Hope to Die

As Catholics, we believe in the resurrection of the body. We profess it in our creed. We’re taught that to bury and pray for the dead are corporal and spiritual works of mercy. We honor the dead in our Liturgy through the Rite of Christian burial. We do all of this, and more, because when Jesus Christ took on flesh for the salvation of our souls he also bestowed great dignity on our bodies.

In Hope to Die: The Christian Meaning of Death and the Resurrection of the Body, Scott Hahn explores the significance of death and burial from a Catholic perspective. The promise of the bodily resurrection brings into focus the need for the dignified care of our bodies at the hour of death. Unpacking both Scripture and Catholic teaching, Hope to Die reminds us that we are destined for glorification on the last day.

Our bodies have been made by a God who loves us. Even in death, those bodies point to the mystery of our salvation.

Dr. Scott Hahn is a renowned speaker, professor, and author, as well as the Founder and President of the St. Paul Center, an apostolate dedicated to teaching Catholics to read Scripture from the heart of the Church. He is the Fr. Michael Scanlan Professor of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at Franciscan University where he has taught since 1990. Dr. Hahn has been married to Kimberly for forty years, and together they have six children and eighteen grandchildren. Two of their sons are currently in priestly formation with the Diocese of Steubenville. Dr. Hahn’s works include best-selling titles Rome Sweet Home, The Lamb’s Supper, and Hail Holy Queen.

Emily Stimpson Chapman is an award-winning Catholic writer based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her books include The Catholic Table, The American Catholic Almanac, These Beautiful Bones, and The Catholic Girl’s Survival Guide for the Single Years. Chapman writes regularly about faith, hospitality, and food at her blog, The Catholic Table (www.thecatholictable.com).