What was the pagan view of the doctrine of resurrection?

The answer

The Christian belief in the new life after death and that the body will have a share of eternal glory with the soul enabled them to face pain and death with great joy and drew the interest of pagans. St. Justin Martyr attests to this when he reveals his own feelings before he accepted the faith.¹¹⁶⁰

On the other hand, some pagan philosophers felt that the doctrine of a resurrection of the body and rebirth into a new life was among the most difficult obstacles preventing them from accepting Christianity. We can see this in the reactions to the apostle Paul’s declaration of the doctrine of resurrection at the Areopagus of Athens. Some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter” (Acts 17:32). Thus, philosophical and theological conversations are frequent in Christian writings, especially in defenses of the Christian faith such as that by the philosopher Athenagoras of Athens in the second century.¹¹⁶¹

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty