To prepare for judgement

• Adam and Eve brought about pain and suffering when they introduced Original Sin
• The idea that Jesus's death can "make up" for human sin is called the Doctrine of Atonement
• "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself" - 2 Corinthians 5:19
• The closest meaning of atonement is reconciliation, Jesus reconciles God to the world
• Medieval churches depict the Last Judgement through doom paintings
• doom paintings were important as people could not read and services were in Latin
• Eschatology- study of the life, death and afterlife
• The introduction of the King James bible made it so more people could read and interpret the bible themselves
• the parable of sheep and goats (Matthew 25) tells us about how we are judged by our actions towards others
• The parable of the sheep and the goat

  • all those who have died will be raised and judged
  • those who treat others with compassion and justice will be welcomed into heaven
• Liberal christians

  • do not accept dramatic nature of judgement day
  • existing in the presence of God is the outcome of striving for moral perfection
  • being born of spirit and living eternal life is a quality of life
• links to soul making theodicy
• Evil exists to allow humans to achieve a likeness with God
• Evil allows humans to grow and develop virtues
• people have free will to overcome evil
• Hick believes in:

  • religious pluralism
  • There are multiple roads to heaven
  • everyone has the opportunity to do good and overcome evil