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Living Fully Into the Life to Come: Lessons from The Art of Dying


In our recent discussion group, we turned our attention to a sobering but profoundly important topic—death, not in the abstract but as a deeply human, spiritual, and relational experience. Drawing from Robb Noll’s The Art of Dying: Living Fully Into the Life to Come, we explored how modern culture has drifted far from the Christian tradition of dying well and why recovering this lost art matters now more than ever.

Facing the Unspoken

As Noll notes, contemporary Americans live in unprecedented denial of death. We’ve pushed it out of sight—out of homes, out of conversation, and too often, out of church life. This denial may feel like progress, but it comes at a cost. We’ve lost the ability to help people die well and to mourn well. We’ve forgotten that death is not just a medical event—it’s a deeply spiritual one.

Christian tradition once upheld the “good death,” an approach where final moments became a time of reconciliation, repentance, spiritual preparation, and ultimately, a testimony to faith in Christ. As St. Isaac the Syrian once advised, we should prepare our hearts for the inevitable hour, greeting it not with fear but with peace and purpose.

Dying Has Changed—But the Call to Faith Remains

Death used to arrive swiftly through infection or injury. Now, chronic illness often means that we experience a slow decline. While this brings its own set of burdens, it also offers a grace-filled opportunity: to spend time with loved ones, mend relationships, prepare spiritually, and leave a legacy of faith.

Noll emphasizes that the choice to pursue aggressive medical care must be weighed carefully. We should balance our hope for healing with a willingness to accept that our earthly life will end. This isn’t giving up—it’s preparing our souls for what comes next.

Recovering the Christian Vision of Death

In the 1800s, death was infused with spiritual meaning. Obituaries told of faith, last words were sacred, and death was often viewed as a threshold between two worlds. By the 20th century, however, heavy sedation and the sanitization of language dulled the spiritual impact of death. What was once public and instructive became private and clinical.

But it wasn’t always this way. The Christian tradition included “Ars Moriendi”—the art of dying—a discipline in which believers mentally prepared for death long before it arrived. The dying process was embraced, shared, and seen as an opportunity for testimony and transformation.

Dying Well Requires Community

Noll challenges us to rethink our roles as family, friends, and church members. The dying need more than care—they need presence. We are called to walk with them, say important words (“I love you,” “Please forgive me,” “I forgive you,” “Thank you”), and honor their final journey. Being there matters more than saying the right thing.

Equally important is the Christian funeral. Rather than a generic farewell, a Christian funeral should tell the story of the gospel and connect it to the life of the one who has died. It shapes our grief and reinforces the hope we have in Christ.

Allowing Space for Grief

Grief is lonely, awkward, and overwhelming, but it must not be avoided. As Noll reminds us, we need to mourn deeply in order to heal honestly. The church must not suppress lament—it must make room for it. Through shared mourning and ritual, the broken community begins to heal and rebuild.

Toward a Culture of Resurrection

As our population ages and more of us care for aging loved ones, the church has an opportunity—and responsibility—to embrace the elderly, not marginalize them. We need a multigenerational vision that gives older members a renewed sense of mission and allows younger believers to learn from those nearing the finish line of faith.

Ultimately, Noll urges us to foster a resurrection culture. If we cannot learn to die well, reconciled to others and prepared to meet God, we cannot truly learn to live well.

Living Today with the End in Mind

The book's final chapter reminds us that death should shape how we live. A good death—a life marked by love, peace, and trust in Christ—begins long before the moment of departure. We can help prepare for that day by building strong family ties, speaking openly about end-of-life hopes, and trusting in the resurrection promise.

As we reflected on Noll’s book, one message rang clear: dying well is not something we stumble into. It is a sacred process, and like all spiritual disciplines, it requires attention, preparation, and faith. May we be a community that embraces this calling, not in fear, but in the full assurance of life to come.

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