Ars Moriendi – Historians estimate that up to two-thirds of Europe’s population died during the Bubonic plague that decimated Europe in the Middle Ages. Deaths included clergy and other spiritual authorities. With so much death, there weren’t enough clergy to attend to the dying and bury the dead. Thus, the church began producing documents known as “Ars Moriendi” to help the laity prepare for death themselves without clergy. Ars Moriendi is Latin for “art of dying.” These handbooks were in widespread use all over the West for more than five hundred years.

“Mors Improvisa” (sudden/unexpected/unforseen death) was considered the worst form of death in the Middle Ages because one could not prepare for death. Contrast that with today where it is generally regarded as the ideal way to die – i.e., in one’s sleep not even knowing that they were sick.

“(We must not) allow ourselves to be deceived by a vain confidence that we have as yet many years to live, and that time will be given to us for repentance. Such a vain confidence has deceived many, and will deceive many more, unless they learn wisely—while they have time—the art of dying well.” — “The Art of Dying Well” by Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) Robert Bellarmine was part of the counter reformation in the 16th century. While he was Roman Catholic clergy, he was also popular with Protestants who often came from long distance to hear him speak.

Dying well is independent of circumstance. In fact, the more adverse the circumstances, the more powerful an apology that dying well becomes. (Augustine died in 430 at age 76 in Hippo in North Africa while the city was under siege by barbarians; shortly after his death the city was destroyed by the invaders.) At the end while sick with a fever, he prayed, “I would have you know that in this time of our misfortune I ask this of God: either that He may be pleased to free this city which is surrounded by the foe, or if something else seems good in His sight, that He make His servants brave for enduring His will, or at least that He may take me from this world unto Himself.” Possidius notes that his prayer was answered.

“There are many things that, at any given moment, are deemed taboo subjects by society ….. Talking about death, though, has remained the hardest to pick of all forbidden fruit ….. contrary to general perception, never has death been as feared as it is today ….. Conversations about death have become more ineffectual and detached from reality.”
— Modern Death: How Medicine Changed the End of Life by Haider Warraich, MD

The incredible medical advances of the past 50 years are a two edged sword. On the one hand, they offer cures that were once unthinkable and effective treatments for many diseases. On the other hand, they have turned death from an event into a process that can last years and involve increasing pain, suffering, misery, incontinence, immobility and dementia. There is a prevailing fantasy that medical advances can indefinitely prolong life.

Christians have forgotten how to die well in this era of surging medical advances.

As a pediatric physician, Dr Macauley all-too-often encounters a tragic situation where a child has a terminal illness and both child and parents know the child is dying. Yet nobody says anything about it because they don’t want to upset anyone else. Everyone ignores the elephant in the room.

Western culture’s preoccupation with eternal youth betrays a consuming drive never to face death head on. This is foolish, for all of us will die one day, unless we happen to be alive when Jesus returns. Some Christians hold the hope they will not experience death because of what they believe to be an impending rapture of the church. We need to remember the perfect track record of the many others who held this same hope through the centuries – 100% are dead. (Hal Lindsey, of Late Great Planet Earth fame, was convinced he would remain alive until Christ’s Return; he died in Nov 2024.) We need to face the reality of our deaths.

Death reigns in this fallen world (Rom 5:12; Ps 89:48; 1 Cor 15:22). But we do not live in a free-for-all world where anything goes. God sovereignly controls everything (Prov 16:33; James 4:14-15) and that happens to include the day of our death (Ps 139:16: in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.) We are not in charge of the day of our death; God determines that. But we do determine how well we die.

Death may sometimes come unexpectedly for us, but never for God (Ps 139:16). Examples of sudden, unexpected death:

• the Huascaran avalanche on May 31 , 1970 that killed an estimated 30,000 in Peru. The deadliest avalanche in recorded history.
• the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 caused by 9.3 earthquake that killed an estimated 250,000 people, mostly women and children.
• my first experience with death Aug 2nd 1968 in Manila with a 7.3 earthquake that collapsed a 6-story building at 4 AM, burying over 500 people, killing over 250.

Early Christians lived countercultural lives – no abortion, no exposure of children, no divorce, were monogamous, were sexually faithful, paid their taxes, prayed for the Emperor, cared for sick, elderly, widows and orphans, etc. Αristides, Athenagoras, & Tertullian argue that they were the empire’s best citizens. They lived well. But they also died well with their deaths a powerful apology for their faith.

But how does one die well? What does that even mean? How can our death be a powerful final apology? That is something that some of the contemporary church has unfortunately forgotten. We need to be reminded . . .

Part 2 is here