Embodied Hope: Christian Materialism, Open Theism, and the Resurrection

Embodied Hope: Christian Materialism, Open Theism, and the Resurrection

The Christian vision of eschatological hope has always centered on bodily resurrection. Early Christian and biblical traditions envisioned not escape from the body or creation but their renewal. Christian materialism, which holds that humans are wholly physical, challenges substance dualism and aligns with this early hope. This perspective emphasizes the continuity between self and body, asserting that our ultimate hope is for a restored creation and transformed bodies. Ironically, many open theists—despite critiquing Greek philosophical influences—hold dualistic views of human nature. This paper argues that open theism, seen through the lenses of Christian materialism, offers a clearer view of death but a more robust eschatological hope. 

Christian Materialism: The Nature of the Self

Rooted in Genesis 2:7, Christian materialism asserts that personal identity and consciousness are inseparable from the body. Salvation is not the transmigration of an immaterial disembodied soul to some heavenly state but the recreation and transformation of the whole person, consistent with Paul’s vision in 1 Corinthians 15. This approach highlights the continuity between the present body and the resurrected body, essential for preserving personal identity. Unlike dualistic models, this approach sees human nature as fundamentally embodied, aligning with the Hebrew understanding of personhood. If human persons are material beings, then salvation must include the restoration of physical existence. 

The implications of this are profound: the evils and suffering of this world are not compensated or erased but redeemed. The Christian hope is not for amnesia but for transformation. The wounds of history, the pain of personal suffering, and even death itself is not undone in a way that negates their significance; rather, they are taken up and healed within God's redemptive work. The self cannot be neatly separated from its experiences, so our hope is that God save the self, not eliminate it. 

Open Theism and Divine Vulnerability

Open theism argues that God operates within time, experiences new realities moment by moment, and dynamically relates with creation. If Christian materialism insists that we are truly dead until the resurrection, then open theism suggests that God experiences real loss at our death. Death is not merely a transition to a "better place" but a painful rupture that affects not only us but also God. Just as we hope for bodily renewal in the resurrection, so too does God anticipate and long for the restoration of all creation.

Some open theists ironically embrace a form of substance dualism despite their critique of Greek philosophical influence on Christian theology. If open theists reject Hellenistic views of God, it follows that they should also be skeptical of dualistic notions of personhood in favor of a more biblical, Hebraic understanding. This view further seeks to take seriously that death will be the last enemy of God to be destroyed (I Cor. 15:26). If death is but a gateway to the beatific vision, then it is neither our enemy nor God’s. 

Resurrection as Embodied Hope

Jesus’ resurrection affirms that hope is fundamentally bodily. His risen body bore the marks of crucifixion (John 20:27), suggesting that identity is inseparable from lived experiences, including suffering and trauma. While suffering and evil are not good, they shape who we are—any meaningful hope must involve not erasure but transformation. This vision honors the material world, imagining a future where disabilities and wounds are somehow redeemed and made whole. Christian materialism ensures that the self remains deeply tied to physical existence, while open theism underscores that God’s redemptive plan does not forget suffering but instead transforms it.

God’s Faithfulness and the Renewal of Creation

The philosophical nature of hope itself is significant here. Hope is both a human and divine virtue. For humans, hope sustains us in the face of suffering, providing a framework for anticipating redemption even in the midst of loss. Theologically, hope is not mere optimism but an orientation toward God's future work. In open theism, even God hopes—longing for and working toward a redeemed creation. 

Conclusion

Integrating Christian materialism and open theism offers a vision of our final hope that is faithful to the biblical witness and our embodied experiences. Christian materialism emphasizes the deep unity of self and body, affirming that ultimate hope lies in bodily renewal that incorporates our past into our future. Open theism, in turn, underscores God's relational engagement with creation, showing that God experiences loss and longs for resurrection alongside us. Together, these perspectives provide a theologically consistent and philosophically coherent view in which both the divine and human share the same hope.