Why did Spiritualists believe communication with the dead was possible?

Spiritualists believed that communication with the dead was possible because of their core conviction that individuals survive the death of their bodies by ascending into a spirit existence. They viewed this communion as both possible and desirable, often seeking to bridge the gap between the living and the departed through the assistance of a medium—a person believed to possess the ability to contact spirits directly.12

For many, this belief provided a sense of hope for immortality and offered comfort to those grieving the loss of loved ones. Furthermore, Spiritualists often framed their practices as being based on observable facts rather than ancient tradition, sometimes pointing to historical or biblical accounts of spirit contact—such as the story of the witch of Endor or the Transfiguration—as precedents for their experiences.13

While some were motivated by curiosity, others engaged in the movement as a serious attempt to explore the fate of the human soul, often conducting sittings to investigate mental and physical phenomena that they interpreted as evidence of spirit presence.13