Christianity- death and the afterlife Flashcards

1
Q

what is the Nicene Creed?

A

there is one God in three states ( god as father, son and holy spirit)
“maker of heaven and earth”
“through him all things were made”
“he came down from heaven”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what is the Parable of the sheep and the goats?

A

-The parable teaches that how people treat others determines their future in the kingdom of God
-sheep represent those who have helped people in need, while the goats represent those who have acted in an unkind or selfish way.
- sheep go to heaven whereas goats go to hell
“he will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what is judgement day?

A
  • judgement day occurs at the end of time (when you die)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what is meant by Purgatory?

A
  • purgatory is a state of cleansing that takes place before someone enters heaven
  • it is mainly a catholic belief
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what are advantages and disadvantages of purgatory?

A

ADVANTAGES
- it proves Gods omnibenevolence
- gives you a chance to redeem
DISADVANTAGES
- what sins actually get punished? (grey area)
- does anyone actually get sent to hell?
- universal salvation- if everyone’s being saved-no point
-some people might not get the punishment that they deserve

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

basis for belief (purgatory)

A

many protestant churches reject the idea of purgatory as it is not mentioned in the Bible
- however catholic churches point to a number of sources that support purgatory

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

nature of purgatory

A
  • traditionally, it is understood as a place of cleansing fire
  • still a frightening prospect and one that people would want to avoid
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

who is Karl Rahner and what did he argue?

A
  • he argued that in the period between death and resurrection, the soul becomes more closely united with the cosmos (Godly, Greater being) as a whole
  • the soul becomes aware of the effects of its own sin of the world in general
  • pain of purgatory is self-inflicted pain as the person understands the reality of sin as well as repentance and grace
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

who is John Hick and what did he believe?

A

this is purgatory outside of the catholic tradition
- John Hick believed in universal salvation.​
-This means everyone will be saved.​
- He argued the process of soul making continues after death.​
-This means that everyone passes through purgatory in the process of attaining salvation.​
-He rejected the idea of hell.​

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

what are 2 strengths of purgatory?

A
  • recognises that our lives are often incomplete before we die.​
    -It fits with the idea of a loving God as more people have an opportunity to be saved.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what are 2 weaknesses of purgatory?

A

-Protestants would argue that the scriptural foundations for purgatory are weak. It is not mentioned in the Parable of the Sheep and Goats.​
-They would also argue that it puts too much emphasis on individual action rather than the atoning sacrifice of Jesus (see Augustine).​

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

HEAVEN as a spiritual place

A
  • some believers think that it is best to think of heaven as a spiritual place
  • What this means is that it is not a place like the world, with time and dimensions, It is an eternal state.​
  • meaning it is not subject to time or the process of actuality to potentiality
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

heaven as a place

A

-Many Protestants believe the Bible points to everlasting rather than eternal.​
- the Bible points to heaven as:​
- A place where people who have worked for righteousness are.​
- A place where people like Abraham and angels dwell.​
- A place of no more pain or hunger.​
- A place where all tears are wiped away.​
protestants believe that heaven is a place where people live forever in the presence of God

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What does N.T. Wright believe about Heaven?

A
  • understands heaven as the world redeemed
  • this will occur once Jesus has returned
  • The fall brought disruption to the world as a whole, in his view, salvation would be incomplete if the world is unredeemed
  • this is an embodied and physical understanding of heaven
    this based on the book of revelation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what are strengths to heaven as a place?

A
  • it matches the revealed theology of the Bible
  • fulfils both human and spiritual longings
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what are weaknesses to heaven as a place?

A
  • Bernard Williams raises major objections about the desirability of an everlasting heaven
  • he argued that an everlasting existence would result in boredom and intertia
  • we must decide on how we spend our limited time
  • unlimited time would mean that all goals would be achievable, and all choices would ultimately become meaningless
  • people argued that heaven is a place that is beyond our understanding
  • this means that it could simply be that we will not become bored
  • they accuse Williams of having too limited and earthly a view of heaven
16
Q

what are other weaknesses to heaven as a place?

A
  • there is also a question of personal identity, if we cannot experience sadness or loss, it raises the question of whether we are still with us
  • we also lose a significant amount of our free will and agency
  • this would significantly undermine the assertion that our personal identity has continued after death
  • it also begs the question of why God did not create us in this state to begin with
17
Q

heaven as symbolic of earthly states

A
  • some Christians see heaven as simply states that we achieve in this life
  • heaven is the contentment you feel when you act in accordance with your telos or purpose
  • heaven is a sum of all the positive moments in your life and is perpetuated in the lives of loved ones
  • this is a radically different idea of heaven, it does require Christians to interpret the Bible very differently
18
Q

Hell as a place of punishment

A
  • Augustine argued that the purpose of Hell was to satisfy the demands of justice
  • Augustine insisted that hell is a literal lake of fire
  • the dammed will experience the horror of everlasting torment
  • they will experience the unbearable physical pain of being burned forever
19
Q

what is Dante’s inferno?

A
  • in dantes inferno there are 9 circles of hell described
  • the punishments in these circles often fit the sin that has been committed
  • dantes view of hell could be interpreted as retributive punishment
    example
    circle one= limbo
    circle two= lust
    circle three= gluttony
    circle seven= violence
    circle eight= fraud
    circle nine= treachery
20
Q

what did Hume argue about hell?

A
  • he argued that the idea of hell as a punishment is inherently unjust
  • it is unjust for a finite sin to be punished infinitely
  • it does not allow for gradation of sin, all sins are worthy of the same sort of punishment?
21
Q

what was Anslems response to hell?

A
  • anslem first insisted that, “God demands satisfaction in proportion to the extent of the sin”
  • because God is so great, the slightest offense against God is also so infintely serious
  • either the sinner does not pay for the sin at all, or the sinner must pay for it by enduring everlasting suffering