Eternal or Immortal. Is it the same thing?

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Forest-Pine

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In a recent question, PioMagnus asked: Is the human soul eternal, or immortal?

Fr. Serpa answered: To be immortal means to never die. So to be immortal would mean to live eternally.

In the Eastern Christianity forum, we were just discussing the differences between time (having a beginning and an ending), aeviternity (having a beginning but no ending), and eternity (having no beginning and no ending). It appears that Augustine and Aquinas both held that only God is eternal as only God is without a beginning or an end. This would relegate our souls to aeviternity, would it not? Could you please clarify this point?
 
Dear FP,

Certainly we have a beginning. But because of the redemption wrought for us by our Savior, when we die we do enter into eternity. Even in our funeral liturgy we say: Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.
 
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