Bathos

The deep world below..

Romans 8:39 (Catholic Pastoral edition)

It is All Souls, when Catholics remember those who have died. Now I checked this in the Greek, and it seems that St Paul actually only says "Bathos", depth, so the Anglican translation I have says "nor depth", following the KJV. However, various Protestant translations also expand on the phrase, with the NLT going with "in the earth below". This is important, because the existence of Purgatory remains in dispute between Catholics & Protestants. Where do we go when we die? I'd love to see an Orthodox translation also but I don't have one at hand. As I understand it, while not talking about Purgatory as such, which is a Latinate word, they are sympathetic to the Catholic view, but I can't attempt to summarize their exact theology here. The issue is: is Christ's sacrifice on the cross sufficient to release us from all post death suffering from sin, and get us to heaven straightaway, or is some expiation required of the imperfect soul on death? Dante wrote a whole book about Purgatory. Maybe I should read it. I have only read his Paradise & Hell so far..

However, there is another verse St Paul wrote that springs to mind: 1 Corinthians 15:52-

..In an instant, at the sound of the trumpet. You have heard of the last trumpet; then in a twinkling of an eye, the dead will be raised imperishable, while we shall be transformed..