guiding principals; afterlife

Question 1

hell

Answer 1

since God has given human beings free will, there must be an opportunity for people to reject God. this is the basis of the idea of hell.

hell has traditionally been depicted as a place of eternal fire; symbolising pain and suffering.
this is seen as the result of the refusal to accept the happiness that God wants people to share with him.

Question 2

purgatory
(idea refused by most denominations)

Answer 2

the roman catholic church teaches that after death there is a state of purgatory.
this is a place where some people who have sinned are purified in a ‘cleansing fire’, before being accepted into heaven.

Question 3

judgement

Answer 3

some christians believe that judgement will happen when they die. others believe that there will be a day of judgement at the end of time, when everybody will be judged at the same time.

some believe that judgement will happen in two stages: an initial personal judgement when you die, followed by the definitive judgement at the end of time.