Rest in Peace: A Christian Reflection on Its Use

The Deep Dive Team discuss Reverend Philip Rimmer's article about the appropriateness of the phrase "Rest in Peace" (RIP) for Christians, particularly Protestants. He notes its origins in Roman Catholic tradition as a prayer for souls in purgatory. Rev. Rimmer argues that this conflicts with Protestant beliefs that salvation is through faith alone and rejects the concept of purgatory. He highlights that the Bible doesn't support post-death cleansing or prayer for the deceased, with one's eternal destiny being sealed at death. Consequently, the article suggests alternative, biblically sound expressions of comfort and remembrance for deceased believers, such as "they are with the Lord."Check out our website www.gole.org.uk