Note: This article is part of an ongoing series on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” (TOB).

As we continue to explore Pope St. John Paul II’s reflections on “eschatological man” (i.e., the human person in view of the final things), recall that in the resurrection of the body, man will not only experience anew the harmonious integrity of body and soul, but our mortal nature will also be transformed. As St. Paul said, “This perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:53). Thus, according to John Paul II, in the resurrection, we will find ourselves in “a wholly new state of human life” (TOB 66:3).

How will our resurrected existence differ from this mortal, earthly one? Jesus’ words in the gospels of Matthew and Mark tell us that in the resurrection we will be “like angels in heaven” (Mt. 22:30, Mk. 12:25). St. Luke gives us an expanded form of our Lord’s words: “Those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die any more, because they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection” (Lk. 20:35-36).

As we discussed last month, these verses do not imply that human beings become angels. Angels (i.e., pure spirits) are an entirely different, ontologically superior, kind of creature than human beings. Angels do not become human beings, and human beings do not become angels either in this life or in the next. Nonetheless, Scripture speaks of how there will be a greater likeness between humans and angels after the resurrection of the body. Pope St. John Paul II reasoned that this greater likeness with the angels is not due to “a disincarnation of man, but by another kind (or degree) … of spiritualization of his somatic nature” (TOB 66:5). He went on to speak of this new state of humanity as “a new submission of the body to the spirit” and man having a new “system of powers” within him (TOB 66:5).

What does all this mean? Recall that when sin entered the world, the perfect, harmonious unity of body and soul within the human person was fractured. We experience internal conflict, rebellious strivings, physical and mental illness, and ultimately death. These are all manifestations of the lack of harmony between body and soul common to historical man. Through the resurrection of the body, all disharmony will be overcome as “the definitively and perfectly ‘integrated’ state of man” will be established (TOB 66:6). Indeed, “in the resurrection, the body will return to perfect unity and harmony with the spirit; man will no longer experience the opposition between what is spiritual and what is bodily in him” (TOB 67.1). Therefore, “‘Eschatological’ man will be free from this ‘opposition’ of body and soul” (TOB 67.1).

While remaining a bodily being, the resurrected human person will instead experience a new, perfect “spiritualization,” which “signifies not only that the spirit will master the body, but … that it will also fully permeate the body and the powers of the spirit will permeate the energies of the body” (TOB 67:1). This unity of body and soul will be so complete, it could be described as “the perfect participation of all that is bodily in man in all that is spiritual in him” (TOB 67:2). One effect of this complete permeation of body and soul is “perfect spontaneity without any opposition” (TOB 67:2).

This profound spiritualization of the human body leading to perfect harmony, integrity and spontaneity constitutes the increased likeness to the angels we will experience in the resurrection. This likeness to the angels does not entail becoming less bodily but rather the perfection of our body-soul unity. It also does not involve losing our sexual identity as males or females. As we will explore next time, this aspect of our humanity will remain in the resurrection but take on new meaning.

Dr. Andrew Sodergren, MTS, PSY.D is a Catholic psychologist and director of psychological services for Ruah Woods. He speaks on the integration of psychology and the Catholic faith. He and his wife, Ellie, have five children.

This article appeared in the December 2024 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.