Developments in Christian eschatological teachings
- Created by: abbeymcanulty
- Created on: 18-01-17 15:46
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- Developments in Christian eschatological teaching
- A) Hell
- (I) Dante's vision of hell
- Hell is physically, mentally, and spiritually a dysfunctional state. It was created at the moment of Jesus' death when and earthquake caused the dead to awaken from their tombs. It's prisoners lack faith in God and live without hope.
- Hell is characterized by the Aristotelian and Christian vices. each of which occupies one of the nine circles of Hell, where every sin is matched with an appropriate punishment
- The ninth circle is occupied by the most heinous of vices, and is where Lucifer has his throne
- (II) Hell as a vision of alienation
- Dante's graphic description of Hell not only forces us to think of the consequences of our actions, but the people we could become because of these actions.
- Dante states there is no redemption because everyone has alienated themselves from God's love.
- (III) Hell as eternal separation
- The Catholic church teaches that Hell is where we go if we have committed mortal sins on Earth.
- To die in the state of mortal sin without repentance and 'accepting God's merciful love means remaining separated from him forever'
- (I) Dante's vision of hell
- B) Purgatory and intermediate states
- (I) Dante's vision of Purgatory
- Dante says Purgatory is a state for Christians who repented before Death. They know have the opportunity to purge themselves from all wrongful actions and desires
- Unlike Hell, where the punishment continues the initial sin, it is a positive state as they are now unable to Sin
- (II) Catholic teaching on Purgatory
- The Catholic church does not acknowledge there is a Purgatory, however The New Testament focuses on ideas such as 'cleansing with fire' which suggests some sins can be forgiven.
- If so, this suggests Purgatory is just another stage in the soul's journey to redemption.
- The Catholic church does not acknowledge there is a Purgatory, however The New Testament focuses on ideas such as 'cleansing with fire' which suggests some sins can be forgiven.
- (III) John Hick on the intermediate state
- Purgatory lacks a place in Catholic theology, and has little biblical support, meaning many Christians have rejected this theory.
- Hicks argues that Purgatory makes logical sense as "the gap between the individuals imperfection at the end of this life and the perfect Heavenly state in which they have to participate must be bridged"
- Purgatory lacks a place in Catholic theology, and has little biblical support, meaning many Christians have rejected this theory.
- (I) Dante's vision of Purgatory
- C) Heaven
- (I) Dante's vision of Heaven
- Heaven or paradise is beyond description, in paradise, the rational soul yearns for the ultimate good and harmony with God's love. The end of the journey is Empyrean - from which God's light - the source of knowledge and illumination - descends.
- Just like there are 9 circles of hell, there are ten Heavens, each representing a different intellectual level of truth. Each soul therefore finds its own intellectual resting place and different degree of bliss.
- (II) Catholic teaching on beatific vision
- Beatific vision: The final and perfect human state of everlasting happiness and knowledge of God. For the righteous it is achieved after death in Heaven.
- It is a state of supreme, definitive happiness' where God reveals himself and gives people the capacity to know and contemplate him in a new glorious way. This is the beatific vision.
- (I) Dante's vision of Heaven
- D) Election and universalism
- Untitled
- A) Hell
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