Judgement, heaven, hell and purgatory **

• The Catholic Church

  Believe in two types of judgement - Particular judgement and general judgement. Particular judgement refers to the judgement that happens after death and determines the eternal fate of the individual. General judgement is the judgement that will happen at the second coming of Christ
• Judgement, heaven, hell and purgatory as physical 


  This was the view universally held until modern times. It was used as a way of controlling the poor. Some Fundamentalist Christians still believe in it being physical, though any Protestant who thinks this way rejects the idea of purgatory.
• Judgement, heaven, hell and purgatory as physical

  At the end of the world, Christ will return in glory to judge all humans according to their deeds. Those assessed as holy will be taken to heaven (often depicted as a City) by angels. Those who have committed mortal sin will be cast to hell to suffer torment, often depicted by fire, for eternity. Those whose sins are venial undergo a period of cleansing - purgatory - and then they will be able to enter heaven. (Purgatory is a Catholic belief)
• Judgement, heaven, hell and purgatory as spiritual

  For those who believe that the resurrection was spiritual, ideas of judgement, heaven, hell and purgatory being physical does not make sense. Many christians therefore, understand them as spiritual realities.
• Judgement, heaven, hell and purgatory as spiritual

  Modern Catholic thinking understands heaven, hell and purgatory as spiritual rather than physical Heaven is a spiritual state. Likewise, hell is not a physical realm of torture. Purgatory is not a place
• Judgement, heaven, hell and purgatory as spiritual

  Other Christians reject the idea of particular and general judgement, because that is the language of space and time, which ends at death.
• Judgement, heaven, hell and purgatory as psychological realities

  Some Christians reject any belief in life after death as it lacks empirical evidence. They instead turn to trying to bring heaven to earth.
• Judgement, heaven, hell and purgatory as psychological realities

  Others think of judgement, heaven and hell as products of the human mind.
• Judgement, heaven, hell and purgatory as psychological realities

  Whichever view is held, joy and unhappiness may be experienced as psychological realities. A life lives in accordance with an individuals is spiritually fulfilled and so the individual experiences emotions such as joy. The opposite is true if an individuals life is full of inner conflict and this may lead to treatment such as psychotherapy