death and afterlife

Question 1

disadvantage of heaven being a spiritual state

Answer 1

-Christians traditionally believe in the resurrection of the body in some way, not just a person’s soul.

Question 2

biblical reference for heaven being a spiritual state?

Answer 2

• John 14:1-3 ‘my fathers house has many rooms’ could be taken symbolically

Question 3

advantage of heaven being a spiritual state

Answer 3

-problem of bodily resurrection (continuity, identity) are solved.

Question 4

biblical reference for heaven being a physical place

Answer 4

-Revelation 21:1-8 ‘I saw the holy city’ and ‘I heard a loud voice from the throne’ suggests physicality as voice and throne are physical things.

Question 5

what is the Catholic view of heaven as a physical place?

Answer 5

• soul leaves body at death
• soul is reunited with a glorified body to come face to face with God
• it is a state of supreme and definite happiness
• this is the beatific vision

Question 6

two problems with heaven as a physical place

Answer 6

• you need a physical body for a physical heaven. Dead bodies don’t just go missing from graves and or bodies decay.
• where is it?

Question 7

what is heaven as a symbol of life on Earth ?

Answer 7

• heaven is now, there isn’t an afterlife.

- challenges idea that heaven is paradise as there is so much violence in this world.

Question 8

what does D.Z. Phillips say about heaven as a symbol of life on Earth ?

Answer 8

eternal life is a quality of this life, lives morally in obedience to God.

Question 9

disadvantage and advantage of heaven as a symbol of life on Earth?

Answer 9

disadvantage = means we only have 1 life.
advantage = no problems of where heaven is and how to get there and it overcomes the body soul problem

Question 10

biblical reference to suggest that Hell is a physical place

Answer 10

Revelation - “the lake that burns with fire” . lake is physical so suggests hell is physical

Question 11

2 disadvantages of hell being a physical place

Answer 11

• where is it?

- punishing people eternally seems unjust just for one bad thing

Question 12

biblical references to suggest that hell is a spiritual state

Answer 12

• Mathew 25:31-46 “eternal punishment”. eternal suggests spiritual state as physically things can’t last forever.

Question 13

disadvantage of hell as a spiritual state

Answer 13

if hell is spiritual then how are we suppose to experience pain and suffering without a body

Question 14

advantage of hell as a spiritual state

Answer 14

if you argue for a body soul separation then hell being spiritual makes sense.

Question 15

what is the Catholic teaching of hell

Answer 15

• punishment is eternal separation from God

- it is self-exclusion

Question 16

what is alienation and P.Tillich’s views on it

Answer 16

• he said “heaven and hell must be taken seriously as metaphors for the polar ultimates in the experience of the divine” (God)
• hell is a metaphor for a psychological sense of alienation
• alienation from God would mean a feeling of guilt for not fulfilling your potential

Question 17

hell as a symbol of life

Answer 17

• hell could represent the negative elements of ones life or of our conscience
• Gregory of Nyssa suggest that hell is a result of the guilty conscience when one comes face to face with God

Question 18

what is purgatory for Catholics

Answer 18

• another stage of the soul’s journey

- souls are purified before they go to heaven

Question 19

what do some Protestants argue about purgatory

Answer 19

it is the gap between individuals imperfection at the end of this life

Question 20

hicks view on purgatory

Answer 20

-makes sense as a way to bridge between our imperfection at death and the perfection of heaven.

Question 21

particular judgement

Answer 21

gods judgement takes place immediately after death

Question 22

General judgement

Answer 22

gods judgement takes place at the end of time

Question 23

biblical reference to suggest that gods judgement takes place immediately after death

Answer 23

Luke 16:19:31 “the poor man died and was carried away by the Angels to be with Abraham”

Question 24

biblical reference to suggest that gods judgement takes place at the end of time

Answer 24

Matthew 25:31-46 “when the son of man comes in his glory”

Question 25

limited election

Answer 25

only a few will be saved- God chooses. Only those who have done good and accepted Jesus sacrifice will be saved

Question 26

Calvin on limited election

Answer 26

• his ideas were taken from Augustine’s
• believed that God had pre-destined those who will have eternal life but not for eternal punishment (single pre-destination)

Question 27

2 issues raised by limited election

Answer 27

• what determines whether you are saved or not?

- If God has already chosen who will go to heaven what’s the point in being good?

Question 28

1 advantage of limited election

Answer 28

it is a fair system as only those who deserve to be saved are saved, unlike universalism where everyone is saved wether they are good or bad.

Question 29

what biblical text can support limited election?

Answer 29

-Matthew 22:14 “for many are called but few are chosen”

Question 30

unlimited election

Answer 30

all people are called to be saved but there is a chance that no all are actually saved. Jesus brought salvation for the world but not all will accept it

Question 31

two issues raised by unlimited election

Answer 31

• what happens to people of other faiths?

- what happens to Christians who sin but are still saved?

Question 32

advantage of unlimited election

Answer 32

a loving God would not only choose a few for salvation

Question 33

what biblical text can support unlimited election ?

Answer 33

1 Timothy 2:3-6 “God our saviour wants all people to be saved”

Question 34

explain why Barth argues for unlimited election

Answer 34

• he saw election in terms of choice
• “Jesus is both the electing God and electing man in one”
• Jesus is God so he is the elector, but he is also the elected as he was chosen to be condemned

Question 35

what biblical text goes against unlimited election

Answer 35

the parable of the sheep and the goats

Question 36

universalism

Answer 36

everyone will be saved wether they choose to or not. This is because of God’s grave and him being all loving

Question 37

what 6 issues are raised by universalism

Answer 37

• unjust to save people like hitler
• what’s the purpose of hell
• why follow rules and be good if we’re all going to heaven
• Christianity looses its distinction
• no free will
• weakens Jesus’ sacrifice

Question 38

advantage of universalism

Answer 38

-there an no problems with what happens to people of other faiths

Question 39

Different interpretations of what the parable of the sheep and the goats shows

Answer 39

• not those who follow the Torah but those who help others will be saved.
• general judgement ‘ all the nations will be gathered’
• all religions can be saved. Use pluralism to support.
• there idea that there isn’t purgatory
• action towards the poor is more important than Christian theology. Support with liberation theology and orghapraxis
• limited election. Only some will be saved
• persuading people to be good so they go to heaven. Christianity. Actions have consequences

Question 40

Quote from the parable of the sheep and the goats about heaven and hell

Answer 40

• ‘the righteous will go to eternal life ‘ the others will ‘go to eternal punishment ‘
• ‘eternal’ means everlasting which suggests they are spiritual states as everlasting means it lasts forever, therefore cannot be physical