RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Resurrection of the Dead
Rettig-
8; Rom. v. 17; Rev. xx. 4, 6). A whole series of contrasts follows between this and the present natural body (I Cor. xv. 42 sqq.). Dishonor, consequent upon the weaknesses of the present body, gives place to glory; weakness to strength; it has not even the material substance of the present (I Cor. xv. 50). What its substance is, Paul does not tell; but his insistence on the differences between the two must not be pressed. If the new body were conceived as a wholly different body, there would be no real victory over death, which would then have its prey, God repairing the loss by a new creation. In I Cor. xv. 36-38, Paul describes the relation between the two under the analogy of the grain which " is not quickened except it die." But what is the kernel of the new body contained in the old? Since it is obviously not the substance of the old, it can scarcely be anything but the individual, characteristic form, which has remained constant throughout all the changes of the earthly life. Paul's view would thus be that God develops this form to meet the needs of a new corporal existence which shall correspond to the spiritual life of the risen soul. As noted above, he gives no indication of the nature of the bodies to be assigned to the wicked at the resurrection. It is clear, however, that a " pneumatic body " can not be bestowed upon them, if only because this is an imperishable body, incapable of being touched by the " second death." His idea probably is that those who did not die in the faith and fellowship of Christ will rise in the same bodies which they formerly possessed — those of them who are justified at the judgment then receiving their spiritual bodies, while the rejected go down, body and soul, to the second death. See Eschatology, § 6. (E. Schabdee.)
Bibliography: The subject is treated from the Biblical side in the commentaries on the passages cited, and in the works on Biblical Theology (see the lists given in and under that article); and from the dogmatic standpoint in the works on systematic theology (see in and under Dogma, Dogmatics) and especially on Eschatology (q.v.). Special note may be made of: S. Drew, An Essay on the Identity and General Resurrection of the Human Body in Relation both to Philosophy and Scripture, London, 1822; G. Bush, Anastasis; or the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body Rationally and Scripturally Considered, New York, 1845; R. W. Landis, The Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body, Philadelphia, 1846; B. F. Westcott, The Gospel of the Resurrection. Thoughts on its Relation to Reason and History, London and New York, 1865; H. Mattison, The Resurrection of the Dead, Considered in the Light of History, Philosophy, and Divine Revelation, Philadelphia, 1866; A. H. Klostermann, Untersuchungen zur alttestamentlichen Theologie, Gotha, 1868; A. H. Cremer, Die Auferstehung der Todten, Barmen, 1870; idem, Ueber den Zustand nach dem Tode, 3d ed., Gutersloh, 1892; Jahrbilcher fur deutsche Theologie, 1874, no. 2 (by Staehelin), 1877, no. 2 (by Kostlin); J. Hall, How are the Dead Raised, and with what Body do they come f Hartford, 1875; D. W. Faunce, Resurrection in Nature and in Revelation: an Argument and a Meditation, New York, 1884; C. E. Luthardt, Lehre von den letzten Dingen, 3d ed., Leipsic, 1885; H. W. Rinck, Vom Zustand nach dem Tode, Basel, 1885; F. Splittgerber, Tod, Fortleben, und Auferstehung, 4th ed., Halle, 1885; R. Kabisch, Eschatologie des Paulus, Gottingen, 1893; W. Milligan, The Resurrection of the Dead. An Exposition of 1 Corinthians xv., Edinburgh, 1894; C. S. Gerhard, Death and the Resurrection, Philadelphia, 1895; P. Giannone, II Triregno {.Delia Resurrezione de Morte), 3 vols., Rome, 1895; W. F. Whitehouse, The Redemption of the Body, London, 1895; E. Huntingford, The Resvrrection of the Body, ib. 1897; J. Maynard, The Resurrection of the Dead,
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ib. 1897; J. Hughes-Games, On the Nature of the Resurrection of the Body, ib. 1898; J. Telfer, The Coming Kingdom of God, ib. 1902; L. Kessler, Religiose Wirklichkeit. Von der Gewissheit der Auferstehung, Gottingen, 1903; E. Wolfsdorf, Die Auferstehung der Toten, Bamberg, 1904; J. H. Hyslop, Psychical Research and the Resurrection, Boston, 1908; C. K. Staudt, The Idea of the Resurrection in the Ante-Nicene Period, Chicago, 1910; D. Volter, Die Entstehung des Glaubens an die Auferstehung Jesu, Strasburg, 1910; J. G. Bjorklund, Death and Resurrection from the Point of View of the Cell Theory, Chicago, 1910.
RETABULUM. See Altar, III., 1, b, c.
RETTBERG, ret'barH, FRIEDRICH WILHELM: German Lutheran; b. at Celle (22 m. n.n.e. of Hanover) Aug. 21, 1805; d. at Marburg Apr. 7, 1849. He was educated at the University of Gottingen (1824-27; Ph.D., 1829), and after teaching at the gymnasium of his native city from 1827-30 went to Gottingen as lecturer in theology, where he was associate professor (1834-38), and assistant pastor at the Jakobikirche after 1833. In 1838 he was called to Marburg as full professor of theology and retained this position until his death. His most important writings are those on church history, beginning with a monograph on the life and work of Cyprian (Gottingen, 1831), and continuing with a volume treating of the papal history of the thirteenth century to carry on J. E. C. Schmidt's Handbuch der christlichen Kirchengeschichte (Giessen, 1834). Rettberg's chief work, however, was his Kirchengeschichte Deutschlands (2 vols., Gottingen, 1846-48), extending from the earliest period to the death of Charlemagne. He was also the author of an apologetic monograph Ueber die Heilslehren des Christentums nach den Grundsatzen der evangelischlutherischen Kirche (Leipsic, 1838), and of the posthumous Religionsphilosophie (Marburg, 1850).
(J. A. WAGBNMANNf.) Bibliogbaph y : The funeral sermon by E. Henke contains an account of Rettberg's writings and services to the University of Marburg, and the same writer wrote the necro- Iog in Kasselsche Zeitung, no. 15, 1849, and issued an appreciation in Latin, Marburg, 1849. Consult also O. Gerland, Hessische Gelehrten-, Schriftsteller- und Kilnstler- Geschichte, i. 108 sqq., Cassel, 1863.