Magisterium & Life After Death (AQA GCSE Religious Studies B): Revision Note
Exam code: 8063
Catholic Church teaching on the communion of saints
The Catholic Church teaches that it exists as three distinct parts
The Church militant: people on earth trying to resist the temptation of evil and sin
The Church suffering: the souls of people who have died and are undergoing purification in purgatory
The Church triumphant: those who have been united with God in heaven
This is a living, spiritual institution known as the communion of saints; all members of the Church are joined together
Those on earth pray for those who have died and are in purgatory
Those on earth pray with the help of those in heaven
Those in purgatory depend on the prayers of those on earth
Second Vatican Council teachings about eschatology
The Second Vatican Council has shaped Catholic teachings about what will happen at the end of time
It taught that one of the Church’s roles is to prepare for the end of time
People should always be preparing for the end of time, as no one knows when this will happen
The document Lumen Gentium teaches Catholics to follow Christ’s teachings constantly in their lives because they do not know when the end will come and must be ready
This is the same teaching that Jesus gave the apostles
“Since however we know not the day or hour, on Our Lord’s advice we must be constantly vigilant” (Lumen Gentium, 48)
Lumen Gentium also continued the theme of cosmic reconciliation — the idea that everything will come to full perfection at the end of time
“At that time the whole human race as well as the entire world, which is intimately related to man and attains to its end through him, will be perfectly re-established in Christ” (Lumen Gentium, 48)
The document teaches Catholics to live in hope that Jesus will return in glory to judge at the end of time
It reminds believers that the way they live determines their fate at this time
Believers should:
Keep faith in God
Perform good deeds that share God’s love with others
“We perform with hope in the future the work committed to us in this world by the Father, and thus work out our salvation” (Lumen Gentium, 48)
The Catechism of the Catholic Church also teaches that God’s love entails his desire for everyone to join him in heaven
No one is predestined to go to heaven or hell; people have free will to either accept God or not
God does not send people to hell; people send themselves to hell through their total rejection of God, committing mortal sins such as murder
All sins can be forgiven, but a person must seek forgiveness and be truly sorry for their sin
“God predestines no one to go to hell; for this, a wilful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1037)
Worked Example
Give two teachings from the Second Vatican Council about the end of time.
[2 marks]
Answer:
Catholics should constantly be prepared for the end of time because no one knows when it will happen. [1]
They should live in hope that Christ will return in glory to judge at the end of time. [1]
Examiner Tips and Tricks
For this section of the course, the two key documents you should know are Lumen Gentium, 48 and Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1037.
Try to learn a quotation from this page for each of these documents to support your answers to eschatology questions with suitable evidence.
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