Hi, my name is Miss Minton, and welcome to this Christianity Beliefs and Teachings lesson on eschatological beliefs, heaven and hell.

Now, by the end of this lesson, you'll be able to explain Christian beliefs about heaven and hell and the importance and influence of these beliefs.

Now, lots of our learning today might be new to you, but please don't worry because I'm here to guide you through each step of our lesson, and I'm confident that by the end, you'll achieve the outcome.

Let's start by taking a look at our keywords for today.

We have afterlife, eschatology, heaven, hell, and sin.

Now, the afterlife refers to what follows this physical life on Earth.

So life after death.

Eschatology relates to final things and it refers to death, judgement and the final destiny of the soul or humankind.

Heaven is the belief that after death, Christians can enter a state of being with God for eternity and hell refers to the belief of a place of eternal suffering or a state of eternal separation from God.

And finally, a sin is behaviour that goes against God's laws or wishes and against the Christian principles of morality.

Now, our lesson today will have three parts.

We'll start by looking at Christian beliefs about heaven, then look at Christian beliefs about hell, and finally we'll look at the importance and influence of these beliefs.

So let's get started and take a look at Christian beliefs about heaven.

So for most Christians, death is not the end, and most Christians believe that when humans die, there is hope for an eternal life in heaven with God.

Now, the belief that there is something after this physical life is known as the afterlife, and these beliefs are referred to as eschatological beliefs because they relate to final things, so the final destiny of the soul or of humankind.

Now, most Christians agree that the afterlife has been made possible because of Jesus's sacrifice.

And there are many teachings in the Bible that actually confirm this.

For example, in the Gospel of John 11:25-26, it recalls Jesus saying that those who believe in him will never die, which alludes to eternal life.

And then in the gospel of John again in 14:2-7, it recalls Jesus confirming that faith in him will lead people to his Father's house and that in his Father's house, there are many rooms. Again, this is an indication that there is something beyond this life.

So these beliefs reflect that there's a possibility of being with God for eternity.

And this belief in being with God for eternity is what's known as heaven.

Now, within Christianity, there are actually different views about what heaven is.

And traditional views about heaven include that heaven is a physical place, that it's a place where God resides, so it's where God lives, that it's a place of peace and a place of beauty, and it's a place where there is no suffering.

Now, these traditional beliefs about heaven come from the Bible, and an example of this is 2 Corinthians 5:1 which says this; "For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself, how might this passage be interpreted to show that heaven is a physical place? Off you go.

So this passage can be interpreted to show that heaven is a physical place because it refers to heaven as a building from God and an eternal house, and buildings and houses are physical places.

So this would suggest that heaven is a physical place.

So let's check your understanding.

Which statement best describes traditional beliefs about heaven? A, a peaceful, mythical realm where there is no suffering, or B, a physical place built by God where there is no suffering.

Fantastic, the correct answer is B, a physical place built by God where there is no suffering is the statement that best describes traditional beliefs about heaven.

Well done.

Now, an alternative belief about heaven is often referred to as the contemporary view of heaven or the modern view of heaven.

And this view includes that heaven is a spiritual dimension or a state of mind, rather than a physical place, and that it's a state where humans are happy and fulfilled because they know God and they in God's presence.

Now, contemporary beliefs about heaven come from metaphorical interpretations of the Bible.

Now we're going to look at the passage from 2 Corinthians 5:1 again.

So I'm just going to remind you of what it says.

"For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." Now, this passage can actually be interpreted to be metaphorical rather than literal.

Now, for Christians who take a metaphorical approach, they would argue that heaven is not literally a building or a house, but that this language used in this passage is actually symbolic language of heaven being God's creation and a place or a state where humans can know God.

That's not physical.

Now, in addition to this, Christians who believe that heaven is spiritual or a state of mind might also refer to teachings on eternal life to support that view.

For example, the teaching in John 3:16 that says this: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me or have a think to yourself.

How might teachings on eternal life support the belief that heaven is a spiritual dimension or a state of mind rather than a physical place? Off you go.

So teachings on eternal life can be interpreted as referring to a spiritual life with God forever, rather than a physical location or place.

And this phrase, eternal life, alludes to an existence.

And some Christians interpret this to be a nonphysical existence.

So let's now check your understanding.

True or false? All Christians believe that heaven is a physical place where God lives.

Fantastic.

That statement is false.

But how do we know that this statement is false? Well, it's because although some Christians do believe that heaven is a physical place, other Christians would argue that heaven is actually a spiritual dimension or a state of mind rather than a physical location.

So well done for identifying that statement is false and for identifying the reason why.

Now, as well as there being different beliefs about what heaven is, there's also different beliefs within Christianity about who will go to heaven.

Now, these beliefs can be categorised into three main approaches: exclusivist, which means that only people who believe in Jesus will go to heaven; inclusivist, which means people who believe in Jesus and people who live a life that pleases God, even if they don't realise this, will go to heaven; and finally pluralist, which means all beliefs and all ways of life are possible paths to heaven.

Now, linking to this, some Christians actually believe that people who are sent to heaven need to be cleansed and purified first.

And this is a teaching of the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church teaches that there is a place or state of existence before heaven, which is known as purgatory.

Now, this is the belief that people's souls need to be cleansed and purified so that they can be ready to go to heaven and be in the presence of God.

Not all Christians hold this belief though, and most Protestant Christians actively reject this.

And the 39 Articles of Religion, which are used within Anglican Christianity, explicitly reject the belief in purgatory.

So let's check your understanding.

Which of the following refers to the belief that people who believe in Jesus and people who live a life that pleases God will go to heaven? A, exclusivist, B, inclusivist, C, plurualist, or D, absolutist? Fantastic.

The correct answer is B, inclusivist.

Well done.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

I'd like you to complete the table to explain these Christian beliefs about heaven.

When completing the table, you should use a source of wisdom and authority and develop the source by accurately applying it to the point.

The points are: Some Christians believe that heaven is a physical place, and some Christians believe that heaven is a spiritual dimension or state of mind.

So pause the video and have a go.

Welcome done for your work during that task.

Now, your responses might look similar to this.

For the point that some Christians believe that heaven is a physical place, you may have used the source of wisdom and authority from 2 Corinthians 5:1, which describes heaven as a house built by God.

You may have then developed this by saying that this shows that heaven is a physical place that was created by God and is where he resides.

For the point that some Christians believe that heaven is a spiritual dimension or state of mind, for your source of wisdom and authority, you may have said that the Bible makes many references to eternal life, including John 3:16 and for your development, you may have said that for Christians who believe that heaven is a spiritual state, they interpret teachings on eternal life as referring to a spiritual existence that lasts forever.

So well done again for your work during that task.

We're now moving on to the second part of our lesson, which is to look at Christian beliefs about hell.

Now, I'd like you to consider, if heaven refers to a place or state in the afterlife where a person is in the presence of God for eternity, what do you think hell might be? So pause the video and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself.

So well done for identifying that hell refers to a place or a state of being separated from God.

Now, for many Christians, hell is actually seen as a self-inflicted punishment, and this is a self-inflicted punishment for sin and rejection of God.

Now, just like there are different beliefs about heaven within Christianity, there's also different beliefs about hell and traditional beliefs about hell include that hell is a physical place of suffering and torture that's used as a punishment for sin, that hell is a physical place without God, and that hell is often depicted as a fiery place of torment where the devil lives.

Now, traditional beliefs about hell come from the Bible and we're going to look at an example from the Gospel of Matthew 25:41, which says this: "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

'" Now, this passage is from the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, and it describes Jesus separating the people who lived according to his teachings and those who rejected him and sinned.

Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself about how this passage from the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats describes hell.

Off you go.

So this passage describes hell as a place of eternal fire and a place that was prepared or made for the devil.

So let's check your understanding.

Which of the following describe traditional beliefs about hell? A, place of peace, B, a place of torment, C, a place of fire, or D, a place of cleansing? You can select two answers.

Fantastic, the correct answers are B, a place of torment, and C, a place of fire.

Well done.

Now, some Christians take a contemporary view of hell and contemporary beliefs about hell include that hell is a state of separation or self-exclusion from God, rather than it being a physical place of torment and pain and that this separation is due to sin and a rejection of God and also that the pain and suffering experienced in hell is metaphorical rather than literal.

Now, I'd like you to consider what it means to be self-excluded.

So pause the video and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself.

Off you go.

So self-exclusion refers to not being allowed to take part in something or go somewhere, but because of a result of your own actions, not because of somebody else's actions.

Now, contemporary beliefs about hell come from interpretations of biblical teachings on hell.

For example, in Matthew 7:21, Jesus describes his response to people who've not followed God's word or lived by his teachings, and he says this: "Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you.

Away from me, you evil doers!'" Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself, how might Christians interpret this passage to show that hell is a state of exclusion from God, rather than a physical place of pain? Off you go.

So this passage suggests that sinners and evildoers are separated away from God.

And this passage can be interpreted by Christians as suggesting that the punishment for sin is separation rather than physical, eternal torture and pain.

Now, in addition to biblical teachings on hell, later sources of authority have emphasised this belief that hell is a self-exclusion from God.

And we see this in the "Catechism of the Catholic Church," which teaches that hell is a "definitive, self-exclusion from communion with God." So let's check your understanding.

True or false? Some Christians reject the belief that hell is a physical place of pain and torture.

Fantastic.

That statement is true.

But why is that statement true? Well, it's because contemporary beliefs about hell include that hell is a state of separation from God, rather than a physical place of torture and pain.

So well done for recognising that the statement was true and for identifying the reason why.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

Aisha is describing Christian beliefs about hell.

So far, Aisha has said that "One Christian belief about hell is that it's a state of separation from God and this is supported by the Gospel of Matthew which describes Jesus sending evildoers away." Now, what I really like about Aisha's answer is she's given a point and she's backed it up with a source of wisdom and authority.

However, she's not accurately applied the source of wisdom on authority that she's used.

I would like you to add to Aisha's answer to describe what this source of wisdom and authority teaches about hell in relation to the point that she's given.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So you are asked to add to Aisha's answer to describe what the source of wisdom and authority teaches about hell in relation to the point she'd used.

So Aisha had already said that "One Christian belief about hell is that it's a state of separation from God and this is supported by the Gospel of Matthew which describes Jesus sending evildoers away." Now, your response might include that this shows that hell means to be away from or separated from God and that this is a result of humans rejecting God and committing sins.

So well done for your work adding to Aisha's answer.

It's now time to move on to the third and final part of our lesson, which is looking at the importance and influence of heaven and hell.

Now, Aisha and Lucas are discussing why Christian beliefs about heaven and hell might be important for Christians.

Aisha says, "I think that this belief is important for Christians because it reminds them that God is just." And Lucas says, "I think that this belief is important because it provides Christians with comfort during difficult times." Now, like Aisha and Lucas, I'd also like you to consider why do you think Christian beliefs about heaven and hell are important for Christians and why do you think that? So pause the video and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself.

Off you go.

So as part of your thinking time or your discussion, you may have considered that beliefs about heaven and hell might be important because heaven is a reminder of God's omnibenevolence.

So reminder of God's love.

You may have also said that the existence of heaven and hell might justify some of the evil and suffering in the world, or you may have said that the belief in heaven and hell can actually guide Christians and their moral actions.

So let's check your understanding.

True or false? The belief in heaven and hell is not important for Christians because the afterlife is outside of human control.

Fantastic.

That statement is false.

But why is that statement false? It's because for many Christians, the belief in heaven and hell is important because it's a reminder that God is just and omnibenevolent and it also helps guide moral behaviour.

So well done for identifying that the statement is false and for identifying the reason why.

Now, for many Christians, because their belief in heaven and hell is important, it actually influences their beliefs, thoughts, and actions.

Now, Tia, Fiona, and Danielle discuss how their beliefs in heaven and hell influence them.

Tia says, "My belief in heaven reassures me that there is hope of an afterlife in the presence of God.

My belief in hell helps me understand the importance of following the teachings of Jesus in my everyday life.

I don't want to be separated from God and God does not want to be separated from me.

So I try my best to behave in a way that reflects the teachings of Jesus." Fiona says, "My belief in heaven influences the way I respond to the death of loved ones.

I attend funerals of people I know who've passed away and I pray for them.

The funerals at my church usually contain references to heaven and the afterlife which provides me with comfort." And finally, Danielle says, "My belief that hell is a self-exclusion from the communion with God reassures me that God is omnibenevolent because hell is a result of humans' own actions rather than God's decision.

I know that I will have life in heaven with God because I want to be united with him and I will not separate myself from him through sin." So now we've heard from Tia, Fiona and Danielle, let's check your understanding.

True or false? Beliefs about heaven and hell only influence Christians to pray for the dead.

Fantastic.

That statement is false.

But why is that statement false? Well, it's because beliefs about heaven and hell can influence Christians in a number of different ways.

This might be to pray for the dead, but it could also influence them to follow Jesus's teachings, attend funerals, and avoid sinning.

So well done for identifying that the statement was false and for identifying the reason why.

It's now time to have a go at a task.

Alex has written part of an answer responding to the task, Explain why Christians believe heaven and hell are important.

Alex has said, "Christians believe that heaven and hell are important because they confirm God's omnibenevolence.

This is supported by the Gospel of John which says that God loved the world so much he was willing to sacrifice his only son Jesus.

This is important because it shows that God loves humans so much that he provided them with a way of spending eternity in heaven and avoiding the self-exclusion of hell.

Now, I would like you to add to Alex's answer to provide another reason why beliefs about heaven and hell are important to Christians.

In your answer, you should use a source of wisdom and authority and accurately apply this to the point that you give.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So you were asked to add to Alex's answer and provide another reason why beliefs about heaven and hell are important for Christians and you are asked to include a source of wisdom and authority and accurately apply that to your point.

Your response might look something like this.

Another reason the belief in heaven and hell are important to Christians is that it can help guide behaviour.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes it clear that those who believe in him will never die and that there is room for many people in his Father's house.

This is important because it shows Christians that if they believe in Jesus and demonstrate this through their behaviour, they have the possibility of eternal life in heaven.

It's also important because it helps Christians understand that rejecting Jesus could lead to hell.

So what you can see is I've chosen to use the Gospel of John as my source of wisdom and authority.

You may have chosen to use a different source of wisdom and authority, and as long as you've applied it accurately to the point that you've made, that is absolutely fine.

So well done again for your work on that task.

We've now reached the end of our lesson on eschatological beliefs, heaven and hell.

Before we finish, let's take a look at some of the key things that we've learned today.

So we've learned that eschatology refers to final things, including death and the final destiny of the soul, and that for many Christians, the afterlife consists of heaven and hell, but that heaven and hell might be interpreted differently based on biblical teachings.

We've seen that the traditional belief is that heaven and hell are physical places, but as an alternative, contemporary interpretations about heaven and hell include that they are spiritual states of existence and that hell is a self-exclusion from God rather than a physical place.

And finally, we saw that beliefs about heaven and hell might influence Christian attitudes towards moral behaviour and influence practises such as funerals and provide comfort whilst grieving.

So well done again for all of your work this lesson.

It's been wonderful learning with you.