in the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Tübingen and resumed lecturing on the Philosophy of Religion. In 1948, he became professor at the University of Munich, where he remained until retiring for health reasons in 1962.
Guardini died in Munich on 1 October 1968. He was buried in the priests’ cemetery of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Munich. His estate was left to the Catholic Academy in Bavaria that he had co-founded.
Guardini was born in Verona, Italy in 1885. His family moved to Mainz when he was one year old and he lived in Germany for the rest of his life. After studying chemistry in Tübingen for two semesters, and economics in Munich and Berlin for three, he decided to become a priest. After studying Theology in Freiburg im Breisgau and Tübingen, he was ordained in Mainz in 1910. He briefly worked in a pastoral position before returning to Freiburg to work on his doctorate in Theology under Engelbert Krebs. He received his doctorate in 1915 for a dissertation on Bonaventure. He completed his “Habilitation” in Dogmatic Theology at the University of Bonn in 1922, again with a dissertation on Bonaventure. Throughout this period he also worked as a chaplain to the Catholic youth movement.
In 1923 he was appointed to a chair in Philosophy of Religion at the University of Berlin. In the 1935 essay “Der Heiland” (The Saviour) he criticized Nazi mythologizing of the person of Jesus and emphasized the Jewishness of Jesus. The Nazis forced him to resign from his Berlin position in 1939. From 1943 to 1945 he retired to Mooshausen, where his friend Josef Weiger had been parish priest since 1917.
In 1945 Guardini was appointed professor in the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Tübingen and resumed lecturing on the Philosophy of Religion. In 1948, he became professor at the University of Munich, where he remained until retiring for health reasons in 1962.
Guardini died in Munich on 1 October 1968. He was buried in the priests’ cemetery of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Munich. His estate was left to the Catholic Academy in Bavaria that he had co-founded.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 27, 2020
I love Romano Guardini already and this book was really great. Somehow he manages to take us every time from the philosophical heights where we understand the big picture right down to where our own personal issues and questions come up. He often answers questions that I never thought to ask - such as if our eternal bodies reflect our history as our soul does, then what will they be like after we are resurrected? Aha. Food for thought indeed!
September 22, 2024
THE CATHOLIC PHILOSOPHER DISCUSSES THE DOCTRINES OF THE "END"
Romano Guardini (1885-1968) was a Catholic priest, author, and academic; he taught philosophy and religion at the University of Tübingen and the University of Munich. He wrote many books, such as 'The Lord,' 'The Rosary of Our Lady, 'T'he End of the Modern World,' 'The Art of Praying: The Principles and Methods of Christian Prayer,' etc.
He wrote in the Foreword to this 1940 book, "In this study, I shall try to outline what Christianity teaches concerning the end and that which pertains to it---death, resurrection, purification after death, the Last Judgment, and eternal life. It is, in fact, only an outline. I am not aiming to present an exhaustive survey, but rather to focus on certain points from which the subject may appear more definite and intelligible... I shall confine myself to establishing a relationship between the timeless teaching of Revelation and our present spiritual and intellectual situation." (Pg. viii)
He states, "The Resurrection has brought about a fundamental change. No magical cure for death has been found, no new ethical code of dying achieved, which would mean only an advance in the human condition. Death remains a reality. But it has been taken up into a new connection with life and has become the passage into a new life---a divine but eternally human life. For now, beyond our death, awaits the resurrection." (Pg. 26)
He observes, "The belief in purification after death found expression very early in the devotional life of the Church. Commemorations were made for the dead in holy Mass and prayers offered that God might receive them into communion with Him. These prayers and other expressions of concern for the departed presupposed that, although the dead had been accepted by the Divine Judge, they yet remained in an intermediate state." (Pg. 37)
He adds, "In a mystery of suffering, the heart adjusts itself to contrition and delivers itself up to the power of the holy Creator-Spirit. Opportunities misused are rebestowed, wrong turns retraced and taken rightly. Evil, being lived again, is made over into good. The improvement is not an external matter. The whole nature, plunged into re-creating grace, through the mystery of effectual repentance, comes out newly made. The Church calls this Purgatory." (Pg. 54)
He notes, "Soul and body are not clearly separable entitles. The body is continuously informed by the spiritual soul; indeed, what we call body is, at every point, in every act, one with the soul. If the soul could be completely removed, there would be no body, but only a biological substance, perhaps of mutually destructive chemical particles. The soul, on its side, does not live on its own account, but is effective in and through the body, to the point that it seems doubtful whether a single purely spiritual act is possible in human life. Throughout, it is the spirit-body that is human." (Pg. 79)
He states, "But Christ is not only Judge; He is also Redeemer. Even as Judge He is Redeemer. The judgment is not the revenge of the offended Son of God, not His personal triumph over His enemies. By saying that truth and goodness are a person---Christ---it is not suggested that any personal element would intrude and blur the impartial validity of truth and goodness. The judgment is justice, yet not justice in and for itself, but justice bound up with the living mind and love of Christ. The Last Judgment is the fulfillment of redemption." (Pg. 109)
This book will be of interest to Catholics looking for more information about these doctrines.
Romano Guardini (1885-1968) was a Catholic priest, author, and academic; he taught philosophy and religion at the University of Tübingen and the University of Munich. He wrote many books, such as 'The Lord,' 'The Rosary of Our Lady, 'T'he End of the Modern World,' 'The Art of Praying: The Principles and Methods of Christian Prayer,' etc.
He wrote in the Foreword to this 1940 book, "In this study, I shall try to outline what Christianity teaches concerning the end and that which pertains to it---death, resurrection, purification after death, the Last Judgment, and eternal life. It is, in fact, only an outline. I am not aiming to present an exhaustive survey, but rather to focus on certain points from which the subject may appear more definite and intelligible... I shall confine myself to establishing a relationship between the timeless teaching of Revelation and our present spiritual and intellectual situation." (Pg. viii)
He states, "The Resurrection has brought about a fundamental change. No magical cure for death has been found, no new ethical code of dying achieved, which would mean only an advance in the human condition. Death remains a reality. But it has been taken up into a new connection with life and has become the passage into a new life---a divine but eternally human life. For now, beyond our death, awaits the resurrection." (Pg. 26)
He observes, "The belief in purification after death found expression very early in the devotional life of the Church. Commemorations were made for the dead in holy Mass and prayers offered that God might receive them into communion with Him. These prayers and other expressions of concern for the departed presupposed that, although the dead had been accepted by the Divine Judge, they yet remained in an intermediate state." (Pg. 37)
He adds, "In a mystery of suffering, the heart adjusts itself to contrition and delivers itself up to the power of the holy Creator-Spirit. Opportunities misused are rebestowed, wrong turns retraced and taken rightly. Evil, being lived again, is made over into good. The improvement is not an external matter. The whole nature, plunged into re-creating grace, through the mystery of effectual repentance, comes out newly made. The Church calls this Purgatory." (Pg. 54)
He notes, "Soul and body are not clearly separable entitles. The body is continuously informed by the spiritual soul; indeed, what we call body is, at every point, in every act, one with the soul. If the soul could be completely removed, there would be no body, but only a biological substance, perhaps of mutually destructive chemical particles. The soul, on its side, does not live on its own account, but is effective in and through the body, to the point that it seems doubtful whether a single purely spiritual act is possible in human life. Throughout, it is the spirit-body that is human." (Pg. 79)
He states, "But Christ is not only Judge; He is also Redeemer. Even as Judge He is Redeemer. The judgment is not the revenge of the offended Son of God, not His personal triumph over His enemies. By saying that truth and goodness are a person---Christ---it is not suggested that any personal element would intrude and blur the impartial validity of truth and goodness. The judgment is justice, yet not justice in and for itself, but justice bound up with the living mind and love of Christ. The Last Judgment is the fulfillment of redemption." (Pg. 109)
This book will be of interest to Catholics looking for more information about these doctrines.
January 4, 2021
Guardini is a master. His books are are not always easy to read, but they are about simple things. Eternal Life gives a very brief overview of what Eternal life is, and what it is not. Well worth the read.
September 2, 2015
loved it- need to re-read
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews