Postmortem Theology According to Ladislaus Boros (At the Moment of Death)

1. Introduction

Have you ever wondered what happens at the moment of death? Can people still be saved after they die? These questions have puzzled Christians for centuries. Ladislaus Boros, a brilliant Jesuit theologian from the 20th century, offered a revolutionary answer in his book The Mystery of Death.

Boros (1927-1981) was a Hungarian-born priest who experienced what he described as a powerful mystical revelation about death in 1959. He wrote down his vision “at breakneck speed” over six weeks, creating one of the most unique theological works about death and salvation ever written. His central idea was simple yet profound: at the moment of death, every person makes a final, completely free decision about their eternal destiny.

This report explores how Boros understood postmortem (after death) opportunity for salvation. As a conservative biblical Christian perspective that believes in postmortem salvation opportunities, this analysis shows how Boros’s views connect with Scripture, contrast with other theologians, and remarkably parallel modern Near Death Experience accounts.

2. How Boros Understands Postmortem Opportunity

The Core Vision

Boros’s understanding of postmortem opportunity centers on what he calls “the moment of death” – not what happens after death, but what happens in the actual transition itself. Here’s his powerful description:

“In death the individual existence takes its place on the confines of all being, suddenly awake, in full knowledge and liberty… God himself stretches out his hand for him; God who, in every stirring of his existence, had been in him as his deepest mystery… There now man stands, free to accept or reject this splendour.”

Two Key Changes at Death

According to Boros, death brings two dramatic transformations that make this final decision possible:

The Final Decision

Boros argues that this is not a “second chance” but rather the first truly free choice a person can make. During life, our decisions are always limited by:

• Physical limitations and weaknesses
• Incomplete knowledge and understanding
• Psychological barriers and past traumas
• Social pressures and circumstances

Only at death, when these limitations fall away, can a person make their “first completely personal act” regarding God. This decision reflects everything the person has become throughout their life – it’s the culmination of their entire existence compressed into one moment of absolute clarity.

3. Biblical and Theological Foundation

Key Biblical Passages Boros Uses

While Boros’s work is primarily philosophical, he grounds his theology in several important biblical themes:

1. Christ’s Descent to the Dead

Boros sees 1 Peter 3:18-20 and 1 Peter 4:6 as crucial texts. When Christ “went and preached to the spirits in prison,” Boros argues this established a new universal possibility – that Christ meets every soul at death:

“In his death Christ with his sacred humanity became present to the whole universe as the innermost and deepest part of all that is the world.”

2. The Tearing of the Temple Veil

When Jesus died, Matthew 27:51 says “the veil of the temple was rent in two.” Boros interprets this cosmically:

“The veil of the temple represented the whole universe as it stands between God and man. This veil was torn in two at Christ’s death to show us that… the whole cosmos opens itself to the Godhead, bursts open for God like a flower bud.”

3. Old Testament Support

Boros would likely point to passages showing God’s universal desire for salvation:

• Ezekiel 18:23 – “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?”
• Wisdom 11:23-26 (Deuterocanonical) – God “overlooks people’s sins, so that they can repent” because “you love all things that exist”

Theological Principles

Boros builds on three major theological concepts:

1. Kenosis (Self-Emptying)

Death is the ultimate kenosis – the final self-emptying that allows complete openness to God. Just as Christ emptied himself (Philippians 2:5-11), humans experience this self-emptying at death.

2. God’s Universal Salvific Will

Following 1 Timothy 2:4 – God “wants all people to be saved” – Boros argues God ensures everyone has a genuine opportunity to choose.

3. The Nature of True Freedom

Real freedom requires full knowledge and absence of coercion. Only at death do humans achieve this level of freedom to make an eternal choice.

4. Contrasts with Other Postmortem Views

Boros vs. Beilby: Different Approaches to the Same Hope

James Beilby, a contemporary theologian, also defends postmortem opportunity but with important differences from Boros:

Key Differences in Approach

Beilby’s View: Beilby argues more traditionally that people need to hear the gospel message. He focuses on those who never had a chance to hear about Jesus (the unevangelized) or who heard a distorted message (the pseudoevangelized). For Beilby, postmortem opportunity is about information and choice – giving people the facts about Jesus they never received in life.

Boros’s View: Boros sees it differently. For him, it’s not about information but about transformation and encounter. At death, every person – whether they heard about Jesus or not – encounters Christ directly in the depths of their being. The choice isn’t based on learning new facts but on recognizing the God they’ve been unconsciously seeking all their life.

Other Postmortem Views

1. Universal Opportunity at Death (Newman/Rahner)

Some Catholic theologians like John Henry Newman proposed a “final option” right before death. This is similar to Boros but happens just before rather than during the death process.

2. Protestant Resistance

Most Protestant theologians reject any postmortem opportunity, citing Hebrews 9:27 – “it is appointed for people to die once, and after that to face judgment.” They see death as the absolute deadline for salvation decisions.

3. Eastern Orthodox Middle Ground

Orthodox Christians often hold that prayers for the dead can help them, suggesting some kind of ongoing process after death, but stop short of affirming new salvation opportunities.

5. Parallels Between Boros and Near Death Experiences

One of the most remarkable aspects of Boros’s theology is how closely it matches modern Near Death Experience (NDE) accounts – even though he wrote before most NDE research began! These parallels suggest Boros may have intuited something profound about the death process.

The Life Review

Boros describes death as a moment of “total self-encounter” where “the hidden dynamism of existence… is now brought to completion, freely and consciously.” Compare this to typical NDE life reviews:

“I saw my whole life flash before me… but it wasn’t just seeing it, I was understanding it for the first time. I felt how my actions affected others, saw the ripple effects of everything I’d done.” – Typical NDE account

Enhanced Consciousness

Both Boros and NDErs describe a dramatic expansion of awareness at death:

The Divine Encounter

Boros writes: “God himself stretches out his hand for him” at death. NDErs frequently report:

• Meeting a “Being of Light” radiating unconditional love
• Feeling completely known yet completely accepted
• Being asked variations of “What have you done with your life?”
• Experiencing a choice to stay or return

Freedom and Choice

Most significantly, many NDErs describe making a conscious choice – often to return to life despite the overwhelming peace and love they experience. This matches Boros’s emphasis on death as the moment of ultimate free choice.

“I was given a choice. I could stay in that incredible light and love, or I could go back. It was completely up to me. No pressure, just pure freedom to choose.” – NDE survivor

Transformation of Judgment

Both Boros and NDErs describe judgment differently than traditional theology:

• Not external punishment but internal realization
• Not God condemning but the soul seeing itself clearly
• Focus on love, growth, and relationships rather than rule-breaking
• Emphasis on what could have been rather than punishment for what was

6. Interaction with Biblical Universalism

Boros’s view raises an important question: If everyone gets a perfect opportunity to choose God at death, won’t everyone be saved? This connects to the ancient Christian debate about universal salvation.

Historical Christian Universalists

Several major early church fathers believed all would eventually be saved:

Origen (185-254 AD)

• Taught the “apokatastasis” – the restoration of all things
• Believed even Satan would eventually repent
• Saw hell as corrective, not eternal

Gregory of Nyssa (335-395 AD)

“All punishments are means of purification, ordained by Divine Love to purge rational beings from moral evil and to restore them back to communion with God.”

Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD)

• Taught that God’s punishments are always remedial
• Believed discipline and reformation were the only purposes of punishment

How Boros Avoids Universalism

Despite giving everyone a perfect opportunity, Boros does not conclude that all will be saved. Here’s why:

1. True Freedom Means Real Rejection Is Possible

Boros insists the choice at death is genuinely free. Some souls might choose to:

“Stand there eternally turned to stone, like a rock past which the life-giving stream flows on, noble enough in himself no doubt, but abandoned and eternally alone”

2. The Mystery of Evil

Some souls may have so oriented themselves against God during life that even perfect knowledge cannot change their fundamental stance. C.S. Lewis captured this idea: “The doors of hell are locked from the inside.”

3. Biblical Warnings Remain Valid

Jesus’s warnings about hell (like Matthew 25:41-46) suggest some will actually be lost, even with perfect opportunity.

A Hopeful but Not Naive Position

Boros’s view allows Christians to:

• Hope that many more might be saved than traditional theology suggests
• Trust in God’s perfect justice and mercy
• Maintain the seriousness of earthly choices
• Avoid presuming we know anyone’s eternal fate

7. Conclusion: The Significance of Boros’s Vision

Ladislaus Boros offers a unique and profound understanding of postmortem opportunity that addresses many theological puzzles while remaining faithful to core Christian beliefs. His vision is neither a liberal compromise nor a simple “second chance” theory, but a sophisticated theology of death as transformation and encounter.

Key Contributions

1. Reconciles God’s Love with Human Freedom: Shows how God can desire all to be saved while respecting genuine choice
2. Takes Death Seriously: Death becomes not an arbitrary deadline but a metaphysical transformation
3. Integrates with NDEs: Provides theological framework for understanding near-death experiences
4. Maintains Gospel Urgency: Earthly life shapes the soul that makes the final choice

Implications for Christian Life

If Boros is right, this changes how we think about:

• Evangelism: Still crucial for helping people live transformed lives now
• Pastoral Care: Can offer hope about loved ones who died without clear faith
• Our Own Deaths: Death becomes a meeting with Christ, not just an ending
• God’s Character: Reveals a God who ensures everyone has a real chance to choose Him

Final Reflection

Whether or not one accepts every aspect of Boros’s theology, his work challenges us to think more deeply about death, freedom, and God’s saving will. In a world where many struggle with the fate of the unevangelized and the justice of God, Boros offers a vision that is both biblically grounded and philosophically profound.

As Boros himself concluded: “Death gives man the opportunity of posing his first completely personal act; death is, therefore, by reason of its very being, the moment above all others for the awakening of consciousness, for freedom, for the encounter with God, for the final decision about his eternal destiny.”