death and the afterlife

Question 1

disembodied existence

Answer 1

existing without a physical body

Question 2

beatific vision

Answer 2

a face-to-face encounter with God

Question 3

election (in a theological sense)

Answer 3

predestination, chosen by God for heaven or hell

Question 4

limited election

Answer 4

the view that God chooses only a small number of people for heaven

Question 5

unlimited election

Answer 5

God calls all for salvation because Jesus died for sins of the whole world

Question 6

universalism

Answer 6

the view that all people will be saved

Question 7

particular judgement

Answer 7

judgement for each person at the point of death

Question 8

parousia

Answer 8

used in Christianity to refer to the Second Coming of Christ

Question 9

although the Bible implies that we have free will to choose our moral actions and religious beliefs

Answer 9

an omniscient God knows the choices he has made for us. Therefore we don’t have free will and God unfairly judges us

Question 10

which Ancient Greek influenced Christian ideas about life after death and what did they say

Answer 10

Plato’s dualist ideas influenced the Christian view that our souls can seprate

Question 11

what evidence in the gospel accounts suggests we have physical bodies after death

Answer 11

in the gospel accounts
Jesus was seen as a physical person after he died, he was physically present and could be experienced by those who were there

Question 12

why do christians believe we are resurrected

Answer 12

after Jesus dies on the cross he is resurrected

Question 13

Aquinas believed that the beatific vision is

Answer 13

eternal moment of being in the presence of God

Question 14

Bernard Williams on aquinas’ beautific vision

Answer 14

wondered whether an eternity in heaven would really be desirable. he argued that the pleasure of living is making choices about what we’ll do in our limited existence

Question 15

David Hume on Hell

Answer 15

Surely a finite sin doesn’t deserve infinite punishment

Question 16

why does Hick reject the traditional belief of hell

Answer 16

incompatible with loving god

Question 17

what does Hick argue hell was created for

Answer 17

a form of social control
encouraging people to be fearful of disobeying the teachings of those in religious authority

Question 18

why did pope Gregory expand the definition of purgatory

Answer 18

to explain traditions of praying for the dead

Question 19

In Augustine’s life there was a popular view called pelagianism
- what is this

Answer 19

which proposed that people were born with a blank slate, they were neither good or evil

Question 20

what did Augustine believe people were born with instead of a blank slate

Answer 20

original sin

Question 21

what did John Clavin believe about predestination

Answer 21

he thought God was in absolute control over everything that happens so God would have to have chosen the destiny of each human life

Question 22

what are the issues with predestination and therefore limited election

Answer 22

God already knows and controls everything we do
then there is no motive to act morally and there is no freewill

Question 23

Karl Barth (1886-1968) developed the doctrine of

Answer 23

unlimited election.

Question 24

what is Karl Barths doctrine of unlimited election

Answer 24

election is the choice that God made to send Jesus to save humanity.The election of individuals is bound up with the election of Jesus Christ so everyone has the possibility of eternal life

Question 25

particular judgement vs general judgement

Answer 25

p - gods judgement immediately after death
g- judgement at the end of time

Question 26

‘new earth’ meaning

Answer 26

view of heaven that at the end of time god will restore the earth to its pre-fallen state where ressurrected bodies of righteous will lice

Question 27

what does Jesus mean by Gehenna

Answer 27

place of fire sinners are sent to

Question 28

Rich man and Lazarus overview

Answer 28

rich man ignored pleas from beggar Lazarus and so is sent to hell and tormented (Lazarus at heaven)
- rich man asks to warn his family but is denied

Question 29

what parable explains that heaven and hell are physical places

Answer 29

rich man and Lazarus - rich man is sent there and there’s a chasm between him and Lazarus

Question 30

what parable explains particular judgement

Answer 30

rich man is in hell before his family (he wanted to warn them)

Question 31

Luther on rich man and Lazarus

Answer 31

just a parable ! symbolises state of consciousness after we do bad
how can it be a physical place if our bodies are in the ground - Lazarus can’t converse etc

Question 32

What does Paul mean when referring to ‘the first fruits’

Answer 32

Jesus’ resurrection was the first fruits and ours will follow
our bodies must be improved and different because human bodies are imperfect

Question 33

St Augustine on a physical afterlife

Answer 33

bodies must be physical because Christs resurrection was a phsyical body

Question 34

how is an empty tomb used as evidence for a physical afterlife and body

Answer 34

is Jesus left an empty tomb when he resurrected the physical body must be involved in that process - not just the soul

Question 35

the cannibal problem for resurrection

Answer 35

• earthly bodies are incompatible with resurrection - body rots, cremated, someone eats it etc