DCT- Death and Afterlife

• Soul


  Something that is capable of surviving death, not just linked to the body
• Christian concept of the soul


  • People have souls which are capable of surviving death
  • Christians reject the idea of bodily rebirth/reincarnation
• Resurrection


  The idea of a renewed spiritual body continuing the journey into the afterlife
• Christians teach that life after death will take the form of Resurrection where the person will be given a renewed spiritual body
• The Pharisees taught of Resurrection whereas the Sadducees taught of no afterlife
• Jesus's tomb was found empty, implying his Resurrection
• Doubting Thomas


  Disciple who doubted Jesus had been resurrected until he saw and touched Jesus's wounds
• The story of Doubting Thomas shows Jesus returned in the exact same physical body that was crucified and buried
• Possible reasons for the empty tomb


  • Jesus rose from the dead
  • They got the wrong tomb
  • Jesus's tomb was moved
  • Grave robbers stole the body
• Christians believe the empty tomb and Jesus's appearances showed his actual physical body was resurrected
• Questions and issues surrounding Resurrection


  • Is it literal or metaphorical?
  • Was Jesus's Resurrection unique or can everyone expect it?
  • What happens if the body is cremated or severely damaged?
  • When does Resurrection happen - immediately or at the end of time?
  • What form will the resurrected body take - physical or spiritual?
  • Will personal identity be preserved?
• Saint Paul tried to answer early church questions about Resurrection using examples like a seed being sown and raised imperishable
• Perishable


  Will die, decay, deteriorate
• Imperishable


  Will not perish in the same way
• Saint Paul's tent analogy


  Our current body is like an impermanent tent, but the resurrected body will be a more solid, eternal structure
• Christians believe Resurrection will involve bodily life, evidenced by the empty tomb and Doubting Thomas
• The resurrected person will be the same person as the one who died, not just a similar person
• Life after death through Resurrection is seen as a miracle given by the grace and power of God
• The resurrected person will be the same person as the one who died, not just similar
• Life after death will be a miracle given by the grace of God
• Grace of God


  The power and love of God
• All questions will be answered and things that don't make sense now will be understood, because it is a miracle beyond human understanding
• Christians believe in the resurrection, based on what happened to Jesus
• Christians believe in an afterlife, including heaven, purgatory, and hell
• Parable of the rich man and Lazarus


  • The rich man was too interested in material possessions and ignored the poor man Lazarus
  • When the beggar Lazarus died, the angels carried him to heaven, while the rich man went to hell and was in torment
• Parable of the sheep and the goats


  • Jesus will separate people based on their deeds, not their beliefs
  • The sheep (those who helped others) will go to eternal life, while the goats (those who failed to help others) will go to eternal punishment
• Personal identity


  What makes you the person you are, and whether that can be the same in the next life
• Bernard Williams questioned whether an eternity in heaven would be desirable, as it may become boring
• Aristotle's concept of the soul


  • The soul is the life principle and distinctive characteristics of a living thing
  • Plants have a vegetative soul, animals have a sensitive soul, and humans have a rational soul
• Aquinas' concept of the soul


  • The soul allows us to reach our potential and accomplish our purpose
  • Perfect happiness can only be achieved after death, by living eternally in a state of perfect bliss (the beatific vision)
• Purgatory


  A place or state where the soul is purged of sin, before entering heaven
• Catholics believe in purgatory, while Protestants do not
• Purgatory according to Carl Rainer


  The soul becomes aware of the consequences of its sins, and learns from this experience
• Sin


  The individual's own sin before judgment, the pain is more the self-inflicted pain of recognizing your wrongdoing
• Purgatory


  Learning and repenting the consequences of the sin that you have done
• Protestants do not believe in purgatory as it is not in the Bible and not biblically supported
• Jesus does not talk about purgatory
• Pope Gregory


  Developed the idea of purgatory from a passage in the Bible about forgiveness in this age or the age to come
• Hell


  A separation from God for all eternity, a place of eternal punishment and pain
• A finite sin


  Cannot deserve an infinite punishment, according to David Hume