Death and the afterlife Flashcards
Disembodied existence
Existing without a physical body
Beatific vision
A face-to-face encounter with God
Purgatory
A place where people go, temporarily, after death to be cleansed of sin before they are fit to live with God
Election
Chosen by God for heaven or hell
Limited election
The idea that God only choses a small number of people for heaven or hell
Unlimited election
All people are called to salvation but only a few will be saved
Christian rejections
Reincarnation
Disembodied existence - an idea supported by Plato despite his dualist ideas being influential in Christianity
Bible quote supporting life after death
“Those in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to everlasting shame”
Jesus quote on life after death
“The one who believes in me will live, even through they die”
Aquinas on the afterlife
Belief in the beatific vision. The afterlife is out of time/space and is an eternal moment with God.
Aquinas on The Fall
The Fall didn’t corrupt our morals, we can choose right and wrong.
Aquinas on purgatory
For those who are neither condemned or elected - a mortal sin needs to be committed for immediate entry to Hell.
Strengths on Aquinas’ view of the afterlife
\haven being out of time/space means that the issue of having eternity in heaven with days to be filled is solved
Weaknesses of Aquinas’ view of the afterlife
If the beatific vision is when the soul is timeless in God’s presence - how is this the same person who died?
Characteristics we have depend on time.
Bible quote on heaven
“My Father’s house has many rooms”
Shows the comfort and familiarity of God’s unconditional love in heaven.
Bernard William’s criticism of heaven
The pleasure of living is choosing what to do in our limited existence - eg setting goals/targets.
If we have unlimited time to make choices (like in heaven) then the pleasure is gone.
Karl Rahner’s response to Bernard Williams
Limited earthly life (making decisions and goals) might be dependent on unlimited afterlife
Bible quote on hell
“A fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death”
Hume on hell
The idea of hell calls God’s justice into question - does a finite sin deserve an infinite punishment?
Hick on hell/afterlife
Hell is an intermediate state, if it were to be eternal then this is contradictory to an omnibenevolent God.
The afterlife is a continuation of soul-making started on earth.
Catholic belief on purgatory
Where the soul is cleansed after death. Prayers from the living can contribute to the cleansing process. This cleansing can be done in earthly life through repentance and confession.
Karl Rahner on purgatory
Shouldn’t be understood as a place of pain but as a metaphor for the soul’s greater awareness of consequences of sin in the time between death and last judgement.
Protestants on purgatory
Reject - as it is not supported in the Bible and contradicts the idea of salvation. Suggests that Jesus did not complete the final act of salvation on the cross.
Augustine on election
Belief in original sin means that no human is worthy of Heaven. Only because of God’s grace we can reach heaven - so only a few will be saved (limited election)
Calvin on election
Double predestination. Some elected to hell, others to heaven - God knows our choices and actions and gives grace/punishment accordingly. People shouldn’t assume their election.
Criticisms of limited election
It questions our God given free will - is there any point in attempting to live morally if God has already decided?
Barth on election
Rejects Calvin’s idea.
Anyone is able to reach heaven if they accept Christ as the saviour.
Unlimited election
Hick on election
God will save all, regardless of their beliefs - as all religions depict a universal desire for God
Unlimited election
What does the parable of the sheep and goats depict?
There is no middle ground between heaven and hell.
It is peoples actions (not beliefs) that decide their place in the afterlife.
Irenaeus on God’s judgement
We don’t reach heaven until the final day of judgement - people exist in a perfect state of happiness until this point.
Particular judgement
The popular Christian belief that exceptional people (prophets/saints) have a fast track to heaven
Calvin on particular judgement/Irenaeus’ idea of judgement
Supported the view as he argued that the dead are conscious, either in peaceful bliss or in pain - whatever God has chosen for them.
Final judgement
The whole nations are judged as well as every person in a final conclusion to all of creation.
Parable of the rich man and Lazarus on judgement
Goes against the idea of final judgement as it depicts Lazarus going straight to heaven.
However this parable is not meant to be taken literally.
Christian prayers on judgement
Many Christian prayers refer to dead Christians as already being in heaven.
Aquinas on eternity
The beatific vision is an eternal, timeless moment rather than an infinite length of time.
Parousia
The Second Coming of Christ.
Some believe it will be a single and final event.
Others believe that the transformation/perfection of creation is underway and is the role of Christians today.
Karl Barth on parousia
Interpreted it to mean events such as the resurrection of Christ and the giving of the holy spirit/pentecost.
Advantage of the view that God limits who can enter heaven
People will have good moral motivation behind their actions, and they will find comfort in the idea that God recognises their good actions
Criticism of the view that God limits who can enter heaven
Those who aren’t elected will have to suffer eternally - but surely there is only a certain amount of suffering which can be done before the person recognises their sins?
St Paul on heaven as a physical place
Jesus’ resurrection was the “first fruits” and therefore a promise to mankind that they will be resurrected. We will be in a spiritually perfected form.
Jesus story supporting physical resurrection
His tomb was empty.
when he came back his disciples didn’t recognise him (Doubting Thomas) “Stop doubting and believe”
Hell as a physical place quotes
Jesus described it as “eternal fire”
Revelation describes it as “A fiery lake of burning sulphur”
Biblical proof of the soul
“The man became a living soul”
St Paul on a spiritual afterlife
When we die we will have a ‘presence with Christ’
The transfiguration proving a spiritual afterlife
Moses and Elijah were dead at the time so Peter must have recognised a presence.
The new earth theology
At the end of time God will transform creation back to its eden state.
N.T Wright’s support of the new earth theology
The lords prayer “thy kingdom come” suggests that Christians should pray for the new earth.
Revelation’s support of the new earth
God shows John the future where there is a “new heavens and a new earth”
Jesus resurrection support of the new earth
“I have not yet ascended to my father”
