John Locke. Drafts on Resurrection

Abstract

Russian translation of four minor works drafted by Locke to the end of his life. All of them treat Resurrection and may serve as supplement to the main body of his theological writings, above all the “The Reasonableness of Christianity” and “A Paraphrase and Notes on the Epistles of St Paul”. Placing the notions of substance and personal identity into the context of Resurrection brings back to light their original religious meaning. The principal point of personal identity by consciousness is that it retains man’s accountability for the past deeds in his mortal life and makes possible his judgement as one and the same person. Since the faith which in apostle’s words is the substance of things hoped for, and as far as the person that rises at the Resurrection has to be identical in its consciousness to the one that had existed before, the conscious and reasonable faith becomes the immaterial substance of the righteous person to be justified and saved on the Last Day.