18th March 2026

The way we are changing our language sometimes worries me. For example, we seem to have become frightened of the language of death and dying, and have substituted the weak and ambiguous language of passing, not even passing away. How far have we come from the historical language of gone to glory.

We may rightly ask of our modern passing what, where, whom? Without these details the verb is pretty meaningless and seriously underplays a vital human experience. A more religious age may have been over-influenced by a partial reading of Romans 6 v23 which identifies death with ‘the wages of sin’. But not always so – it can be the fitting, even triumphant, end of life here on earth, not so much a death sentence, but a reward for a race well run, when it comes as the end to many years of devoted service to both God and neighbour.

That being so, there is no need always to associate death with fear and pain and negativity, but rather we should look to what the remaining words of Romans 6 v23 speak of, namely “the free gift of God [which] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”, and who can be tearful about that? The clear message of scripture is that there can be no Easter without first a Good Friday, no resurrection unless this has been preceded by death.

A rejection of the ambiguities of human passing and a return to the plain old-fashioned language of death and dying can therefore be creative and liberating. Indeed our redemption from the tyranny of sin is not secured by Jesus’ passing, but through his cruel death, nailed to a wooden cross.

John Briggs