Death And Afterlife Flashcards
Luke 24: 43
Today you will be with me in paradise
The parable of the sheep and goats
Jesus was preaching. He said when judgement comes, people will be separated. The sheep on the right and the goats on the left.
Then he said the sheep will go to heaven, and the goats to hell.
The sheeps help the lord by helping those who are needy, and the goats don’t.
Three views what happens after death
- Resurrection (physical or spiritual)
- Purgatory
- Continuous soul life
How does the parable of the sheep and the goats make sense contextually?
Most if Jesus’ audience would have been shepherds or farmers.
They let their sheep and goats live together at day (symbolises this life), but keep the sheep securely kept at night (symbolises death). God will protect the sheep after death and keep them secure
Heaven definition
Spiritual state of bliss, being with God
What is Eschatology?
‘End time’ ; including the battle between good and evil and God’s judgement of the world
What is parousia?
Meaning ‘arrival’; refers to the second coming of Jesus Christ.
What is the book of revelation?
Final book in the New Testament. Contains visions of the end time, heaven and hell
What is Beatific vision
Final and perfect human state of everlasting happiness and knowledge of God; achieved post- mortem for the righteous in heaven.
What are 9 Christian beliefs about heaven?
- Humans will be raised to a new, spiritual home
- ## Heaven is a present moral and spiritual state
How does the Bible describe heaven?
- A place where;
- those who have worked for righteousness are
- people like Abraham are and angels
- there is no more hunger or pain
- every tear is wiped away, there is no sadness
What does Paul say will happen to our bodies after death?
They will be transformed at dearth into spiritual bodies and raised to a spiritual home
How did Aquinas speak of heaven?
As a beatific vision. It is a physical place where one experiences happiness.
We can use our reason to reach this beatific vision.
Live in harmony with God forever
What does NT Wright suggest about heaven?
When we understand the gospels, we can understand that what was expected was a transformation of this present world into God’s kingdom.
Heaven is not found in another world, but in the future of this one
What is Mathew 25
The parable of the sheep and the goats
What does Mathew 25 say about hell?
Hell is a real place where the goats will go.
The goats are people who do not love their neighbours
You earn heaven through faith and works
What is Gehenna?
The everlasting burning rubbish tip outside of Jerusalem; term for ‘hell’
What is Hermeneutics?
The study of interpretations of the Bible
What is Sheol?
Meaning death or a place of the dead; an Old Testament word for hell
What does the Old Testament suggest about Sheol? (Hell)
- It does nor serve as a place of punishment. It seems that Sheol is where everyone goes, and the righteous are resurrected following Judgment day to join God
- The individual is responsible for their own acts, no one else’s
What is the argument for hell as an actual place in the New Testament?
- The focus is the punishment given to the wicked.
- A place of Agony
- Needed so that God’s laws are necessary
Roman Catholic Church view on Hell
- A real physical place
- Main punishment is the alienation from God
What is the argument for hell as a spiritual place from the New Testament?
- Hell is a separation from God
- There is no need for other punishment as this is enough
How did Paul Tillich understand hell?
As a metaphor or psychological alienation
What is the argument for Hell as a symbol from the New Testament?
- Hell is a symbolic representation of the negative elements of someone’s life
- A loving God would not subject people to eternal punishment
- If we are judged unworthy to go to Heaven, our existed will not continue after death
What is ‘Divine Comedy’
- A poem written by Dante, split into three parts, one of these being inferno.
- Hell is described as nine concentric circles of torment located within the earth.
- As an allegory, ‘divine comedy’ represents the journey of the soul towards God
Issues to do with the nature of God in regards to heaven and hell
- If god is just and merciful, then it makes sense he would reward or punish in literal places
- How can an omnibenevolent God make people suffer for eternity? Some would reject physical hell on this basis.
- Some respond by saying the sinner condemns themselves
What is purgatory?
The mainly catholic belief in a state of cleansing that takes place before someone enters heaven.
What is individual judgement?
At death, God judges the individual. It is ‘principle’ and occurs immediately after dearth. They then go to heaven or hell.
What is final judgement?
At the end of time, when all of the dead are resurrected. The righteous inherit the new world and the wicked are condemned to hell. It is public and occurs at the mast day at resurrection.
Describe Dante’s purgatory
- Represented as a mountain
- Ante-purgatory is at the bottom, then seven levels of suffering that are connected to the seven deadly sins
- At the top is earthy paradise.
How does 2 Maccabees 12 support purgatory?
Says we should pray for the dead, implying we can make a difference to someone who has died.
How does Mathew 12 support purgatory?
Talks about sins against the Holy Spirit not being forgiven in this age or the age to come.
How do Bible extracts support purgatory?
Speaks of cleansing by fire, which was often associated with purgatory.
What is John Hick’s view on purgatory?
He felt hell could not be a part of God’s loving plan, and therefore there must be a chance after death for us to be purified.
What is election?
Being chosen by God for heaven or hell
What is limited electron?
The view that only some people will be chosen to be saved
What is unlimited electron?
The view that everyone is called to be saved but only a few will be
What is single predestination?
The Catholic view that God chooses those who will go to heaven from the moment of creation.
Double predestination
The Calvinist view that God chooses those who will go to heaven and those who will go to hell from the moment of creation
What is particular judgement?
Individual judgement at the moment of death
What is final judgement?
The judgement of all nations at the end of time
What is universalist?
All people get saved because god loves us.
What are Augustine’s views on predestination?
Due to the fall, our will has been damaged enough so we cannot enter heaven by our own actions.
Faith in Christ is insufficient to overcome concupiscence.
Only God’s Grace is enough to enter heaven. However, it is unprompted and human action can give someone God’s Grace, as God is a free agent.
Therefore, although God calls everyone to salvation, he knows only some will be eligible for heaven - the elect.
What is antilapsarian decree?
God decreed those who were elect at the moment of creation before the fall.
What is postlapsarian decree?
God decreed those who were elect after the fall.
What are Calvin’s arguments on the afterlife?
1) Gods will is hidden.
2) What God reveals to humans takes into account their limited knowledge
3) God wills his mercy and Grace for all
4) Christians have a duty to preach the gospel to all kinds of people. They must treat it as unlimited election.
5) Both elect and non elect have a duty to act morally.
What is general judgment?
God’s judgment at the end of time
What is the story of the rich man and Lazarus?
- A rich man ignores the needs of Lazarus who is a poor beggar.
- Lazarus goes to heaven, but the rich man goes to hell.
- He begs God to warn his family not to sin
What does the story of the rich man and Lazarus suggest?
- Particular judgment as he is sent to hell before his family
- Implies hell is physical
- Unlimited election as Lazarus isn’t Christian.
What does Luther believe about judgment?
The story of Lazarus should be taken as a symbol, not literally. Therefore hell is not necessarily a physical place. However, he does believe there may be physical resurrection at general final judgement.
What evidence for physical afterlife is in the Bible?
Jesus’ resurrection was physical.
