Soul (religious tradition)
The concept of the soul is a profound and diverse topic within various religious and philosophical traditions. It has been interpreted as a non-corporeal essence that exists within living beings, and its origins and nature have sparked debate across cultures. Many traditions assert that the soul is what makes individuals unique, serving as the essence of life and consciousness. In ancient Egypt, for example, the soul was viewed as an integral part of a person, continuing to exist after death, which influenced their elaborate burial practices.
Philosophically, figures like Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas contributed significantly to the understanding of the soul, with Aquinas positing that the soul is immortal and can exist apart from the body. In Christianity, the soul plays a pivotal role in concepts of judgment and the afterlife, where it is believed to face divine judgment after death. Other religious traditions provide varying interpretations; for instance, Judaism emphasizes the soul's journey during life rather than a detailed afterlife, while Islam holds a view similar to Christianity regarding the soul's immortality and final judgment.
Hinduism introduces the idea of reincarnation, suggesting that the soul is reborn, while Buddhism focuses on the transformation of energy rather than a distinct soul. Each tradition offers unique insights into the nature of the soul, reflecting a rich tapestry of beliefs that continue to influence spiritual and philosophical thought today.
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Soul (religious tradition)
The concept of a soul has existed for centuries and in countless traditions. It has been described in mythological, philosophical, and theological terms, and even considered by those whose expertise is in science and medicine. Souls have been attributed to animals, plants, people, and even to inanimate objects, such as stones and mountains, and have been considered to be both mortal and immortal.
There has been considerable disagreement as to where souls originate and at what point they are joined to the body. Some believe that the soul is created by God at the moment of conception and linked to that body, while others believe it exists before that and is joined to the body at conception or some later point. Others believe that it is created by a fetus's parents from their combined essences, just as the body is created by their combined DNA. Regardless of how or when it is created, those who believe in the idea of a soul generally feel that it is the part of a being that makes it unique.
History
The ancient Egyptians had a concept of an entity that was part of a person but separate from the body. Their burial practices, including the provision of goods and servants that might be needed in the afterlife, indicate a clear belief in a life after the mortal body was deceased. Archeological evidence dates the belief back to at least the eighth century BCE.
The earliest recorded use of the word soul for the concept of a non-corporeal entity is in the epic poem Beowulf, written in the eighth century CE. The word appears to have been derived from Old English and refers to something that came from the sea or other body of water. It was believed at that time that souls went through the sea on their way to and from the afterlife.
The ancient Greeks thought of the soul as an essence of being that shared the physical body while it was alive, but was separate enough from the body that it could exist even after the body died. They considered the soul to be the source of life for the body. Aristotle and others believed that plants and animals also had souls, but there was disagreement as to whether these souls were immortal and from where they originated.
Religious Context
Aristotle and many of his contemporaries saw the soul in a philosophical context, not a religious one. Others would elaborate on and refine the Aristotelian theories, including Thomas Aquinas, a philosopher and theologian who argued that the soul could exist without a body and could not be destroyed in the same ways as a body. A Dominican monk and Catholic priest, Aquinas treated theology as a science and applied scientific principles and reasoning to many theological concepts, including that of the soul. His concept of the immortal soul included a belief in resurrection and the reuniting of body and soul to an eternity where both would be rewarded or punished, according to a person's earthly behavior.
The overall Christian concept of a soul is similar to the view put forth by Aquinas. The soul is believed to be the controlling part of the complete being, able to think and reason and act on these thoughts and its desires through the use of the body. Most Christians believe that when they die, their souls stand for judgment before God, who will decide where their souls will spend eternity—heaven or hell. The belief that the soul alone can be punished after the death of the person is illustrated by the Catholic practice of allowing indulgences, or partial forgiveness for sins based on actions done by the living on behalf of themselves or the already deceased.
Souls considered to be in special circumstances, such as unborn infants and those too young or too impaired to make informed choices in their behavior, are thought by some to be granted eternal life by the grace of God.
Some Christian denominations hold slightly different beliefs, particularly about what happens to the soul after death. Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, believe that the soul needs the body for existence; therefore, there is no consciousness of the soul between death and the final resurrection and judgment. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that the soul continues to grow and mature in a spiritual realm until the resurrection, when it is reunited with the body.
In the Jewish tradition, the soul comes to the body with the first breath. There is less emphasis on an afterlife and more interest in the quality of the soul during life. Those who practice Judaism believe that obedience to the commandments given by God and good deeds in this life bring one closer to God and that this is the ultimate goal of the soul.
Islamic beliefs are similar to Christian beliefs in viewing the soul as immortal and subject to a final judgment by God. Muslims also believe in a resurrection of the physical body for reunion with the soul.
Hindus also believe in a continuation of life after death but believe the soul is reborn, or reincarnated, in a new body. As a result, Hindu burial practices include cremation as a way of freeing the spiritual soul to go on to a new life.
The Buddhist tradition also includes the idea of the life force continuing after death but does not consider this to be a soul. Rather, Buddhists believe it is the energy of the person who died that prompts the creation of a new person, continuing a cycle of life.
Bibliography
King, Winston L. Buddhism and Christianity: Some Bridges of Understanding. New York: Routledge, 2008. 204–227. Print.
Lorenz, Hendrik. "Ancient Theories of Soul." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. The Metaphysics Research Lab, Center for the Study of Language and Information (CSLI), Stanford University. 23 Oct. 2003. Web. 26 Aug. 2015. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ancient-soul/
MacCulloch, Diarmaid. Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years. New York: Penguin Books, 2009. 70–71, 601, 701. Print.
Siddiqui, Mona. The Good Muslim: Reflections on Classical Islamic Law and Theology. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2012. 158–164. Print.
Smith, Peter and David Worden. Key Beliefs, Ultimate Questions and Life Issues. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2003. 75–78. Print.