RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Deaconess Death
usage there are; (1) Monastic deans, whose authority extended over ten novices (Augustine, De moribus ecclesia, i. 31). (2) Deans (also called archpresbyters) appointed by a bishop to visit and oversee a part of his diocese, having supervision of the official and private conduct of the priests, presiding (from the ninth century on) at their district conventions, etc. A dean of this sort was dependent upon the archdeacon (Friedberg, Kirchenrecht, 188-189; see Archdeacon and Archpribst). (3) Deans of cathedrals are recognized cathedral officers as early as the eighth century. In the Church of England the dean is the next ecclesiastic to the bishop. Deaneries of the " old foundation " (those older than the Reformation) are elective; those of the " new foundation " (created by Henry VIII.) are appointed by the crown. The jurisdiction of the dean is supreme in his cathedral in all matters except those which affect doctrine. The deans of Westminster and Windsor are indspendent of all superior ecclesiastical authority. (4) The rural deans of England are clergymen appointed by the bishop " to execute the bishop's processes and inspect the lives and manners of the clergy and people within their jurisdiction " (Phillimore, Ecclesiastical Law). " The dean and chapter " is the name given in England to the body electing a bishop. (5) In the Lutheran Churches the title dean is for the most part synonymous with superintendent (q.v.), but sometimes signifies a subordinate official. In the Reformed Churches a dean is an overseer of clergy or the head of a classis in France. The oldest cardinal is usually the dean of the Sacred College, presides in the consistory in the pope's absence, confers upon a newly elected pope the orders he may not have received, and presides at the pope's coronation. D. S. Schaff.
Bibliography: J. G. Hofmann, De decanis et decanissis, Wittenberg, 1739; P. Baldauf, Das . Decanatamt, 6 vols., Graz, 1836; P. Hergenrother, Romisches Kirchenrecht, Freiburg, 1905; KL, iii. 1430-32; DCA, i. 537- 539; Bingham, Origines, books i., iv., v., vi., viii.
DEATH.
Various Representations (§1).
Three Kinds of Death Mentioned in Scripture (§ 2). The Origin of Death (§3). The Abolition of Death (§ 4). The Condition of Death (§ 5).
Among the Greeks, Thanatos, or death, was represented as a god, and the twin-brother of sleep (Hesiod and Homer). They en- I. Various deavored to exclude all that is revolting Represen- from the idea. The representation of tations. it, however, at a later period, under the figure of a priest in sable garments, cutting the hair from the heads of the dying to offer it to the gods of the underworld, betrays the natural dread of death common to the race. The Romans brought forward prominently the awful features, describing death as a pitiless divinity, pale, and haggard of aspect, furnished with black wmgs, etc. The mythologies of northern nations presented him under the figures of a fowler spreading his net, or a reaper with sickle in hand, or a skeleton. In the Scriptures also death is person-
ified, and described as intelligent (Job xxviii. 22), as sitting on a pale horse (Rev. vi. 8), or cast with hell into the lake of fire (Rev. xx. 14). Scripture expresses a universal sentiment of mankind when it calls death the king of terrors (Job xviii. 14), and an occasion of suffering and fear (Ps. Iv. 4; Heb. ii. 15). But it also speaks of it as a release from pain (Job iii. 17), the passage to a better life (II Cor. V. 4), as " being gathered to one's people " (Gen. XXV. 8), a taking-down of the pilgrim's temporary tent (II Cor. v. 1), a sleeping with the fathers (I Kings ii. 10), or with Christ (I Cor. xv. 18; I Thess. iv. 13-15), a departure (Phil. i. 23; II Tim. iv. 6), a dissolution of the earthly house (II Cor. V. 1), and a rest (Rev. xiv. 13).
There are three kinds of death mentioned in the Scriptures — physical death, spiritual death, and the second or eternal death. Physical death is the dissolution of the body into its component parts.
The spirit takes its flight (Eccles. xii. 2. Three 7), and the body passes back into the Kinds of dust from which it was taken (Gen. Death Men- iii. 19; Eccles. iii. 20). The time of tioned in this dissolution is known to God only Scripture. (Ps. xxxi. 15; Matt. xxv. 13). It must be regarded as a benignity for the righteous man (Num. xxiii. 10; Rom. vii. 24), but as a dread calamity to the impenitent, whom it ushers to his own place (Acts i. 25), and for all as " the night in which no man can work " (John ix. 4). Spiritual death is a state of sin and darkness, in which man is alienated from God, the fountain of life and light (I John i. 5), and consequently destitute of true spiritual life. The whole world, at the coming of Christ, was sitting in the shadow of this death (Luke i. 79). All men, without exception, are dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. ii. 1, 5; Col. ii. 13; cf. Luke xv. 32). Our L6rd became subject unto the death of the body, but was always in communion with the Father, and free from sin. The entrance upon a life of faith is called arising from the dead (Eph. v. 14), or becoming alive unto God (Rom. vi. 11). Spiritual death is not a stagnant condition, but a progressive state, the heart becoming more hardened, the eyes more blind (John xii. 49; Rom. i. 21), the conscience seared as with a hot iron (I Tim. iv. 2), and the pleasure in lust and hatred of God increased (Rom. i. 26-31). The second or eternal death (Rev. ii. 11; xx. 6, 14; xxi. 8) signifies the final loss of the power and opportunity to repent and turn to God. The personality is not destroyed; but God's image is wholly defaced, and heavenly blessedness forfeited. This terrible doom of the second death is described under the figure of an exclusion from what is good (Rev. xxii. 15; cf. Matt. xxv. 30), and of a lake burning with fire and brimstone, into which the finally impenitent are cast (Rev. xx. 14, xxi. 8). Those who overcome (Rev. ii. 11), and are partakers of the " first resurrection " (regeneration, cf. Eph. V. 14, etc.), shall in no wise be hurt of it (Rev. xx. G). The same idea is expressed by the words "perishing" (John iii. 15), " eternal punishment" (Matt, xxv. 46), " destruction" (Phil. iii. 19), " everlasting destruction " (II Thess. i. 9), and " corruption " (Gal. vi. 8).
Death Decalogue