Hello, my name's Mrs. Rawbone and I'd like to welcome you to this lesson on Christian beliefs about death and the afterlife.

In today's lesson, you will be able to explain different Christian beliefs about life after death and how they impact on them.

Some keywords that'll be using are heaven, hell, purgatory, and resurrection.

Heaven is a place of eternal happiness and union with God for those who have lived righteously.

Hell is a state of eternal separation from God for those who have rejected him or lived sinfully.

Purgatory is, in Catholic belief, a temporary state of purification for souls who are destined for heaven but need to be cleansed of sin.

And resurrection is being raised from the dead; the form that many Christians believe the afterlife will take, referring to either physical or spiritual bodies.

Today's lesson will form three parts.

We'll be looking first at biblical teachings on death and the afterlife, then we'll be looking at Christian beliefs about death and the afterlife, and finally at the impact of beliefs about life after death.

So let's get started on looking at biblical teachings on death and the afterlife.

Christian beliefs about life after death centre around the resurrection of Jesus.

"The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.

Come and see the place where he lay.

'" And this is in Matthew 28:5-7, and it really reminds us of that story of the resurrection of Jesus who had been crucified and who now has been brought back to life.

Let's check your understanding.

What is meant by resurrection? Take a moment to jot down your answer.

Pause the video and come back when you're ready to check and see what you might have written.

You could have said: being raised from the dead; the form that many Christians believe the afterlife will take, referring to either physical or spiritual bodies.

Well done if you got something along those lines.

Biblical teaching as a source of authority about the afterlife.

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life.

The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.

'" And this is from John 11:24-27.

This is part of a story where Jesus is talking to Martha about her brother Lazarus, who has died, and he tells her that anyone who believes in him can be resurrected.

"So will it be with the resurrection of the dead.

The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." And this is from 1 Corinthians 15:42-44.

Now, this message from Paul teaches Christians that the body will be transformed when it is resurrected.

So it will go from weakness and decay to eternal glory and spiritual life.

"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." This is from Ephesians 2:6-9.

It teaches Christians that they can have eternal life in heaven, and that this is made possible by God's love and his grace.

So in other words, it's something that God has given to people even though they don't necessarily deserve it.

"Christ was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits.

You are saved by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand." This is from 1 Peter 3:18-22.

So proclaiming to imprisoned spirits suggests that Christ has power over evil, and it suggests that even those who have died before Christ can actually still be saved.

Let's check your understanding.

Is this true or false? The Bible teaches that after death the body will be resurrected and transformed from a perishable to an imperishable state.

Take a moment to think about your answer.

Have a think about why you came to that conclusion as well.

So, well done if you said that it was true.

Well done if you said that it was true, but why? Well, 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 teaches the body will be changed after death.

It will go from being weak and decaying to being strong and eternal.

To practise our understanding on this, for each of the statements below, I'd like you to decide whether it's taught in the Bible and suggest what it says about the afterlife.

One, believers in Jesus will live after death.

Two, life after death is becoming one with the universe.

Three, the soul is reincarnated after death.

Four, the resurrection body is transformed into a spiritual body.

And five, the resurrection shows God is victorious over death.

So take a moment, think back through those teachings that we've just looked at, and decide whether those teachings support these ideas and also what they suggest about the afterlife.

Pause the video and come back when you're ready to check your work.

You could have said for one, believers in Jesus will live after death: this is taught in the Bible in John 11:25-26, where it's suggests that believing in Jesus means someone gets to heaven.

For number two, life after death is becoming one with the universe: this is not taught in the Bible, as life after death is very much about the individual person.

For number three, the soul is reincarnated after death: again, this is not taught in the Bible.

The Bible teaches resurrection, not reincarnation.

For number four, the resurrection body is transformed into a spiritual body: this is taught in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 15:42-44.

It means believers will receive a new body in heaven.

And for number five, the resurrection shows God is victorious over death: this is taught in the Bible in Matthew 28:5-7.

It means God has the power to send people to heaven.

Well done if you managed to work out which ones were supported by Bible teaching and which ones were not.

For the second part of our lesson, we're going to be looking at Christian beliefs about death and the afterlife.

There is diversity amongst Christian views about life after death.

At death, the body remains on earth, while the soul transitions to the afterlife.

That seems to be quite a common view.

Particular judgement.

This is the idea that the soul is judged immediately after death.

Views on heaven and hell vary, but in heaven the soul enters God's presence and in hell it is separated from God.

Purgatory, which is a particularly Catholic belief, is temporary purification before heaven.

And some Christians also believe in a final judgement.

So this will be at the end of time when the body is resurrected and reunited with the soul.

Let's check your understanding.

What is purgatory? Is it A, Catholics believe it is a place where the soul is purified before entering heaven; B, Baptists believe it is a place where souls are punished for their sins before entering hell; C, Methodists believe it's a place where the soul is temporarily separated from God; or D, Anglicans believe it is a place where souls are reunited with their bodies before the final judgement.

So take your time to think about which is the correct answer, pause the video if you need to, and then come back when you're ready to check.

So, well done if you chose A.

Catholics believe it is a place where the soul is purified before entering heaven.

Niamh, Charlie, Tia, and Fergus have been asked what they think happens when we die.

Niamh says, "When we die, we are judged.

If we've lived a good life, we go to heaven; if not, we may go to purgatory to be purified before heaven.

A final judgement at the end of time confirms everyone's eternal destiny." So as a Catholic, Niamh believes in particular judgement immediately after death and also a final judgement at the end of time.

For her, heaven and hell are actual places and purgatory is a temporary state of purification.

Tia says, "Once we have been judged, if we've lived in line with God's will, we go to heaven, which is a peaceful place of harmony with God.

If we've rejected him, we experience spiritual separation, which is hell." As a Methodist Christian, Tia believes in individual judgement.

She emphasises the spiritual aspects of heaven and hell and sees hell a separation from God rather than a literal place.

Charlie says, "After we die, we are judged.

Those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their saviour go to heaven, which is a place of peace and joy with God, while those who reject him go to hell, which is eternal punishment and separation from God." As an evangelical Baptist, Charlie believes salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

He reads the Bible literally and believes that heaven and hell are real places.

Fergus says, "Heaven and hell are not literal places but are part of the ongoing spiritual journey.

God's mercy is broad enough to offer the possibility of a relationship with him to everyone, regardless of their beliefs or actions during life." As a liberal Anglican Christian, Fergus does not read the Bible literally.

For him, heaven and hell are metaphorical, and he believes anyone can have a relationship with God even if they rejected him on earth.

So here we can see a real variety in how these different Christians understand the ideas of heaven and hell and even of purgatory.

It's important to know as well that not all Christians within that denomination would agree.

So for example, there might be some Methodists who don't agree with Tia and who do think that hell is a real place.

Which statement best describes Christian beliefs about the afterlife? Is it A, they all believe heaven and hell are literal places? Is it B, some believe heaven and hell are literal places and others view them metaphorically? Is it C, they all believe heaven and hell are metaphorical? Or is it D, they all believe everyone can go to heaven? Take a moment to think about your answer, pause the video, and come back when you're ready to check.

Well done if you put B.

Some believe heaven and hell are literal places and others view them metaphorically.

Zoe, who's an atheist, has asked Charlie, who is a Baptist, why Christians believe in life after death.

Charlie says, "We believe in life after death because of the resurrection of Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 explains that because he was raised from the dead, we can have eternal life too." Zoe says, "How can you be so sure about this?" Charlie replies, "It comes down to trusting in God.

Ephesians 2:1-10 says that salvation comes through faith.

Believing in life after death comforts me in difficult times, and I can trust that I'll be reunited with loved ones who've passed away." So what does Charlie base his belief in life after death on? If you're able to pause and turn and talk to someone nearby, please do, or you can pause and talk to me.

Come back when you're ready to move on.

Zoe says, "Your beliefs are based on faith, and the fact they comfort you doesn't make them true.

This doesn't change the fact that there's no evidence for what you believe in." Charlie says, "For me, the evidence is the impact they have on my life.

Believing in life after death gives me purpose.

My beliefs are grounded in spiritual truths and biblical teachings, which give me guidance and hope beyond what I can see." Why isn't Zoe convinced by Charlie's beliefs? Pause again and turn and talk to someone nearby if you're able to, and then come back when you're ready to rejoin.

Let's check your understanding.

Which two reasons for belief in life after death can be found in the Bible? A, the resurrection of Jesus; B, the fact that it's taught in all religions; C, salvation through faith; or D, personal spiritual experiences.

So take a moment, think back about what Charlie has just said.

Choose the two correct answers.

Pause the video if you need to and come back when you're ready to check.

So, well done if you put A, the resurrection of Jesus, and C, salvation through faith.

Alex and Aisha are working on the question, explain, from either two religions or two religious traditions, beliefs about life after death.

You're going to expand on their explanations by filling in the missing parts.

Alex makes the point that Christians believe the body will be resurrected after death.

I'd like you to develop that point, explaining what it means.

He talks about Paul referring to believers being raised with a new body, showing that Christians believe in life after death as his source of wisdom and authority.

What I'd like you to do is take this further by stressing its importance.

For Aisha we don't have a point, but we have her development.

"This means some souls are cleansed before going to heaven." What point might Aisha have made? For her source of authority, she says, "The Catechism teaches that even those who are imperfect will have eternal life as, in his mercy, God gives them a chance to be purified before heaven." How would you explain the importance of this? So take the time to think about how you might fill in the development and importance for Alex and the point and importance for Aisha.

Pause the video and come back when you're ready to see what you could have written.

You could have said for Alex, Christians believe that the body will be resurrected after death, that this means death is not the end, but a new beginning with God.

And for his source of wisdom and authority Paul refers to believers being raised with a new body, you could have developed it saying, the importance of this belief is that it gives Christians hope and helps them cope with suffering, trusting in life after death.

Aisha's point should have been about purgatory.

So you could have written, another Christian belief, held by Catholics, is purgatory.

She then goes on to link it with the Catechism teaching that even imperfect souls can go to heaven.

You would then stress the importance by saying something like that Catholics may feel comforted realising that even though they're not perfect, they can be purified before entering God's presence.

So, well done if you did the key things of developing the point or ensuring the point was made, but also of linking the source of wisdom and authority with why it's important.

For the third part of our lesson, we're going to be looking at the impact of beliefs about life after death.

Tia and James are discussing how the Bible teaches Christians that the way they treat others affects their afterlife.

Tia says, "The Parable of the Sheep and Goats teaches that when we show compassion to others, we are really helping Jesus." James replies, "Yes, and when Jesus warns, 'Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life,' he is telling us that the way we treat others has consequences beyond this world." Tia responds, "You're right, when Jesus says, 'I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,' he is reminding us that showing compassion prepares us for eternal life." According to the Parable of the Sheep and Goats, who are the righteous truly serving when they help those who are suffering on earth? So take a moment, pause the video if you need to, and come back when you're ready to check your answer.

So, well done if you put Jesus.

So according to this parable, the righteous are really helping Jesus when they help other people.

Beliefs about the afterlife have an impact on Christians.

Let's have a look at how that might be.

Christians would strive to live morally, following God's commands, as they believe their actions in this life affect their eternal destiny.

Belief in eternal life gives them comfort during hardship, as they trust in God's promise of heaven.

They may view death with less fear, seeing it as a transition to being with God.

They may engage more in helping others, believing it reflects God's love and prepares them for eternal life.

David is an Anglican Christian and is a doctor who performs life-saving surgery.

He's explaining how his beliefs about life after death influence him.

He says, "My faith in the afterlife strengthens my commitment to treating patients with compassion, offering care that respects their life now and their eternal future.

It gives me hope and comfort in difficult times, inspires me to follow God's teachings, and motivates me to help others, knowing that my actions have eternal significance." So why might a Christian find comfort in the belief in resurrection? Is it A? So why might a Christian find comfort in the belief in resurrection? Is it A, it reassures them that death is not the end and they will be with God? Is it B, it guarantees they will not have to face judgement for their actions? Is it C, it means God will protect them from suffering in this life? Or is it D, it allows them to control what happens after they die? Pause the video, have a think about which is the correct answer, and come back when you are ready to check.

So, well done if you put A.

It reassures them that death is not the end and they will be with God.

For Task C on the impact of beliefs about life after death, to give practical support to those in need.

For guidance, you should give an example and explain how this action reflects their belief in an afterlife.

So take some time to think about how they might put those beliefs into practise, particularly in terms of giving helpful, practical support to others.

Pause the video and come back when you're ready to check your work.

Let's have a look at what you could have said.

Here's an example.

A Christian might volunteer at a food bank, help at a homeless shelter, or support organisations that provide aid to those in poverty.

How this action reflects their belief in an afterlife.

You might have said, they may believe that helping those in need demonstrates their commitment to living a good and faithful life, which will be recognised after death.

So, well done if you managed to choose one example of how a Christian might show that in their life they are caring for others because of the impact of belief in life after death.

In today's lesson, we have looked at the Christian belief in life after death and that it is based on belief in Jesus' resurrection.

The Bible teaches the body will be resurrected and transformed after death.

We've looked at how Christian views on the afterlife vary.

Some Christians view heaven and hell as literal places, while others see them as metaphorical.

We've looked at the fact that the Catholic belief includes purgatory, a temporary purification state before entering heaven; that belief in an afterlife influences Christians by giving them comfort and hope; and that it also encourages them to help others, as they believe good deeds prepare them for eternal life.

Thank you so much for working with me on today's lesson.

Well done for all of your efforts.