GCSE Philosophy and Ethics (OCR): The End of Life

The Soul: Christians believe the Soul is a non-physical and immortal part of the body that continues after death and is the connection with God. They also believe that the Soul makes each person unique.

In the Bible it says; 'God breathed into his [Adam] nostrils the breath of life' (Genesis 2:7) - which supports the belief of a Soul 

Christian Evidence on the Immortality of the Soul:

• Jesus conquered death when he was resurrected and ascended into Heaven
• References in the gospels to Abraham, Moses etc. appearing on the earth with Jesus suggesting they live on in a spiritual realm

Relationship between the Body and the Soul:

• They believe that the body houses the Soul; 'Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit' (1 Corinthians 6:19)
• Some Christians believe that the soul and the body are in conflict. The soul wants to please God and the Body wants desires to be fulfilled
• Christians do not believe in the idea of Reincarnation - they believe there is only one life and afterlife is not physical

Christian beliefs about the afterlife: 1) General ideas suggest they will be reunited with loved ones, 2) Jesus promised there would be a place for all who believed in him 3) They believe that the immortal soul continues on a journey of eternal life in Heaven, Hell or possibly Purgatory

Heaven, Hell and Purgatory:

• Heaven - for those who have followed God's way on earth and have not sinned. Also for sinners who repent; 'There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain' (Revelation 21:4)
• Hell - a place full of pain and suffering. An eternal place without God;'he will be tormented with fire and brimstone' (Revelation 14:10). Other Christians believe that it's where the body and soul both no longer exist.
• Purgatory - where Roman Catholics believe that you endure 'spiritual cleansing' to repent all your sins to purify your soul for Heaven; 'pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins' (2 Maccabees 12:46)

Salvation, Redemption and the Suffering of Christ:

• Where Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross in order to redeem believers from Original Sin - this allowed Christians to enter Heaven
• Jesus is often referred to as 'Redeemer' or 'Saviour of the World'

God as a Judge: 

• Christians believe God will judge each human individually according to they way they have lived, their faith and actions. This occurs after death; 'He will come again to judge the living and the dead' (Apostles Creed). They believe God is eternal so is present as a creator and as a judge.

How will people be judged?

They will be judged to determine their future in the afterlife. The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats explains how God will judge humans - on Judgement Day humans into those who have followed Jesus, who will be rewarded, and those who have not will be damned to an eternity in Hell. This video explains the meaning of the parable; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXUaLFsxEys

Relationship between God the Judge, life on Earth and the afterlife:

• Christians try to behave morally on Earth and live their lives according to God (the Judge) to gain access to Heaven (Afterlife)
• 'All who sin under the law will be judged by the law' (Romans 2:12)
• 'For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed' (Acts 17:31)

Funeral Rites: customs and ceremonies that happen after a person has died.

Purposes (for the deceased and the bereaved):

• To help those left behind cope with their loss
• To provide an opportunity to say goodbye to the deceased.
• To celebrate the life of the deceased
• To acknowledge that the person is now with God
• To give the bereaved a sense of closure in knowning they can move on with their lives

How do funeral rites reflect Christian beliefs? 

• Bible Reading: To reflect Christian ideas of the afterlife (e.g. John 11:25b-26a - He who believes in will live, even though he dies...)
• Eulogy: A speech given by the vicar/priest/close family relative to talk about the life of the deceased and to share memories
• The Committal: The body is the buried or cremated to commit it to Earth with the words; 'ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life'
• Prayers: Prayers are said for both the deceased and also their family and friends left behind - to ask God to keep the bereaved safe and give them the strength to carry on in their lives

Body and Soul

•  'God breathed into his [Adam] nostrils the breath of life' (Genesis 2:7)
•  'Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit' (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Afterlife

• 'There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain' (Revelation 21:4)
• 'He will be tormented with fire and brimstone' (Revelation 14:10)
•  'Pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins' (2 Maccabees 12:46)]

Judgement

• 'He will come again to judge the living and the dead' (Apostles Creed)
• 'All who sin under the law will be judged by the law' (Romans 2:12)
• 'For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed' (Acts 17:31)

Funeral Rites

•  'Ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life'
• 'He who believes in will live, even though he dies (John 11:25b-26a)