Do you think death is a comma, a full
stop, or a question mark?
. , ?
Life After Death
Christian Beliefs
• To describe what Catholics believe about life
after death and explain this belief from the
resurrection of Jesus
• To be able to give evidence that support this
belief
• To explain how beliefs about life after death
affect the lives of Christians
Christian Teachings about Life after
Death
• Complete the table: either
– write out the missing bible quote
– Or give the quote a heading
– Or explain what it means
What do Christians believe about
LAD ? remember BJC !!
• BIBLE quotes (use your table):
– What heaven is like
– the body after death
– importance of belief in Jesus
– who will be admitted to heaven (sheep and goats)
• JESUS’ resurrection:
• CHURCH Teaching (Apostle’s Creed)
– Resurrection of the body and eternal life
– The immortality of the soul
Do beliefs about LAD affect the way Christians live their lives?
Create the table as below, and fill it in using the bubbles.
Belief
How it affects the way Catholics live
1. Only get to heaven
will try to follow Jesus through Church & bible teachings
if believe in Jesus
5. Heaven means eternal
And follow his teaching.
life with God, so
2. Parable of Sheep and
Goats: only those who
have done good to
others will be given
heaven at the Last
Judgement
3. Sin prevents people
from living with God
(=heaven), so
Catholics will try to
live a life free of sin
(follow the bible and
church teachings, seek
forgiveness reconciliation)
Catholics will try to know
God on earth through
prayer, reading the bible,
using the sacraments,
following Church
teachings.
4. Belief in LAD gives
meaning to life, and the
reasons for which you do
things (live for love, avoid
sin). This affects the way
you live.
Heaven, Hell or Purgatory ?
Heaven = blissful union with
God. If you die in grace.
Hell = perpetual state of selftorment (a self-chosen rejection
of God/ preference of evil)
Purgatory = a state of
purification. The soul’s
perception of God’s love and
awareness of having gone
against this love (its own past
wrongdoing) is painful to the
soul, and purifies it from sin.
Only Catholics
believe Purgatory
exists as a third
possibility for the
soul after death.
The prayers of the
saints and of the
Church on earth
can help these
souls be purified
and reach heaven
Exam Question
Choose one question to answer (8 marks)
(both questions are asking how Christians understand heaven.
Remember to mention purgatory: only Catholics believe in it)
• What do Catholics believe about life after
death?
or
• Describe some different Christian beliefs
about life after death.
Orthodox/ Protestants:
The moral progress of the soul, either for better or
for worse, ends at the very moment of the
separation of the body and soul;
There is no way of repentance, no way of escape,
no reincarnation and no help from the outside
world.
Its place is decided forever by its Creator and
judge.