Are Ghosts Compatible With Christian Faith?

Are Ghosts Compatible With Christian Faith?

This is a question that I have wrestled with over the years of my life. There were some within the Church would said it was against Christian faith, yet there were so many first hand experiences by such a wide variety of people that transcended age, sex, religion and ethnicity that the possibility could not be easily dismissed.

There is a belief among some more fundamentalist and Pentecostal-oriented Christians that theses were all evil spirits – if they –existed- merely masquerading as “ghosts”, yet people’s experiences seemed to prove otherwise. This I would come to understand more clearly as I entered into this Work. The more I would with those in the paranormal fiend, the more the Lord was teaching me that a belief in ghosts is NOT compatible with Christian Faith. Here of the reasons to support this view.
1. Were there ghosts in Biblical days? The classic passage in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) that we can refer to is: Samuel 28:15:
Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" And Saul answered, "I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has departed from me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do." (New American Bible)
Clearly here, the passage does show that ghosts which are spirits of the deceased are able to and have come into our earthly realm.

The Scriptures clearly show that there was a belief in ghosts even in Jesus’ days.

In one of the appearances of Jesus to his disciples after his Resurrection, we read this: Luke 24:36-39
While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be to you."
But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a ghost. And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." (New American Bible)
This is a clear indication that a belief in ghosts were around in the days of Jesus and Jesus was aware of this. Notice in what he says, he DOES NOT condemn nor correct the belief in ghosts. Rather, Jesus shows the difference between a spirit and Himself in His glorified body.
This common belief in ghosts is also seen in the account of Jesus walking on the sea: Matthew 14:22-26 Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was)contrary.
And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is (a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. (New American Bible)

2. Spirits or ghosts are an anomaly, which means that they are not the norm. When the soul or spirit leaves the physical, the norm is that they go to immediate judgment and crossover to the next world. As Catholic Christians, we hold to Heaven, Hell or Purgatory as the destiny of the eternal spirit of the deceased, depending upon his/her choices and actions in the physical world.
For some reason, there are those souls who are referred as “caught between worlds” and who have not fully passed on from the physical world. Some conclude that an untimely or un-provided for death or suicide may be the case for some.
As I began to reflect upon the belief in Free Will, I took into account that this Free Will gift from God is what determines our choices, actions and final destiny at the end of our earthly lives. The Angels possessed this, which is the reason Lucifer and his followers could rebel against God and lose their heavenly inheritance. Free Will is a gift that stays with us always. It stands to reason that this free will remains through death for our existence changes not ends. Might there be some whose free will is so strong and adamant that, for whatever reason, that they do not want to leave the physical world? As stated, this is not the norm but rather, an anomaly and God, in His permissive will respect this decision and allows it. As we cannot fully comprehend why some things are allowed to happen in this world, this too is mystery…but not impossible for God.
Once a soul has passed and is with God or is awaiting the fullness of God (in Catholic belief it is the purifying process that we call Purgatory), they are sometimes allowed, in God’s Providence, to come back to this earth to ask for prayers or to impart some message. This has been documented within the history of the Church in the lives of such holy ones as St. Nicholas of Tolentino, St. Faustina Kowalska, St. Catherine of Genoa, St. Gertrude the Great and Maria Simma. These may the reason for the presence of some human spirits who come to the human realm.
3. Once a soul has passed on and is already with God, there is the belief that they may, from time to time, be allowed to come back to the human realm for a specific reason or task. This does not contradict Christian teaching because the soul is already with God and they are no longer limited to our space and time. As angels can be before the face of God while also helping us here below, the possibility can be raised that souls, as spirits, can do the same (we call this bi-location which some of the saints on earth possessed while still alive).
There have been scores of reports from people throughout time and from all ages and walks of life who have reported experiencing the presence of loved ones who have passed. These family members were allowed by God to be a comforting and protective presence in the lives of their survivors. We must be careful not to put limitations on God who can do anything He wills for the good of us, His beloved children!
So, in the last analysis, one can believe what they will about the existence of human spirits or “ghosts”, but what needs to be stressed here is that it is not compatible with Christian Faith. I hope this brief analysis has been of help to those who are wresting with this issue in their Christian lives.