Death and the afterlife

Question 1

Disembodied existence

Answer 1

living seperate from physical body

Question 2

Resurrection

Answer 2

coming back to life , Christians believe in reincarnation

Question 3

Reincarnation

Answer 3

reborn , new body

Question 4

Genesis 25:8

Answer 4

Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age .. and he was gathered to his people”

Question 5

Luke 24:15 -16

Answer 5

As they talked and discussed these things with each other ,Jesus himself came up and walked to them ; but they were kept from recognising him … then their eyes opened and they recognised him and he disappeared from their sight .

Question 6

Corinthians 5: 1-3 St Paul “ For we know that if the earthly tent is destroyed .. we have a building from God, an eternal house

Answer 6

Reiterates christian beliefs on the afterlife .. our physical body is temp but our spiritual body is forever

Question 7

Central Christians beliefs

Answer 7

1. resurrection will involve bodily life
2. unclear whether this is with a material or spiritual body
   3.the resurrected person is the same person who has died.
3. life after death will be a miracle given by God

Question 8

Aquinas and the afterlife

Answer 8

A passionate admirer of aristotle + plato, believed the soul was a life principle the soul give living creatures the ability to do what they do

Question 9

Beautific vision

Answer 9

a face to face encounter with God outside of time .. heaven is not boring as there is no endless days just one eternal moment being in the presence of God . The soul is timeless.

Question 10

problem with beautific vision ..

Answer 10

how could we be the same person as our experience on earth and daily social interactions makes us who we are

Question 11

Final judgement

Answer 11

the judgement of all people at the end of time e.g Parable of sheep and goats

Question 12

Particular judgement

Answer 12

the judgement of individuals at the moment of death e.g Parable of rich man and lazarus

Question 13

Rich man and lazurus

Answer 13

the story in lukes gospel gives a clear message there will be seperation after death between some kinds of people . The rich man who has been too interested in material possesions and ignored lazurus at his gate is sent into eternal punishment whilst lazurus is united with abraham in heaven.

Question 14

Sheep and goats

Answer 14

judgement is based on what is on the inside , based on our action and not our faith , all people will be judged together including non-christians . Those on the right are invited to heaven and those on the left will be punished in hell “ For i was hungry and you gave me something to eat “

Question 15

Heaven

Answer 15

understood as a place where God lives , seated on his throne surrounded by angels a place of bliss and happiness , comfort , pleasure “ my fathers house has many rooms “

Question 16

Bernard williams

Answer 16

wondered whether an eternity in heaven would be desirable - surely however pleasurable heaven was at the beginning would become boring? we would be able whatever we want - he argues pleasure comes from making choices on what we do with our limited life

Question 17

Heaven critiscms?

Answer 17

assuming in heaven we would be incapable of felling negative emotions like pains or if we are different bodies would we really be the same person? there is also a problem of free will of our minds if emotions are being controlled

Question 18

Hell

Answer 18

a place of eternal pain punishment associated with fire

Question 19

Revelation 21:8

Answer 19

” but the cowardly , unbelieving , murderers , sexually immoral …. will be cosigned to the fiery lake of sulphur “

Question 20

Dantes vision of hell

Answer 20

” through their the way into the woeful city”
Hell created at the moment of Jesus death
9 circles of hell - every sin is matched with an appropriate sin
the 9th is populated by the most heinous vices and the deepest darkest part of hell where lucifer has his throne

Question 21

Tillich

Answer 21

doesnt not believe in a literal hell as it doesnt resonate with the idea of a loving God . instead hell means to be alienated from the divine it is a state of being where you find no joy in things like music , have no purpose in life .

Question 22

Jean Paul Satre

Answer 22

his hell is also non conventional it is other people he gives his famous example - occupied by 3 ppl they wait to go to hell but they soon find out it does not exist .. they all torment each other about each others failings they each become the psychologcial torture they thought hell would be

Question 23

Mortal sin

Answer 23

a sin which is morally gravely deficient , deliberately wilted and in defiance of Gods law

Question 24

Hell as eternal seperation

Answer 24

a real eternal state , it isnt something God actively chooses for humanity , it is self imposed hell is self - exclusion

Question 25

problem with hell

Answer 25

existence of hell does not cosign the existence of a loving God

Question 26

Hume

Answer 26

the idea of hell calls Gods justice into question “ finite sin can never deserve an infinite punishment “

Question 27

Hell defence

Answer 27

when we do wrong by God that wrong deserves eternal punishment this is a fair punishment

Question 28

Hick

Answer 28

argues Hell is used as a form of social control , encouraging people to be fearful of disobeying those who have religious authority.

Question 29

Hell is boring ?

Answer 29

eternal punishment might be as boring as eternal happiness and reward , we may become immune to the pain and stop feeling as we are used to the pain

Question 30

second death

Answer 30

a second death for a person who has no entry to heaven - the body dies and then the soul dies.

Question 31

Purgatory

Answer 31

a kind of temporary state in which people have the opportunity to rid themselves of sin and be forgiven , sins are purged. prayers of the living can aid the process and the process can start in life from confession

Question 32

” anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven , either in this age or in the age to come”

Answer 32

suggests their is potential for forgiveness and the ability work sin off

Question 33

Karl Rahner

Answer 33

purgatory is a metaphor for the souls greater awarness of the conseqeuence of sin, a personal of pain and coming to terms with actions

Question 34

Problem of purgatory for non -catholics

Answer 34

undermines the importance of Jesus in terms of salvation . however Hick a protetstant cosigns this idea - an intermediate state as the gap between the individuals imperfections at the end of life and the perfect heaven state

Question 35

Univeralism - Hick

Answer 35

. all people are saved
. when we die we may not be physically transformed into Gods likeness and so the journey of soul making continues after death , it is a contination of lifes choices

Question 36

problem of universalism

Answer 36

. downplays the role of Jesus
.makes good moral choices pointless
. if we have to be with God doesnt our free will disapppear

Question 37

Election

Answer 37

predestination , God chooses the eternal destiny of each person

Question 38

Limited Election , Augustine

Answer 38

only a few christians will be saved If we cannot get ourselves into heaven then God has either predestined us for heaven, or he hasn’t and our original sin damns us to hell.

Question 39

other explanation

Answer 39

people are called to salvation but not everyone respond to the call.