The End of Life

2. The End of Life For each topic you will need to know a range of Christian views as well as your own viewpoint • This module covers 5 main areas: Fist we need to know what Christian denominations we are discussing

3. The Christian Denominations Christian do NOT all believe the same thing and are divided into different groups depending on faith and establishment The Roman Catholic Church • This denomination is a traditional group of Christians who believe in Natural Law: doing what God intended in a natural way. Up until the C16th Catholics were the dominant group of Christians in Europe. Catholics are controlled by the Pope in Rome Protestant Churches • These are the Christian groups that developed after Martin Luther’s debate in 1517. • These are modern Christians who have re-interpreted the Bible and have a different view to the Roman Catholics. • These Christians are NOT controlled by the Pope.

4. The Soul • All religions teach that humans have a soul. Christian view of the Soul Christians believe the soul is the part of us that survives death and goes onto the afterlife. It is though to be the part of us that is in the ‘image of God’ • Some people believe the soul to be the part of us that contains our personality, our uniqueness from everyone else, the part that contains our memories and experiences and makes us the person that we are today

5. The Soul • St Paul taught that the body and soul were in conflict with each other: the soul strived for knowledge and perfection, to become a better person; while the body strives for earthly desires. “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the spirit have their minds set on what the spirit desires..” (Romans 8:5) • This is very similar to the ancient Greek view of the soul • Plato argued that we are vessels for our souls who strive for perfection but are restricted by our earthly forms

6. The Afterlife • Many people believe in an afterlife, whether it be reincarnation, a different dimension or paradise. • Christians believe in two main parts to the afterlife Heaven This is paradise. People who have lived good lives and are worthy will enter Heaven to be with God Hell This is a living nightmare. People who have lived bad lives and hurt people will find themselves here being tortured

7. Heaven • Christians teach that Heaven is a place of paradise, where people will feel no pain, have no suffering, and will live forever there Entrance to Heaven: People will only have access to heaven if they genuinely repent their sins and accept Jesus as the son of God. Therefore, heaven is only accessible for Christians • Evidence for the Christian belief in heaven can be found in the Book of Revelation: this is the last book of the Bible in the NT. • Christians used to believe that they would be physically resurrected in Heaven but in more modern times they believe that Heaven is a spiritual place; a home for their souls.

8. Hell • Christians believe that Hell is the punishment for people who have failed to live acceptable lives, and have not repented their actions. Traditional view of Hell Traditionally, people thought of Hell as a physical place, hidden away in the centre of the Earth, with no natural light. Hell was lit by fires and people were to spend eternity being tortured here in the worst ways imaginable. The Modern View of Hell Hell is simply an absence of God. A dark place of emptiness and loneliness.

9. Hell • In the middle ages, the Italian poet Dante Alighieri wrote a famous book outlining the nature of the afterlife: The Divine Comedy. Dante’s Inferno The Inferno outlines the 9 pits of Hell. Each is designated to a particular group of sinners. They progress in seriousness as they move deeper down into Hell. Satan is found in the 9th pit, which is saved for traitors The first pit is limbo: this is reserved for people who have lived good lives but who are not Christian; these people have no chance of entering Heaven.

10. Purgatory • This is purely a Roman Catholic belief: it is a place where souls are cleansed before being allowed into Heaven. Purgatory: A temporary place for souls to be purified before progressing to eternity in Heaven • Catholics believe that very few souls are in a fit state to gain immediate access to Heaven, therefore they require a time in purgatory to work off the sins that they have accumulated. • Traditionally, Catholics used to buy indulgences (relics) to buy their loved ones time off purgatory. This practice has since stopped but people often pray for their loved ones in the next life

11. People escaping to Heaven Skulls and knives and weapons Chaos: people everywhere A Monster rising up from Hell People being tortured

12. Judgement • Although, when people commit crimes, they are punished in this life, Christians believe that ultimately God judges us all on our actions and intentions. God as a Judge: God judges people based on their actions in this life, He also judges them based on their repentance of their sins and their belief in Jesus as the son of God Based on this, God decides whether people will go to Heaven or to Hell, or in the case of RCs, Purgatory • There is a parable by Jesus in the NT that clearly explains how to gain access to Heaven and how people will be judged • This is called the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats

13. Judgement • The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats outlines how people ought to behave in order to gain access to Heaven. 31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' 46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

14. Judgement • The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats outlines how people ought to behave in order to gain access to Heaven. The Sheep People These people think about others; they give time, energy and love to help others. They take people in and care for them. These are Good Samaritans who treat others are they want to be treated The Goat People These people think only about themselves. They put themselves before everyone else and only do what benefits them. They ignore people in need and keep clear of poverty and helplessness. They are selfish and arrogant.

15. Funerals • Funerals are a very sad time for people, they mourn the loss of their loved one and wonder how to continue their lives with this absence Funerals are designed to do two things: They are there to comfort those left behind and be an official goodbye to someone They are there to pray for the departed soul on its journey to the next life • There are several areas of a Christian funeral that are symbolic and important for Christians praying for a departed soul • E.g. Flowers / candles / prayers

16. Funerals • Most Christian churches have formal funeral services but some, Quakers, have unstructured funerals where people may simply sit in silence to remember their loved one

17. Practice Exam Question The End of Life: this exam question is worth 24 marks • What is purgatory? (1) • What is meant by the soul? (2) • What do Christians believe about life after death?(3) • How may Christian funeral rites reflect beliefs about life after death?(6) • “There is no evidence for an afterlife, therefore there is none” Discuss this statement. Give different, supported viewpoints including a personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity (12) Remember: Part E is an ESSAY question and must be written in an essay style with PEE paragraphs in order to attain all 12 marks