Present in Body and Spirit: Friendship Across the Boundary of Death

Belief in Christ’s bodily resurrection is a central doctrine of Christian faith. But what it means for Christ to be present to those whom he loved following his death as well as what this presence means for the daily life of Christians is subject to debate. This paper uses friendship as the hermeneutical key for interpreting this doctrine. Through an analysis of the works of Carter Heyward, Jules Toner, and Fyodor Dostoevsky, I argue that presence-generation (both spiritual and bodily) is a central activity of friendship that continues after death. Friendship prepares for and makes present in spirit what is hoped for someday in bodily form. Identifying presence-generation as an activity of friendship can help Christians to recognize the value of this most basic human relationship, particularly as they await bodily reunion with their lost friends through participation in Christ’s resurrection.