Christian eschatology

• Christian eschatology

  The word ‘eschatology’ comes from Greek and means a study of the ‘last things’. Christian eschatology refers to Christian beliefs about death, judgement, heaven and hell and the last times.
• Why Christians believe in life after death

  Christians believe in life after death because the Bible states that Jesus was himself raised to life on the first Easter Sunday. Christians believe that Jesus' death and resurrection have made it possible for them to have eternal life.
• Jesus: '"I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die."'
• Jesus: '"Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."'
• Reasons why Christians believe in life after death

  • The Bible states that Jesus was raised to life on the first Easter Sunday
  • Jesus spoke about life after death on a number of occasions
  • All denominations of the Christian Church teach that death is not the end
  • The Nicene Creed states that Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead, and that we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come
  • It gives their lives meaning and purpose, and helps to explain why God allows people to suffer on earth
• Christians believe in life after death because the Bible talks about it and because all the denominations of the Christian Church teach that death is not the end
• What do Christians believe about life after death?

  Although the New Testament is quite certain that life after death is a reality, it does not describe exactly what it will be like, so there are different views amongst Christians.
• Particular judgement

  When an individual dies, the immortal soul is judged and goes either to life in heaven, hell or purgatory
• Heaven

  • A place or a state of existence with no hunger, thirst, pain, sickness or death and where humans will be in God's presence
  • Only those who are totally free from sin can enter heaven
• Purgatory

  A temporary place, or state, in which the soul is purged or purified until it is fit for heaven
• Hell

  • A place of punishment
  • The Bible describes it as a place of fire and torment and separation from God
  • Some Christians believe in hell as an actual physical place, whilst others think of hell as a state in which one is cut off from God forever
  • Other Christians believe that the wicked will simply cease to exist when they die since they do not believe an all loving God would wish people to suffer for ever
• Second coming of Christ

  1. Christ will return in glory

  2. There will be a general resurrection of the dead and each soul will be reunited with its transformed resurrection body

  3. There will be a Last Judgement

  4. There will be a new heaven and a new earth and God will dwell with humans
• This is described in the Book of Revelation
• Protestant beliefs

  Many Protestant Christians hold very similar beliefs to those of Catholics, although most Protestants do not believe in purgatory because it is not specifically mentioned in the Bible. Whilst most Protestant churches teach that there will be a resurrection of the dead and a Day of judgement, some Protestants prefer to think of the afterlife in terms of immortality of the soul rather than resurrection.
• Most Christians believe that people will be judged on

  • Their faith
  • Their actions
• Jesus: '"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."'
• This suggests that

  Only those who believe in Jesus will be saved
• Parable of the Sheep and the Goats about the Day of Judgement

  1. People are divided into two groups

  2. The righteous (sheep) are sent to heaven

  3. The wicked (goats) are sent to hell
• When each group asks what they have done to deserve their reward or punishment


  They are told that whenever they chose to help or ignore someone in need, it was as if they were helping or ignoring Jesus
• Jesus: '"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."'