re paper 2

• Death


  The end of physical life. When the physical body ceases completely to function
• Eternal Life


  To refer to life in heaven after death. The phrase Jesus uses to describe a state of living as God intends which leads to this life in heaven
• Heaven


  Those who accepted God's grace and forgiveness in this life will enjoy an eternal existence in God's presence in the next life. This face to face encounter with God is 'Heaven'
• Hell


  Those who through the exercise of their own free will reject God's grace and forgiveness, will have chosen to live eternally outside God's presence. This total lack of God for all eternity is 'Hell'
• Judgement


  The belief that each individual will be held to account by God for the things they do, or fail to do, during their lives
• Magisterium


  The teaching authority of the Church, exercised by the bishops in communion with the Pope. It is given grace by the Holy Spirit to faithfully interpret Scriptures and Tradition
• Resurrection


  The raising of the body to life again after death. Christians believe that Jesus has already experienced resurrection and all people will experience it at the end of time
• Death is part of human experience
• RCs believe in eternal life and Jesus died on the cross. Because of this RCs hope to go to heaven after death and spend eternity with God
• RC teaching on meaning of death

  1. Prepare themselves to die well

  2. Respect the value of lives until their natural death

  3. Provide rituals to support the grieving
• RC Church rejects euthanasia or assisted suicide. They promote the work of hospices that provide palliative care when treatment is no longer possible
• Euthanasia/assisted suicide


  Go against the sanctity of life and 'do not kill'
• RCs promote hospices and organizations that provided palliative care
• People who suffer from terminal illness might choose to end their life


  They wish to end their life before their quality of life diminishes
• Right to die


  The belief that people should be able to choose to end their life
• Sanctity of life


  All human life is sacred and holy; life is a gift from God
• Quality of life


  Refers to people's well being and a person's life being meaningful and pleasurable
• RC attitude on Quality and Sanctity of Life

  • All life is given by God and is sacred. No one has the right to end life.
  • RCs do not accept that people have the right to die and think euthanasia and assisted suicide are not acceptable.
  • RCs care about quality of life and campaign for palliative care to make life for people suffering as comfortable and pain free as possible.
• Other Christian attitudes on Quality and Sanctity of Life

  • Euthanasia and assisted suicide should not be considered. The focus should be on showing compassion to the dying person to allow them to retain their dignity.
  • Some Christians allow Euthanasia. They believe in the teachings of Jesus, 'Love your neighbour as yourself' and 'The Golden Rule'. Voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide would be a sign of love. If that person is suffering and has a poor quality of life, allowing euthanasia would be a sign of compassion, just like Jesus was able to perform healing miracles.
• Differing Christian attitudes to Quality and Sanctity of Life

  • Humanist – agree with right to die
  • RC – reject right to die
• Humanist view


  Believe that the decision about quality of life is an individual decision. They reject the idea of God. They don't believe life is sacred. They believe all humans have autonomy (right to choose for themselves). Any decision about prolonging or ending life should be down to the individual. They don't reject palliative care.
• Slippery Slope - Is it possible to protect people who may feel pressurised into carrying out euthanasia or assisted suicide?
• Quality of life - The are many people who have lived valuable and fruitful lives despite the difficult circumstances they find themselves in.
• Who decides quality of life? - Does a person with an incurable condition and living with unbearable pain have a poor quality of life? Or can a person have a productive and valuable life despite their condition?
• Right to die argument


  People who suffer from terminal illness might choose to end their life. It means they can choose to control the illness before it becomes too painful.
• RC beliefs are summed up in the Nicene Creed which teaches that Jesus rose from the dead and there will be life after death
• St Paul explains what will happen after death in 1 Cor: Paul teaches that Jesus rose from the dead and this will happen to his followers. People will have a spiritual resurrection body given to them by God. 'It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body'
• The Resurrection of Jesus is a matter of faith. It cannot be proven or disproven.
• Due to the resurrection, RC's believe that the soul and body are resurrected.
• Popular beliefs about survival of the soul

  • Christians believe the soul is the spiritual part/essence of a person. It is non physical and lives on after death. Distinction between bod and soul is called dualism
  • Most Christians believe in the immortality of the soul. When the body dies, the soul leaves the body to live with God. It is eternal and continues to live on to everlasting life in heaven
  • Other Christians say the body and soul are one and cannot be separated. After death the soul is temporarily apart from the body, but body and soul are reunited on Judgement day
• Contrasting views about death as the end of personal existence

  • Most Humanists and Atheists believe humans are just a physical body. There is no soul. There is no spiritual aspect to life. This is the only life we have and should make the most of it. There is no life after death
  • Some people believe in reincarnation. At death the soul passes to a new body. How you are reborn depends on good and bad actions in this life
• RC teaching on heaven and hell


  When a person dies they are judged by God and this decides if they go to heaven or hell
• Judgement


  1. When a person dies, God passes judgement on their soul. This is called 'particular judgement'.

  2. Each person is responsible for their own actions

  3. There will be a final judgement when the whole of creation will be judged – parable of sheep and goats
• Parable of the Unforgiving Servant: ''This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother and sister from your heart''
• Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus: ''Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony''
• Christian teaching focuses on individual judgement
• Each person is responsible for their own actions
• Some Christians refer to 'final judgement' – Parable of the Sheep and Goats
• Heaven


  • Have accepted God's grace and forgiveness in this life
  • Enjoy eternal existence in God's presence after they die
  • A face to face encounter with God is what Christians call heaven
  • Very difficult to explain or draw
  • Explained as 'up there' or 'harp playing angels'
  • Nothing but totally one with God
• Hell


  • Have rejected God's grace and forgiveness
  • Eternally outside of God's presence
  • Lack of God for all eternity is Hell
  • Live a life where the individual chooses to reject love, mercy, compassion and God. It is not God that chooses to punish