Beliefs About Life After Death (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A) : Revision Note

Death, Resurrection & Judgement

• Catholics believe in life after death

• The Catholic Church has clear teachings on what happens after death

• These beliefs affect how Catholics live their lives on earth

Death and resurrection

• Catholics believe that a person is made up of body and soul

• They believe in the immortality of the soul

• This means that even when a person’s body ceases to function, their soul or spirit continues to exist in the afterlife

• Death is only the end of the body, a physical death

• They believe this because of the Bible teachings. Jesus said:

• Catholics believe that death is not the end of the soul

  • Jesus’ resurrection is proof that there is life after death

• It is hard to imagine the nature of a person after their resurrection

  • St Paul describes what the resurrected life will be like, comparing it to sowing a seed and the plant that grows from it:

• This means that:

  • Our earthly bodies are perishable and physical

  • Our resurrected bodies will be imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual

  • Even though they may seem as different as a seed and a plant, they are the same person

• Jesus appeared in person to his followers after his resurrection and they could see and touch him - he was physically present

Judgement

• Judgement is the Christian belief that when they die, God will judge each person based on their actions, and either rewards or punishes them as a result 

• God knows everything that people have done. However, God is merciful and Jesus died for everyone’s salvation

  • Therefore if people believe in this, judgement may be merciful

• St Paul wrote about the fact that everyone will be judged:

Heaven, Hell & Purgatory

Image to be inserted: Catholic beliefs about life after death

Heaven 

• Christians believe that those who accept God's forgiveness will receive salvation and spend eternity with God in heaven

• Although some Christians think that heaven is a physical place, the Catholic Church teaches that it is a spiritual state

• Heaven is described as:

  • a state (or place) of perfection, where there is no sin, suffering, or death

  • a state (or place) of eternal joy in union with God

• The Catechism of the Catholic Church states heaven is where people 'live forever with Christ': 

Hell

• Hell is described as a state or place where people go after death if they have not accepted God’s offer of forgiveness or salvation through Jesus

• Hell is described as:

  • a state (or place) which is apart from God: ‘The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1035)

  • a state (or place) of eternal punishment, suffering and pain, as Jesus describes to his followers in the parable of the Sheep and Goats:

• The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that it is a person’s choices that result in them entering hell:

Purgatory

• Purgatory is the Catholic teaching that purification from sins is necessary to achieve the state needed to meet God in heaven

  • This is because the Bible says that 'Nothing impure will enter heaven' (Revelation 21:27)

• The Church teaches that only those who completely reject God will go to hell

• However, some people die with less serious sins that have not been forgiven and this is what purgatory is for

• Purgatory is a process of purification or cleansing of sin before entering heaven

• Purgatory is not eternal: it is a temporary place or state for those on their way to heaven

• People can pray for those in purgatory to help speed them on their way to heaven

• St. Paul describes purgatory as a 'cleansing fire' that removes impurities before a person enters heaven

• The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that

Importance of Belief in the Afterlife for Catholics

• Belief in life after death gives meaning and purpose to Catholics’ lives

• They are aware that they will be judged and this will affect how they live their lives

  • They will try to live in a way that follows the teachings of Jesus to show that they want to reach heaven

• They will find the idea of death easier to cope with as they can have hope that this life is not all there is

• They can take comfort from their belief in heaven when a loved one dies

Different Christian Understandings of the Afterlife

• All Christians believe in life after death

• However, there are some differences in how they interpret the Bible’s teaching on what happens in the afterlife

• Not all Christians accept the idea of purgatory

  • Many Protestants believe that a person either goes straight to heaven or hell

• Some Christians think about heaven and hell as physical places

  • Others accept them as spiritual states

• Some Christians believe that faith in God is the most important factor in the final judgement

  • while others see life on earth and how they behave as more important

• Catholics believe in a personal judgement after death, when a person’s actions are judged and they will know their fate straightaway

  • Some Christians think that people ‘wait’  for judgment after death. They will not go through individual judgement when they die. They will all be judged at the same time at the second coming of Christ, when everyone will end up in heaven or hell