Life and death

• Christian beliefs about life after death

  Based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ
• Jesus' death and resurrection


  1. Part of God's divine plan for humankind

  2. Jesus pays the penalty for humankind's sin

  3. Humankind's relationship with God is restored
• Atonement


  The restoration of humankind's relationship with God
• Three days after the crucifixion, God raised Jesus from the dead and he once again appeared to his disciples
• Jesus' sacrifice was a victory over sin and death
• Eternal life in Heaven


  Given to those who believe in Christ and live good lives, despite physical death still happening
• Judgements


  • Individual judgement
  • Final judgement
• Individual judgement

  Happens at the moment of death when each individual will be judged on how they have lived their life
• Destination after individual judgement


  • Heaven
  • Hell
  • Purgatory
• Final judgement

  Will come at the end of time, when all of humanity will be raised from the dead and body and soul will be reunited
• All will be judged by Christ who will have returned in all his glory
• Matthew 25:32: 'All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left'
• Matthew 13:47-50: 'Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth'
• Heaven


  Eternity in the presence of God, a state of being rather than a physical place
• Hell


  Eternity in the absence of God, a place of eternal fire that symbolises pain and suffering
• Purgatory


  A place where some people who have sinned are purified in a 'cleansing fire', after which they are accepted into Heaven
• Parts of a Catholic funeral


  • Vigil
  • Funeral liturgy
  • Committal
• Vigil


  The first part of a Catholic funeral, taking place between death and the funeral, can include the Reception of the Body
• Parts of the funeral liturgy


  • Introductory Rites
  • Liturgy of the Word
  • Liturgy of the Eucharist
  • Commendation

  
• Symbols in the funeral rite


  • Paschal candle
  • The pall
  • Holy water
  • Bible and crucifix
  • Incense
  • Purple vestments

  
• Masses for the Dead

  Praying for those souls who are in Purgatory, hoping that their time there is shortened

  
• Humanist funerals


  Focus on the separation from the dead person and the grief that people feel, remembering the good deeds and life experience of the deceased

  
• Order of a humanist funeral


  • Opening music
  • Welcome the mourners
  • Reflection on life and death from a non-religious point of view
  • Tribute outlining the personality and life of the deceased person
  • Readings
  • Reflection
  • Committal
  • Final words
  • Closing music

  
• Rhodri Morgan, Wales' former first minister, had a humanist funeral in 2017

  
• Lorraine Barrett, Humanist celebrant at Rhodri Morgan's funeral: 'This is a celebration of his life through words, poetry and music'

  
• In the distant past most people accepted their religion's explanation of how the universe began
• In the 1920s the Big Bang theory was proposed as a possible scientific explanation for the creation of the universe
• Around 14 billion years ago, all matter and energy in the universe was at a point of infinite density and temperature, then it expanded rapidly and eventually stars, galaxies and planets formed
• The Earth was formed around 4.6 billion years ago from dust and gas left after the Sun formed
• Charles Darwin published the theory of evolution in 1859, based on his studies of creatures he had encountered on his travels
• Darwin's theory of evolution challenged many religious beliefs at the time
• Richard Dawkins


  A famous biologist and atheist who is a great supporter of the theory of evolution, arguing that it solves the question of where humans come from without needing help from a higher being
• H4BW (Humanists for a Better World) is an organisation that works alongside the British Humanist Association to tackle environmental, social and global issues
• Humanists see no need for there to be a greater being who determines what actions people take, and base their actions upon science
• Dawkins argues that evolution does not need help from a higher being
• Richard Dawkins: 'The illusion of design in the living world is explained with far greater economy ... by Darwinian natural selection'
• H4BW


  Humanists for a Better World - an organisation that works alongside the British Humanist Association on environmental, social and global issues
• Humanists see no need for there to be a greater being who determines what actions people take. They rely on science to make decisions, and base their actions upon that
• Statements on the environment and responsibility towards it by the British Humanist Society


  • Accept responsibility to maintain a sustainable environment for future generations
  • Understand the place of humans within nature
  • Understand human responsibilities for other species
  • Ensure that development can be justified
  • Preserve balance and diversity in nature wherever possible
  • Preserve areas of natural beauty and interest for future generations
  • Repair, where possible, habitats damaged by human development and other means
• The Catholic Church believes that all human life begins at the moment of conception, and from that point has potential