judgement, heaven, hell + purgatory

• the Nicene Creed sets out belief in judgement + the afterlife

  • "he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end... we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come"
• the Catholic Church believes:

  • in 2 typed of judgement after death - particular judgement (individual, straight after death) + general judgement (impacts all of humanity, will take place at the Second Coming of Christ)
  • those who are free from sin are directed immediately to the eternal joys of God's presence in heaven, whereas those who have rejected God + committed mortal sin without repenting are sent to hell: a state of eternal separation from God
  • those whose venial sins have not been dismissed are directed to purgatory to prepare for heaven
• venial sins = less serious sins that do not lead to eternal separation from God