GCSE REVISION B601: THE END OF LIFE

Transcription

1 GCSE REVISION B601: THE END OF LIFE Nearly all Christians believe in an after life so in part e answers you give will be a Christian view in the first paragraph an atheist view in the second and your personal view in the third. 1. Key Christian Ideas about the after life Death: The end of our physical life on earth Eternal life: The life in us that goes on for ever Body: The physical part of an animal or human being Soul: The non-physical part of a human being which survives the death of the physical body. Dualism: The belief that the body and soul are two separate parts of human beings which divide at death 2. What Christians believe about the soul Christians believe that the end of our physical life on earth is not the end of our life because we have a non-physical part to us which survives the death of our bodies. This non-physical part is sometimes called our mind or our consciousness. It is what we use to think with and is the centre of our emotions. Some people call it our character or our personality. Christians call it our soul. The soul is the non-physical part of us and because it is non-physical it cannot die like our physical bodies die. 2a The Bible says that human beings have souls but other animals do not. We received our souls at creation. In the first story of creation in the Bible it says the God made human beings in God s own image. This refers to that part of us which is also part of God. This is thought to be a description of the soul. It is our soul that is made in the image of God not our bodies. Because it is not physical we cannot see or touch the soul but we know it is there because we can use our minds to understand how the soul expresses itself in the personality of the people we meet and in the development of our own personality. In the second story of creation in the Bible it says that the soul is God s breathe which was breathed into Adam by God. The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being. PLATO 2b. The Christian idea of the soul also comes from the Greek philosopher Plato who lived 400 years before Jesus. He argued that babies know how to do certain things without having experienced them. This is because these things are known to our everlasting soul but not to our senses or brain. The soul is separate from the body, he argues, because the soul is perfect and lives forever while the body is not perfect and dies. Christians believe that only humans have souls but animals do not. This means that only humans survive death. One Christian to disagree with this was St Francis of Assisi. He believed that all animals, nature and even the planet itself have souls. They all have a non-physical part to them that survives the death of their bodies.

2 3. What Christians believe about Heaven, Hell and Purgatory Heaven: the place or eternal joy for the soul after death or a state of existence close to God Hell: the place of eternal punishment of the soul after death or a state of existence far away from God. Purgatory: a place between heaven and hell where the soul can make itself ready for heaven (Catholic belief only). Heaven: Christians believe that because of Jesus act of redemption on the cross human beings are saved from sin and death and can go to heaven. Christians also believe that living a good life on Earth is a sign that God has favoured you to go to heaven. The Bible gives a written picture of heaven. From this many artists have tried to paint what they think heaven is like. However, the written picture of heaven in the Bible might not be meant literally. The language about heaven in the Bible could be symbolic of a place of holiness and bliss. Nevertheless most Christians believe that: (i) Heaven is a Holy paradise not an earthly paradise. It is a Holy paradise because God is there so it never ends. (ii). Heaven is a Holy paradise because Jesus is there. (iii). Jesus says to one of the criminals whom he was crucified with, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise. (iv). In heaven our earthly concerns about pain and death have no meaning. (v). According to the Bible Jesus gave St. Peter the keys of heaven. Matt 16: 18 Bible quotes about heaven: At once the Spirit took control of me. There in heaven was a throne with someone sitting on it. His face gleamed like such precious stones as jasper. And all around the throne was a rainbow. [There were many angels singing] Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come. Revelation 4:2-3, 8. Our Father, in heaven, Holy is your name. Matt 6: 8 On many occasions Jesus refers to his Father in heaven and forty days after his resurrection from the dead. Jesus is said to have ascended into heaven to be with God the Father. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21: 4 Hell: In the past hell was described as a place of eternal torture. Originally, hell was thought as a place for people who did not accept that Jesus had saved them. It was also thought that anyone who disagreed with the Church would go to hell. Pictures of hell in Churches reminded people in the past what would happen to them after death if they disobeyed the Church and God s laws. Today, Christians are more prepared to accept that hell is a state of mind rather than a place of eternal torture after death. People might be said to be in hell if they are troubled in their mind by guilt of things they have done. People place themselves in a state of hell when they do things that distance themselves from God. If heaven is being near God then

3 hell is being far away from God. Many non-christians are close to God and so will not be in hell. Many Christians today do not believe in hell. They say that if God is a God of love God would not create a place that like hell to torture people s souls. They say that hell is a symbol for being far away from God and we choose to place our souls far away from God when we do bad things on earth. In the same way heaven might not be a place but a state of being that is very close to God and we choose to place our souls close to God when we do good things on earth. Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory Traditionally Christians believe that when a person dies they go to one of three places. After time in Purgatory Catholics believe in purgatory but the Church of England says there is no evidence for it in the Bible. 1 Heaven 2 Purgatory 3 Hell This is a place where people go to prepare for Heaven. Limbo is for those who never knew Jesus existed Limbo Limbo Purgatory: Catholics believe that Purgatory is a place that offers: (i) preparation for heaven (ii) purification of the soul (iii) sanctuary from hell. The aim of purgatory is for the soul to prepare itself for entry into heaven. This means learning how to enjoy the bliss of heaven. It might be seen a gym in which the soul is made fit to enter heaven. Protestant Christians, such as those in the Church of England, do not believe that purgatory exists because there is no evidence for it the Bible 4. Arguments for and against life after death Atheist: someone who does not believe in God or life after death. Ghost: the appearance of a dead person in the world of the living. Moral argument: Good people in this life often suffer and bad people do well. There must be life after death to sort this out: to reward the good and punish the bad. Near death experiences: Some people have been very close to death but have recovered. When they are well again they tell people what they had experienced while they were dying. Arguments for Christians have a number of arguments to support their belief in life after death. 1. The Bible and Jesus both say that there is life after death. 2. Some people believe that they have been able to communicate with the dead or have seen ghosts.

4 3. A God of love would not condemn people to short and painful lives without there being another chance for everyone to fulfil their promise. 4. Morality requires justice and that the good be fulfilled. But in this life the good is not always fulfilled and we do not receive justice. If morality makes sense there must be a future life in which the good and justice are fulfilled. 5. Some Christians argue that if we did not believe in life after death our lives on earth would be meaningless and without hope. 6. There is strong evidence supporting life after death from the many reports of people who have had near death experiences. Many people report the same things. At the point of death they say they experienced many of the following things: (i). Feeling calm and great joy. (ii).out-of-the-body experiences with the sense of watching over their own body from a distance even though physically they are unconscious. (iii). Feeling like you are moving down a tunnel toward a light. (iv). Recognising friends and relatives who have died recently but hardly ever those who are still alive. (v). A sense of approaching a frontier but then a sense of disappointment at having been sent back. (vi). A sense that death is nothing to fear. Arguments against Atheists reject life after death Atheists believe that there is no life after death. When we are dead everything ends for us. We came from nothing and return to nothing. 1. Atheists believe that humans are just the material that makes up their physical bodies (atom and genes) and nothing more. There is nothing in us able to survive death: no soul, no spirit. 2. We are simply the time of our life and when our life is over our time is up. Nothing of us survives the death of our material body. 3. One well known atheist is Richard Dawkins. For him, the soul is an illusion it does not exist. The mind has no separate existence from the brain. There is no you inside you that does your thinking. You are simply complicated material machinery made by genes. 4. Your mind is just a trick played on you by your brain. Like a mirage it is an illusion. None of us have things Richard Dawkins is an atheist. For him there is nothing after this life. No life after death called minds so there is nothing that will survive the death of our bodies. Nothing follows our bodily life on Earth. 5. Even if there was life after death for eternity we would get very bored. 6. Near death experiences can be explained as illusions created by the dying brain. 5. Resurrection: the view of St Paul Resurrection: coming back to life and living with God in heaven. Body-soul unity: This is the view that the body and soul stay together after death. The soul is given a new body for living in heaven.

5 Spiritual body: This is what Christians call the body we will have in heaven. Christians have always said that it is the resurrection of Jesus that gives them hope that there is life after death. When Jesus was raised from the dead he returned in a recognisable but changed body. His body was a spiritual body. No one knows for sure what happened to Jesus. The fact is the disciples, who had seen Jesus die and were down-hearted were full of hope and joy just three days later after Jesus appeared to them. So what is resurrection like? In the New Testament St. Paul writes this: Someone will ask, "How can the dead be raised to life? What kind of body will they have?" You fool! When you sow a seed in the ground, it does not sprout unless it dies. 1 Corinthians 15:35-37 He continues: This is how it will be when the dead are raised to life. When the body is buried, it is mortal; when raised, it will be immortal. When buried, it is ugly and weak; when raised, it will be beautiful and strong. When buried, it is a physical body; when raised, it will be a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 Finally, St. Paul explains: When the last trumpet sounds, we shall all be changed in an instant, as quickly as the blinking of an eye. For when the trumpet sounds, the dead will be raised, never to die again, and we shall all be changed. For what is mortal must be changed into what is immortal; what will die must be changed into what cannot die. 1 Corinthians 15:52-53 St. Paul is saying that everyone who believes in Jesus Christ will be raised at a single point in the future and that however long this takes in earthly time it will seem like no longer than a blink of an eye. At the resurrection our bodies will be transformed from mortal flesh into immortal flesh and we will be one with Christ and those we love. Christ's resurrection was the first fruits of this more general resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is an unusual event because nothing like it has happened before; in the future, when everyone has risen it will not seem so unusual. 6. The Christian story: Sin, Salvation, Redemption and the suffering of Christ Sin: The tendency of humans to disobey God. The punishment for sin was death. Atonement: The Christian belief that the death of Jesus on the cross restored the broken relationship between God and human beings which was caused by the sin of Adam and Eve. Crucifixion: The name given to the way Jesus died on the cross. Salvation: When Jesus died on the cross he save humans from sin and so also from death which was a punishment for sin. Christians now believe they have eternal life because Jesus is their saviour and redeemer. Redemption: Jesus bought human redemption (salvation) by his death. He is the redeemer. To redeem is to buy back. Jesus bought humans back from sin and death.

6 Christians have also traditionally believed that death is a punishment for sin. When Christ died he not only saved human beings from sin he also saved them from death. In defeating sin Christ also defeated the power of death. Through the work of Christ, Christians believe that they have gained eternal life. Eternal life begins now and will continue in heaven through a transformed body. This belief should encourage Christians not to fear death. "I am the resurrection and the life," said Jesus. "Whoever believes in me will live though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." (John 11:25-26.) You can see below how creation, sin, the death of Jesus, redemption and baptism all relate to Christian belief in life after death. This new life is for all baptised Christians. However, God might still judge some sinful and punish them with hell. Heaven, Hell, Sin and Jesus God created the universe and put Adam and Eve in the perfect Garden of Eden This act of sacrifice saves the world from sin and defeats death Now we are ready to be with God, not in the Garden but in heaven. Redemption comes when Jesus dies on the cross. Adam and Eve disobey God and Original Sin entered the world. God punished Adam and Eve. This punishment is known as the Fall. Humans would now die. With Original sin came the Fall and with the fall death came to the earth. At creation human beings were made perfect by God. In their freedom they could do as they pleased in the Garden of Eden except for eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. In their freedom they choose to disobey God and ate. Origin sin entered the world and so did death as a punishment for this disobedience Original sin is not one particular sin it is the tendency we are all born with to disobey God. According to the Bible we gained original sin after Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Since then no one has been born completely holy. The fall represents God s punishment for original sin. According to the Bible there are a number of punishments for original sin. These include shame, loss of perfection, pain during childbirth, work and death. However, there is a way back this is called redemption. Our relationship with God is restored by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The argument goes like this:

7 God love us so God sent his son, Jesus, to die for us. Jesus, coming from God, was without sin. His sacrifice paid the price of our sin. After his crucifixion Jesus was raised from the dead. Being without sin he had defeated death. Although we die those who believe in Jesus have life forever in heaven with God because Jesus sacrificed himself for us. Jesus death reversed the effects of original sin. Redemption means to buy back. Christians believe that the death of Jesus bought back human perfection after the fall. We still do wicked things but because of what God has done through Jesus we are never separated from God and so can live eternally with God. Salvation is the result of the act of redemption which Christ achieved for humanity by dying on the cross and raising from the dead. Many Christians believe that through faith in the saving death of Jesus Christ all people can be saved from sin and death. Thus, in the Bible, St Paul writes: Sin entered the world through one man [Adam], and death through sin and in this way death came to all men. (Romans 5:12) As in Adam all die so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22) Despite this there are a number of reasons why Christians might still fear death. (i). Christians may fear that they have not done enough good to escape the possibility of going to hell. (ii). They may feel that developments in human knowledge over the last 100 years make it difficult to believe in the existence of any form of life after death. (iii). They may fear the process of dying rather than death and they may fear leaving behind the people they love. Summary of salvation and redemption Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God and so without sin. God sent Jesus to bring salvation to human beings from sin and death. Jesus achieved our redemption and is called the redeemer because he paid the price for original sin which began with Adam. By paying this price on the cross, Jesus freed people from sin and death and prepared them for heaven. As the Bible says: For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. All humans deserve punishment because all humans have Adam s original sin. But God does not punish. Instead, out of love, God gives us a second chance by sending Jesus to take the punishment for us with his suffering and death on the cross. It is now possible for humans to go to heaven when they die. As the Bible says: Our God and saviour, Jesus Christ, gave himself for us to redeem us from all sin and death. Titus 2:13 7. Judgement Atonement: The Christian belief that the death of Jesus Christ restored the broken relationship between God and human beings caused by the sin of Adam and Eve.

8 Reconciliation: the restoring of a broken relationship. Forgiveness: the act of saying sorry and meaning it for sins you have committed. Day of Judgment: Some Christians believe that at death God judges whether an individual will be sent away from God to hell or be close to God in heaven. This will depend of the sort of life they had lived on earth. Judgement sin and forgiveness Christians believe they have been offered reconciliation with God through Christ s death and resurrection. In this act of judgement, forgiveness in offered by God. This is why Christians believe that it is important that they ask for forgiveness for the sins that we all still commit. In the Catholic Church the confession of sin is a sacrament. God s grace is thought to be especially present when a Catholic confesses their sins to a priest. In the Church of England Christians confess their sins every Sunday. After the confession the vicar says: God the Father of mercy, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to Him self and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins. Some Christians say our souls go straight to heaven to be with God. But other Christians believe that a Judgment on our soul takes place first. God judges us according to our behaviour in this life. Judgement Some Christians believe that after death a judgement will be made. Jesus decides who goes to heaven and hell. Those people who accept that Jesus saved them from sin or who have behaved well in life or who have shown themselves to be close to God will be shown the way to heaven or to purgatory (if you have the catholic belief in it) before heaven (either understood as a place or a state of being). Those people who don t accept that Jesus saved them from sin or who have behaved badly in life or who have shown themselves to be far away from God will be shown the way to hell (either understood as a place or a state of being). What sorts of people will go to heaven and what sorts of people will go to hell? Catholics believe that there is a third place the soul goes to before heaven. This place is called purgatory. Here our souls are purged of their wickedness and other features that make them unfit for heaven. Purgatory is a bit like a gym for the soul where it is

9 prepared for entry into heaven. Catholics believe that we can pray for souls who are in purgatory to help them get to heaven more quickly. Like all Protestant Christians, the Church of England does not believe in purgatory. The Bible has many things to say about the Day of Judgement God will reward every person according to what he has done. Some people keep on doing good to them God will give eternal life. Other people are selfish and reject what is right, in order to follow what is wrong; on them God will pour out his anger and fury, There will be suffering and pain for all those who do what is evil. (Romans 2: 6-9) Jesus The parable of the sheep and the goats Some Christians believe that when Christ returns to Earth all the dead will be risen and judged by God and Jesus. This is known as the Last Judgement or The day of judgement Jesus said all the people will be gathered and separated as a shepherd separates his sheep from his goats. Jesus then went on to say: To the sheep on the right the king will say, Come you are blessed, the Kingdom of heaven is yours. I was hungry and you feed me; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you befriended me; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you looked after me; I was in prison and you visited me. Those on the right asked, when did we do these things. The king replied, When you did these things to the least of my fellows you did it to me. Turning to the people gathered on the left he said, You did non of these things to any other person in life so you did not do them to me either. You will be punished eternally in hell. (Matt 25) This parable of the sheep and the goats makes it clear that judgement will be based on how we treat other people while we are alive. Notice What had the good people done in the parable for them to be sent to heaven after judgment? Other Christians believe that it is not what we do that means we will be judged well. They say that only those who accept that Jesus has saved them from sin and death will go to heaven. In the Bible St Paul says: There is no condemnation of those who are in Jesus Christ for through him we have been set free from sin a death. (Romans 8: 1-2) In another Bible passage we read that Christians have nothing to fear from the day of judgement. God s love is made perfect in us so that on judgment day we need not fear because we live as Jesus Christ lived. (1 John 4: 17-18) Many Christians believe that they will be judged by God and that God sees all that they do so this is bound to influence the way they behave. Thoughts about judgement help many Christian to behave morally and to support the teachings of the Church. Thoughts about judgement might influence how some Christians choose to use their money and what they give to charity might.

10 Thoughts about judgement might influence how some Christians choose to treat other people in a caring way. Thoughts about judgement might influence how some Christians make personal choices about family relationships and marriage. Thoughts about judgement might encourage Christians to spend more time worshipping God. However, many Christians today do not believe in a judgement. They say that if God is a God of love God would not create a place like hell that tortures people s souls. They say that hell is a symbol for being far away from God and we choose to place our souls far away from God when we do bad things on earth. In the same way heaven might not be a place but a state of being that is very close to God and we choose to place our souls close to God when we do good things on earth. They say God has already made his judgement on us in Jesus and this judgement is to forgive us. Most Christians, however, believe that heaven and hell are real places beyond the physical universe and that there will be some form of judgement after our death about our lives. Atheist will say that there is no God, so there is no judgement. The Christian belief in judgement is designed by the Church to make people act out of fear and to obey the Church. To act out of fear is not to act morally (that means fear of judgement is not a good reason for trying to do good in this life). 8 Christian beliefs expressed in the funeral service Rite: a religious ceremony Funeral: recognising the life and saying goodbye to a person who has died Burial: the laying in the ground of the dead person or their ashes Committal: the final words said by the priest before a person s body or their ash remains and placed in the ground Bereaved: the family and friends of the dead person who have lost someone they love Mourners: those who attend the funeral of the dead person to say goodbye The Christian funeral rite is a service in which the family of a dead person will say goodbye in a Church. The funeral rite both reflects Christian beliefs about life after death and helps the bereaved accept their loss. Sometimes before the death of a dying Catholic the Priest will anoint them with oil. This is called the oil of unction. This brings comfort to the dying person as it is a symbol of God s forgiveness of their sins. Symbols of the funeral rite Flowers act as a symbol of the glory of new life in heaven and candles symbolise Christ the light of the world who, by his death, saved the world from sin and death. The smoke from the candles and incense, if it is used, symbolises the belief that the person s soul is rising to heaven. Many Christian beliefs about life after death are reflected in the funeral service.

11 1. Christians believe that death is the end of a person s life on earth in their earthly body but it is not the end of that person. 2. The dead person has eternal life in heaven where their soul is clothed in a new heavenly body. 3. While it is a sad time a Christian funeral is also an expression of hope for new life. Main purposes of the funeral service The funeral service (rite) has a number of purposes. These include: 1. To pay respect to the person that has died. 2. To provide comfort to those who mourn 3. To remember, celebrate and thank God for the life of the person. 4. To reflect Christian beliefs about death and beyond. Readings from the Bible 1. During a funeral service many passages from the Bible will be read out. These passages are ones which aim to provide comfort to the mourners and remind them of Christian hope in God s promise of eternal life. I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. John 11.25,26 2. Later the mourners will be reminded that the bond of love is greater than the separation caused by death with this passage from the Bible. I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8.38,39 3. In this passage the mourners are reminded of the resurrection hope. Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. So we will be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. Thessalonians 4.14,17b,18 4. In another passage they are reminded that Jesus died to save everyone from sin and so bring eternal life to all who believe in him. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John , The Bible also expresses the reality of the situation and reminds us that God is in control of our destiny and we can only accept our fate. We brought nothing into the world, and we take nothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. 1 Timothy 6.7; Job 1.21b Hymns and prayers are also very important. They help the mourners to overcome their grief. The words of the Bible, prayers and the hymns bring comfort to the mourners and remind them that the dead person is now with God in heaven.

12 The eulogy (speeches) is said by the priest but it can also be said my friends or family members. It is a chance to recall the life of the dead person. Here are some key Christian beliefs about the end of life expressed in the funeral service. 1. The body is dead but the soul lives on. 2. The soul will be given a new body in heaven. 3. Nothing can separate the dead person from their loved ones because love is stronger than death. 4. All this is possible because Jesus died on the cross to save us from sin. 5. This faith in redemption might be enough but it is possible that a judgement on the dead person will take place. 6. Those that go to heaven are with God and will be joined by their loved ones. 7. Those who grieve need support. Committal: This refers to the final things that happen to the body. Christians can choose either to be cremated at a crematorium (picture 1) or buried (picture 2). In both cases a memorial stone can be placed above the mortal remains (picture 3). For some people the stone marks a holy place were they can remember the dead person and continue to respect them. However, for Christians, what happens to the body is not important. It is not needed any more. It is the soul that lives on and the soul will be given a new body in heaven. This is the resurrected body, not our earthly bodies.

13 As the body or ash of the body is laid to rest these words are spoken as a summary of Christian belief about the end of life. As a father is tender towards his children, so is the Lord tender to those that fear him. For he knows that we are but dust. Our days are like the grass; we flourish like a flower of the field; when the wind goes over it, it is gone and its place will know it no more. But the merciful goodness of the Lord endures. We have entrusted our brother/sister N to God s mercy, and we now commit his/her body to be cremated / buried earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust: in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our frail bodies that they may be conformed to his glorious body, who died, was buried, and rose again for us. To him be glory for ever. An atheist view Atheists will usually have a humanist funeral. This is usually held in a quite place at the crematorium. The person s favourite music and poetry might be performed and the emphasis is entirely on the celebration of the life of the dead person because they do not believe anything more of the dead live on: no soul; no heaven. As with the Christian funeral service this is a chance to pay final respects and say goodbye. In recent years Christian funerals have also included a celebration of the person s life with music and poems being read. The big difference between a Christian funeral and a humanist funeral is that at the humanist funeral there is no thought that the soul of the dead continue to live, other than in the memory of the people they knew. Past Questions (d). Explain how Christian funeral rites may reflect beliefs about life after death? This answer requires 3-4 points of explanation and some analysis Answer Christian funerals take place in a church with a priest. This shows that the people present believe in God and the hope of a new life in heaven. However, some Christians believe that people who have been bad in this life will be judged by God and go to hell. Catholics believe in purgatory because we need to be made ready for heaven. They all believe that this life is not the end. A Christian funeral service will show these beliefs in the symbols, prayers and hymns it uses. The mourners will be reminded that the Bible says that the dead person will be given a new body in heaven and that this hope comes about because Jesus saved them from sin and death in his death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead. This faith in redemption might mean that heaven rather than hell is where the dead person goes. The service makes clear that not even death can separate a person from the love of God. A strength of this view is that it brings comfort to Christians and the people who mourn. A weakness is that this comfort might be false as an atheist would say there is no God and no life after death. Examiners comment This is a good answer. It focuses on the actual question that is asked. There is good description and number of points of explanation of a variety of different aspects of the funeral service. There is clear analysis and good use is made of technical words like purgatory, heaven, redemption and resurrection.

14 (e). When people die that is the end. Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. This answer needs the three paragraph structure: two different points of view (Christian view and an atheist view or two different Christian views) in two different paragraphs with about three reasons given to support each view and your own personal view in the third paragraph again supported with reasons. Remember in your personal view to begin one sentence like this: A significant issue raised by this quote is and then say what you think it is. Answer Christian might say that this statement is not true because they believe that after death people go to heaven or hell. Catholics in particular believe that many people will go to purgatory in order to have their sins washed away so they are ready for heaven. Some Christian will also say that the Bible proves that death is not the end. It says that our death is the beginning of new life with God. The Bible say that Jesus was raised from the dead by God and God will do the same for us too. We will be given a new spiritual body in heaven. Other Christians would say that we have souls that are eternal and when our body dies our soul will live on in heaven. As proof of this they might point to neardeath experiences people have had. Some non-believers would agree with this statement. They would say that there is no evidence that there is life after death. It is a wishful thought that people would like to be true because it brings them comfort but is not true. Science has no evidence that we have a soul that is separate from the body. My personal view is that there is not enough evidence either way to decide if there is life after death or not. The only evidence that there is comes from the Bible and the Bible could making up these stories because the writer wants them to be true and no one has ever come back to tell us for certain. Ghost and near-death experiences can all be explained by science. A significant issue raised by this statement relates to what the point of life is if death is the end and if there is no proof of life after death we must trust faith but many people do not seem to have this strong faith any more. Other part (e) questions have included Examiners comment This answer shows clear understanding of the question and has presented a range of views supported by evidence and argument. The answer explains Christian views and includes a personal view which is supported with reasons and reflects on the significance of an issue raised by the quote. (e). Funerals are for the living not the dead. Discuss this statement. You should include different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer.