What Happens When You Die?

I asked that question last Sunday in the midst of a group discussion in the Disciples class related to some of the Gnostic gospels. I must say that this adult group has been gracious in allowing me to sit in on their study and offer comments along the way and even ask, sometimes, pointed questions. I asked the question in this way because I think that sometimes we aren't always able to articulate fully what we believe and that it is sometimes difficult for us to see the inconsistencies in our own belief systems. Asking a question like "What happens when you die?" enables us to cut through some other stuff and get to the heart of the matter.

Because this material is so foreign to us and seemingly far removed from our context, it can be a struggle to enter the world of the text and explore the Gnostic understandings of creation, human beings, and Christ. How do we make sense of this stuff, how does it relate to us, and does it matter? Maybe we can frame the discussion and make sense of it by stating what we believe about these things. We do this not to gain a condemnatory measuring rod but in order to create a dialogue partner that can help us interpret what we're reading.