Unit 5 Life After Death Flashcards
What is meant by the term resurrection? [1]
Coming back to life in bodily form. Usually used to refer to Jesus.
Name one religious tradition that believes in resurrection. [1]
Christianity (also Islam)
What is meant by the term reincarnation? [1]
The belief that all living things have a number of existences/lives – this is dependent of their Karma.
Name one religious tradition that believes in reincarnation. [1]
Hinduism (Buddhism)
Name one group that rejects any belief in life after death. (1]
Humanists
What is meant by the term heaven? (1)
A place where God exists – an eternal place where humans go when they die – a place of eternal reward/peace/bliss.
What is meant by the term hell? (1)
A place of eternal punishment/torment
Name two “proofs” of life after death. (2)
near death experiences, the resurrection of Jesus, the paranormal/ghosts
Outline teachings from one religious tradition you have studied about life after death. [5]
Answers may include:
Hinduism – Reincarnation
- The idea that the soul (“atman”) is eternal and so does not die with the physical body, but lives on to be born again into another living being
- The nature of this rebirth is dependent on one’s behaviour in this life.
- Good and bad “karma” can be built up through our moral actions in life.
- Good karma will result in a more favourable rebirth, and vice versa.
Christianity :
* Salvation is achieved through belief and acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus to overcome the issue of human sin.
- Jesus (as the Son of God) will judge the world at the end of time according to the Parable of Sheep & Goats in Matthew 25. This return is known as the Parousia.
- On judgement day humanity will be separated into the righteous and the unrighteous. The righteous will receive eternal life; the unrighteous will be eternally separated from God (hell)
- Heaven and earth will be recreated and inhabited by the righteous for eternity.
Islam :
* Human beings will be judged by Allah at the end of time.
- Judgement will be based upon the findings of the recording angels.
- Those who have lived within the will of Allah will receive eternal reward (heaven/Paradise) and those who have rejected Allah will receive eternal punishment (hell/Jahannam).
- Qur’an describes heaven as a ‘garden of bliss’ and hell as a place full of fire, boiling water and black smoke.
Outline the teaching on resurrection in any one tradition you have studied. (5)
Answers may include:
Christianity
- Christianity teaches that Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven
- His resurrection was attested to in the Bible in the empty tomb and resurrection narratives
- Christianity teaches that humanity too will rise from death
- After death all face Divine judgement and experience an afterlife
- Relevant Biblical passages may be cited for example Luke 23:42–43.
Islam:
* Islam teaches that this life is a preparation for a life beyond death
- The dead are physically raised to a new life in heaven or hell
- After death all face Divine judgement and experience an afterlife
- Relevant passages from the Quran may be cited for example.
Accept valid alternatives
Describe some features of near death experiences. [5]
- Pleasant feelings of peace and calm
- The awareness of being in a garden/ a place of tranquility
- Communion with dead relatives and friends
- A bright light
- A sense of separation from the physical body
- A sense of then being pulled back into the physical body.
- Those experiencing near-death experiences report common features.
- Some may refer to meeting loved ones, travelling along a darkened tunnel.
- Some refer to seeing a Deity/religious leaders.
- Many describe an ‘out of body’ experience.
- Near death experiences are both supported and challenged by modern medics.
- Some may interpret such experiences symbolically/religiously.
Accept valid alternatives
Outline some arguments a person might use to try to prove that there is life after death. [5]
Answers may include:
* For some the resurrection of Jesus as evidence that there is life after death. According to the gospels many people were witnesses to the resurrected Jesus. The disciples were able to see and touch his wounds. Jesus also taught of eternal life for those who accepted his message
- Many argue that near death experiences are evidence of life after death and people’s descriptions of such experiences tend to back up scriptural descriptions of heaven
- Many claim to have experienced ghosts and this too may be evidence that the soul/spirit lives on after death.
Accept valid alternatives
Describe what one tradition you have studied teaches about hell. (5)
Answers may include:
Islam :
- Human beings have free will (like Adam and Eve) those who chose to
disobey God’s will ultimately be punished in hell.
- There is a final judgement.
- Allah will judge all humanity, according to their deeds and beliefs.
- Heaven and hell are described in the Qur’an as physical places.
- To attain paradise all must submit to Allah.
- Life after death is eternal.
- Relevant references from the Qur’an should be provided.
Christianity
- Human beings have free will but have sinned against God and so are
fallen/sinful and need to be saved (Genesis 3).
- There is a final day of judgment where God judges humanity on their
beliefs and deeds.
- Heaven and hell are identified and described in the Bible (some
Christians also accept the existence of purgatory).
- Life after death is eternal.
- Relevant scriptural references should be provided.
Accept valid alternatives
Discuss why atheism rejects the idea of an afterlife. (5)
- Atheism rejects all religious teaching concerning an afterlife.
- Death is the end there is nothing beyond this temporal world.
- There is no empirical evidence in favour of an afterlife therefore it cannot exist.
- The myth of an afterlife came into existence because humanity fears death.
- The views of atheistic scholars rejecting the idea of an afterlife may be cited – Hume, Dawkins.
Accept valid alternatives
Explain what one tradition you have studied teaches about how this life prepares you for the afterlife. (5)
Answers may include:
Hinduism:
- Hinduism believes in reincarnation
- How you behave in this life affects your future life (karma)
- In each reincarnation the soul lives in a different body
- When the physical body dies the soul migrates to a new body
(transmigration of the soul)
- Good or bad karma results in being born into a higher or lower situation
- The ultimate goal is moksha.
Buddhism :
* Buddhism believes in the concept of rebirth
- There is an interconnection between each life lived by a person
- Each life is interconnected by karma (either good or bad)
- There is a link between a person’s actions in one life and what happens
to them in the future
- Good or bad karma results in being born into a higher or lower situation.
Christianity/Islam/Judaism:
All these religions accept that life on earth is preparation for the next life since the way in which a person lives either following/not following God will determine where they spend eternity
Life is about learning how to be obedient – how to submit to God’s will for one’s life
Jesus spoke of preparing a place for his followers and of “treasures in heaven which await them.”
The Qur’an speaks of recording angels who will report to Allah on the person’s life thereby determining where eternity is to be spent.
Accept valid alternatives
