DCT UNIT 2 -LIFE AFTER DEATH Flashcards
Parable of sheep and Goats
Matthew 25:31-46
“All nations will be gathered”
“The nations will be separated like (SHEPARD SEPARATING SHEEP AND GOATS)
“Take your inheritance, the KINGDOM prepared for you since CREATION OF WORLD
“People who have HELPED the HUNGRY, THIRST STRANGERS-are INVITED TO HEAVEN
“Truly I tell you whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine you did for me
“Then they will GO AWAY to ETERNAL PUNISHMENT but the RIGHTEOUSNESS to ETERNAL LIFE
Parable of sheep and Goats Matthew -ANALYSIS
All people will be judged NOT JUST CHRISTIANS
Judgement happens at the END OF TIME
Some will GO TO HEAVEN and some HELL
HEAVEN is part of GOD’S PLAN
People will go to heaven have EARNED IT
SALVATION based on ACTION not BELIEF
Jesus helped the NEEDY
Therefore people who have helped the needy will go to HEAVEN
Those who did not but had the Chance will go to HELL
Both HEVAEN HELL -ETERNAL
No Option of PURGATORY
Beatific Vision
The state of ETERNAL HAPPINESS when we are FACE-TO-FACE with GOD
Christian teaching on Heaven Traditional view
Heaven can never FULLY be DESCRIBED
A place where there is NO HUNGER OR PAIN
A place where PEOPLE who are RIGHTEOUS ARE
A PERMANENT PLACE where a person experiences PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL HAPPINESS
Christian teaching on Heaven Catholic view
In heaven the way we relate to other people will change
Christian teaching on Heaven Protestant view
Heaven is EVERLASTING not eternal
People will live alongside friends and family in the presence of God
Aquinas view of heaven
Saw it as BEATIFIC VISION
WHEN WE ARE FACE-TO-FACE WITH GOD
Other Views on Heaven-Non -physical
Some suggest Heaven is a NATURAL CONTINUATION of our SPIRITUAL JOURNEY after DEATH
Heaven is instead a STATE rather than a PLACE
It is a DIFFERENT form of EXISTENCE
Other Views on Heaven-N-T Wrights
Suggest that Heaven is a TRANSFORMATION of this PRESENT WORLD
Meaning Heaven is not found in a ANOTHER WORLD but instead a FUTURE STATE of OUR WORLD
THE PAROUSIA will cause this
PAROUSIA
The SECOND COMING of CHRIST, when Jesus will RETURN to JUDGE the WORLD
Other Views on Heaven- Spiritual moral life
A Symbol of a persons moral life on earth. The idea that the person
Who has been worthy on earth for HEAVEN has had BLISSFUL HAPPINESS-both PERSONAL and with INTERACTIONS with people
Heaven becomes a REPRESENTATION of POSITIVE MOMENTS in a PERSON’S LIFE
Christian teachings of Hell- Physical Place
The Focus of Hell is the PUNISHMENT being given to a WICKED PERSON for ETERNITY
WITHOUT a GENUINE PLACE of punishment- there would be NO NEED for God to set MORAL LAWS and then JUDGE us when we die
SINNING is turning away from God-which DESERVES TO BE PUNISHED
Christian teachings of Hell- Physical Place Catholic Church
Catholic Church believes that Hell is a PHYSICAL PLACE
But the MAIN PUNISHMENT in Hell is ALIENATION FROM GOD
People go to Hell because they have DIED in a STATE of MORTAL SIN
Meaning they have NOT REPETEND their SINS
the main purpose of Hell is to GUIDE PEOPLE to using their FREE WILL PROPERLY
Christian teachings of Hell- Spiritual Place
For Many Christians Hell is SELF ALIENATION from God IN a SPIRITUAL STATE
There is no need to be PUNISHED by FIRE as SEPARATION from God is ENOUGH
Christian teachings of Hell- Spiritual Place Paul Tilich
Theologian understood Hell as a METAPHOR of PSYCHOLOGICAL ALIENATION
Christian teachings of Hell-Symbolic Terms
Symbolic Representation of NEGATIVE ELEMENTS of SOMEONE’S LIFE
Others believe that due to GOD’S OMNIBENVOLENCE there can not be ETERNAL PUNISHMENT but instead People will be ANNIHILATED from from EXISTENCE in BODILY DEATH
Assessing teachings of Heaven and Heaven- Issues with God’s Nature AGAINST
Some REJECT the LITERAL INTERPRETATIONS of HEAVEN and HELL due God’s OMNIBENVOLENT and Just Nature means he would NEVER PUNISH his CREATION for ETERNITY
Assessing teachings of Heaven and Heaven- Issues with God’s Nature COUNTER
However Some argue SINNERS CONDEMNS THEMSELVES to HELL
AS well as this if God is so OMNIPOTENT why does he not try to STOP us FROM BEING BAD enough TO GO TO HELL
Assessing teachings of Heaven and Hell-issues with continuity and identity-FOR PHYSICAL BODIES
Some argue to be REWARDED or PUNISHED it is only logical to have our BODIES (SPIRITUAL BODIES) after DEATH. Due to the PERSON who has LIVED a life on earth and received REWARD AND PUNISHMENT
Assessing teachings of Heaven and Hell-issues with continuity and identity- AGAINST BODIES
Others argue our IDENTITY comes from SOULS ALONE and therefore HEAVEN and HELL do not need to be PHYSICAL PLACES
Assessing teachings of Heaven and Hell-Age State
If Our BODIES do in fact go into the AFTERLIFE what AGE and STATE will they be in
If in an accident, will they go into AFTERLIFE DISFIGURED
Assessing teachings of Heaven and Hell- Issues to do with the Bible
Much evidence for the afterlife comes from the Bible which is not always CONSISTENT and CLEAR in its TEACHINGS
Not all Christians believe the Bible in a LITERAL SENSES, so SYMBOLIC. UNDERSTANDING of the BIBLE might lead to SYMBOLIC understanding of ISSUES with AFTERLIFE
Assessing teachings of Heaven and Hell- Issues with Believability
Some suggest that it does not make sense that there is ONE PUNISHMENT and REWARD for the FULL RANGE of LIVES that people live
It is NOT BELIEVABLE to suggest that ONE SIN leads to Hell and EQUALLY not EASY To DETERMINE when someone has SINNED ENOUGH FOR PUNISHMENT
Assessing teachings of Heaven and Hell- Issues with Boredom Bernard Williams
Williams suggest that the LARGE amount of time A PERSON has to In DIMINISHES
concepts of ENJOYMENT and ACHIEVEMENT
Anything we would want to achieve would be POSSIBLE
Ultimately would become BORING!
Assessing teachings of Heaven and Hell- Issues with Boredom Counter -Karl Rahner
Argue HEAVEN is Timeless ;so there would be NO CONCEPT of TIME
therefore no CONCEPT of BOREDOM- You would not feel Time Pass
Purgatory
The mainly Catholic belief in a STATE of CLEANSING that takes place BEFORE someone ENTERS HEAVEN
Purgatory Catholic view
Their belief that most people are NOT BAD ENOUGH for HELL but NO ONE is WORTHY of meeting GOD FACE-TO-FACE in their CURRENT State
So they must be CLEANSED before MEETING GOD
Purgatory Biblical Evidence
Matthew 12: talks about SINS AGAINST HOLY SPIRIT not being forgiven in this ‘AGE OR THE AGE TO COME-suggest that SOME SINS can be FORGIVEN in AGE TO COME
CATHOLIC VERSION OF OLD TESTAMENT 2 Maccabees 12- We should pray for the DEAD implying we can MAKE a DIFFERENCE to Someone who has DIED- implies that we can MAKE A DIFFERENCE to SM1 who has DIED
John Hick view on Purgatory
Hick saw value in purgatory. He believed that HELL could not be part of a LOVING GOD’S PLAN so therefore there must be an OPPORTUNITY after death to be PURIFIED BEFORE HEAVEN
Spiritual View of Heaven
Less a PLACE OF PAIN. Instead a SPIRITUAL STATE where person comes to a GREATER UNDERSTANDING of their SINFULNESS
Election
Being Chosen by God for Heaven or Hell. God’s OMNISCIENCE allows him to know where PEOPLE will GO when they DIE
Limited Election
The view that only SOME people are CHOSEN TO BE SAVED
Double Predestination
Theologian John Calvin’s View, that God’s ULTIMATE CONTROL over which ETERNAL LIFE you will have- either HEVAN OR HELL
John Calvin’s Double Predestination Views
All Christians MUST behave as if ALL people are CALLED as they do NOT KNOW who God has chosen
We should not PRESUME to work OUT the WILL OF GOD.God knows OUR LIMITATIONS
MORALITY is still CENTRAL because it REAFFIRMS our position in the NEXT LIFE and the ELECT may REFLECT on the FACT they are STILL SINNERS chosen by GOD’S GRACE
Single Predestination
The View (held by Catholics) that God chooses those who will Go to Heaven ONLY
Catholic Church View on ELECTION
BELIVE that it is HUMANS that send THEMSELVES to HELL.
God knows SOME people will FULFIL their CALLING to the be BEST THEY CAN BE so he CHOOSES these people to go to HEAVEN -SINGLE PREDESTINATION
Unlimited Election
The view that everyone is called to be saved but only a few will be
Unlimited Election Karl Barth
Barth believed that: All People are ELECTED through JESUS taking PUNISHMENT OF DEATH
Jesus by BEING PHYSICAL INCARNATION of God is both the ONE WHO ELECTS and also the one who is ELECTED- means all humans can BE SAVED because JESUS has taken HUMAN FORM
THE CHOICE God made is NOT the CHOICE who TO SAVE but the CHOICE of GOD COMING to EARTH
Universalism
The view that everyone everyone will be saved
Universalism John Hick
Teaches that it is NECESSARY that EVERYONE GOES TO HEAVEN.
Barth insisted it was NOT NECESSARY but that the FREE CHOICE of God ensures that HEAVEN is open to all
This is DUE to the only way for GOD to TRULY be OMNIBENVOLENT
HICK believes in the after life people will have the OPPORTUNITY to be able to FINISH SOUL-MAKING process and everyone will get there EVENTUALLY.
Criticism of Hick’s Unversalism
Criticised for giving the IMPRESSION that it DOES NOT matter what CHOICES WE MAKE; Morality would then BECOME UNNECESSARY
Hick also Does NOT give SUFFICIENT EMPHASIS on JESUS Sacrifice
Particular Judgemnt
Individual Judgement at the moment of Death
Final Judgement
The judgement of all NATIONS at the END OF TIME
