Christian Eschatology

Meaning and significance of death in the light of the Christian narrative is addressed including detail and some examples.

Hell not only seems to be a very harsh reality, but this concept also clashes with the goodness of God. This extreme divine justice is incompatible with the idea of an all loving and perfectly good God. It is written in Chronicles that ‘He is good; his love endures for ever’. However the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in divine punishment for their wickedness, Gods participation in the Battle of Jericho and Noah and the flood all challenge the belief of Gods omnibenevolence and therefore his right to reward and punish.

The question of Destiny, “Is there life after Death?”, “What happens to me when I die?” We as Christians believe that there are two outcomes to this question. One is eternal life in Christ Jesus (Heaven) (Revelation 21:1-7) while the other is eternal separation from God (Hell). This is totally dependent on our acceptance of Christ as our Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9).

Death is a promise by God that we as humans still have not found the courage to accept nor comprehend. Good or bad. Old or young. God has promised us all an eternal resting place in heaven or hell, or even in someone. Where we can live through their thoughts and imagination, get a second chance at life through them. Throughout Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya we see how the dead linger and live in Antonio, unfolding their souls in his inquisitive mind and hand him the bricks to make them a home of his religious ambivalence.

At death, the body ceases to function and decays, but the soul of everyone is immortal and will be judged immediately. The souls of those who are faithful to God will be purified and go to live with God in heaven. However, the soul of anyone who has denied God will spend eternity separated from God in hell. At the end of time, all of the dead will be bodily resurrected and each individual will be judged and either rewarded or punished according to the life that they led.

Have you ever wondered how a different religion sees death when compared to yours? Well you’d be surprised with how the ancient Greeks viewed death. They believed that something, like how we view a soul, would leave the body shortly after death. They also had steps when attending a funeral. And they also say that your spirit will go to the underworld and would have three different places it would go depending on how that person lived.

However in Christianity there are opposing terms which are linked within life after death firstly heaven; defined as a place

In Christian Theology, Christians believe that there is an afterlife. After they die, their body is either buried or cremated and their unique soul enters Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory. Their belief that Jesus rose from the dead three days after crucifixion, gives them hope that if they follow Jesus’ teachings and make him their Lord and Savior than they too will experience a resurrection in the afterlife . Jesus’ incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection gave all Christians hope that life after death is possible.

These ideals are very different from modern-day beliefs about death. Christian views about the afterlife include the two options for our souls after death: heaven- the happy, safe, and comfortable place where the good people go, and hell-the fiery, and dangerous place some go to if they made bad choices on Earth. Others believe in reincarnation, where a person’s soul lives on and takes the form of something else. Many people, no matter their religious stance, want to believe that there is something else after death, because it makes it easier when the time comes. It certainly eases some of the grief and anxiety that people face over death, and is far more comforting than the beliefs that ancient Mesopotamians held about death.

Secular Humanism I begin by describing “Secular Humanists” as non-believers of God. A very different religion, yet it carries slight similarities to Christianity. “Donavon Flegeance” mentioned in his book “Reality Check”, that in every religion, people choose certain parts of the evolutionary theory to believe in. I agree with the author here because each religious belief is based off of the gradual development of how the world has come about from what has been perceived through each religion. Humanists deny the idea that there ever was or is an existence of God.

The definition of death is another issue paramount to this discussion. Robert Rakestraw, professor of theology at Bethel Theological Seminary in his article on this very subject

What happens to a person at death is a belief we acquire from our religion and culture. In Christianity we believe heaven is our reward for living a meaningful life. On the other hand as Christians we were taught to preserve life and avoid intentional death to selves or others.

Catholic’s believe that at the moment of death the soul is separated from man’s body, the body is then left to decompose. Another belief is that the soul is immortal and will always exist after being created. The main belief that Catholics have, surrounding life after death is that the soul continues on after death and the soul may either go to heaven, hell or purgatory; the soul goes to either place depending on how the person lived their life on earth and whether it was full of sin or not. “Romans 2:6-8: He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.” Catholics believe that once they make it to heaven, they will then meet God and live in his presence. In

In both the old times and modern time of Christianity, one of the main controversial topics has surrounded one single word. Hell. Some people hear it and thing noting of it. Others shutter at the name. But everyone has questions about it, whether hell is real or a fable, eternal or temporary, physical or spiritual. Being in the Baptist community since birth, I have believed in a hell since I can remember because “to believe in God and not in hell is ultimately to disbelieve in the reality of human choices.” (Ross Douthat). My definition of hell comes straight from the Bible. That there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mathew 13:42) and that God will say, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil

There are many religions that have different beliefs about dying. Buddhist?s do not believe in life after death meaning heaven. Buddhist?s believe that when one dies he is reborn again and this continues until the person reaches Nirvana. Nirvana is