When Dr. Raymond A. Moody's ground-breaking book, Life After Life, was published a quarter century ago, its research came as a revelation to many people. But to others, it confirmed what they already knew-that it is possible to be separated from our physical body and yet remain alive and totally aware.

Since the book was published, the concept of out-of-body and near-death experiences has become common knowledge. Christians can embrace this data as a confirmation of what St. Paul says in scripture: "There is, of course a physical body, so there has to be a spiritual body." (I Cor. 15:44) The thousands of documented cases in which people have separated spiritually from their physical body demonstrate the truth of this scriptural passage.

Most branches of the Christian Church have yet to acknowledge the significance of the near-death experience in their theology. But we believe that current near-death literature may be valued in the future much as biblical literature from the past is valued today. In any event, the near- death experience has become a widely accepted phenomena and it has the potential to teach us much about our true nature.