Posted: November 20th, 2023
The Christian Views of Death and Afterlife
The Christian Views of Death and Afterlife
Christian eschatology or beliefs about death and the afterlife are diverse and influenced by different interpretations of the Bible and theological traditions. Some of the major views include sheol, hades, heaven, hell and purgatory.
Sheol and Hades refer to the grave or place of the dead in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament respectively. It is viewed as a place of darkness and silence cut off from God (Psalm 6:5). However, it is not a place of punishment or reward but simply a shadowy place where all the dead reside until the final judgment (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
Heaven on the other hand is seen as the ultimate destination of the righteous in the presence of God. It is described as a place of eternal joy, peace and communion with God (Revelation 21-22). Hell, also known as Gehenna, is believed to be the place of eternal punishment and torment for the unrighteous and wicked after death (Matthew 25:46).
Some Christian traditions like Roman Catholicism also believe in Purgatory as an intermediate state where believers who die in a state of grace but are not fully purified undergo final purification before entering Heaven (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1030-1032). This is based on the idea that no one can be perfectly holy and free from all sin when they die.
The Resurrection of the Dead is another key Christian belief where it is thought that when Jesus Christ returns, all people whether righteous or unrighteous will be resurrected in glorified bodies to face the final judgment (1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4:16). Believers will be raised to eternal life in Heaven while unbelievers will be condemned to Hell (John 5:28-29).
In summary, Christian eschatology or views of death and the afterlife are diverse but generally include concepts like Sheol, Hades, Heaven, Hell and Purgatory. The ultimate destiny of believers is believed to be eternal life with God in Heaven.
References:
Catechism of the Catholic Church. (1997). Liguori Publications.
Elwell, W. A. (2001). Evangelical dictionary of theology. Baker Academic.
Grudem, W. (1994). Systematic theology: An introduction to biblical doctrine. Zondervan.