judgement, heaven, hell+purgatory as spiritual Flashcards
why spiritual?
-in modern thought the concept of final resurrection of dead in bodily form is not so widely held.
-seen view that individual bodies might be resurrected whole at end of time is counter-intuitive this leads to idea that if resurrection of dead is spiritual reality, then so too must be final judgement (if purgatory exists it must be spiritual purging)
-concepts of h, h + p must be adjusted to fit with idea that spiritually resurrected souls may be subject to eternal life with God in heaven or eternal suffering apart from God in hell.
what does spiritual change?
-changes nature of how ppl understood both joy of heaven + suffering of hell.
heaven as spiritual
-if heaven spiritual reality rather than physical, the qualities that the saved enjoy are spiritual rather than material (joy, peace and love, and pleasure of being reunited with loved ones, in the safe and secure knowledge that God is always present.
hell as spiritual
the sugaring of the damned is understood as spiritual loss: the eternal absence of God, no source of goodness, joy or peace. eternal separation from loved ones, and endless sorrow and spiritual pain.
spiritual judgement
-Christians who believe in idea of spiritual judgement, ideas about individual judgement and final judgement are conflated. (joint into one)
what do people who believe in spiritual judgement think?
-argue that since for G time has no meaning, there’s no diff to G between time when individual person dies + end of time itself.
-only 1 spiritual judgement at time of death, + final destination of each soul is decided at that time.
-having left physical world and their bodies behind, afterlife begins with judgement, and eternity in spiritual heaven or hell follows
-idea of purgatory loses force in this world view, since time of suffering to cleanse should would depend on time having some meaning in eternity.
