“They Laid Her in an Upper Room”: A Lexical-Theological Reflection on Acts 9:37d and Its Implications for Funeral Practices Among Ghanaian Seventh-Day Adventists

Abstract

A growing controversy among Seventh-day Adventist congregations in Ghana surrounds the appropriate location for laying a deceased believer before burial. The absence of clear theological or historical guidance has led to tension, disunity, and, in some cases, division within local churches. This calls for a critical examination of biblical and historical perspectives to provide clarity and foster unity. In response, this paper offers a lexical and theological examination of Acts 9:37d –“they laid her in an upper room”– to explore its implications for contemporary funeral practices within Seventh-day Adventist communities. By conducting a detailed analysis of the Greek terms ἔθηκαν (“they laid”) and ὑπερῴῳ (“upper room”), the paper highlights how early Christian traditions understood sacred space and the respectful treatment of the deceased. The research contrasts these biblical insights with prevailing Ghanaian Adventist views that regard the presence of a corpse in the church auditorium as a desecration. Through contextual and comparative analysis of relevant New Testament passages and historical-cultural sources, the study argues that the upper room served as a sacred place of prayer, worship and fellowship, thereby legitimizing the act of laying Tabitha’s body there. Consequently, the paper contends that funeral services held within church auditoriums need not to be viewed as defiling. Instead, such practices can reflect theological dignity and communal honor toward the deceased. The finding seeks to inform and reshape Adventist burial customs in Ghana by offering a biblically grounded perspective on sacred space and death.