Philosophy 1 – The End of Life
• In this topic you will be addressing Christian
beliefs and teaching about;
• Body and Soul
• Life After Death
• Funeral Rites
Grab a pen and lets start taking notes!

What is the soul?
A part of a human that is not
physical
A part of a human that lives on
after we have died
A part of a human that allows
them to relate to God
Immortality of the soul –
i.e. the soul never dies.
Why do Christians
believe this?
1. Jesus conquered
death and was
resurrected
2. In the Bible Jesus
refers to Moses,
Abraham and Elijah
living in another realm

What is the relationship between the
body and the soul?
• The body is a
vehicle for the
soul.
• When your
body dies your
soul reunites
with God. Many Christians believe the
body and soul are in conflict –
the body wants desires and
pleasures to be fulfilled but
the soul wants to please God

What is the Christian idea about life
after death?
• They will become
reunited with God
• They will be
reunited with
loved ones
• The immortal soul
carries on its
journey

What do Christians believe about
Heaven, Hell and Purgatory?
Heaven
Christians who have
followed Gods path
will go to heaven
Sinners who repent
will go here
A place to spend
eternity with God
A place where evil and
suffering does not exist
Hell
A place where you
spend an eternity
without God
A place of pain and
suffering
Some think it’s a
place of fire and
brimstone
Others an eternity
with NOTHING
Purgatory
Roman Catholics believe
this is where souls go when
they are not ready for
heaven.
Not heaven, not hell, a
place in-between
The living can pray so they
can reach heaven

What do Christians believe about
Salvation, Redemption and Suffering?
Jesus was
crucified on
Good Friday
A Redeemer where
he save others from
damnation
He is seen as Saviour
of the World
meaning he saved
people from sins
He resurrected
on Easter Sunday
Jesus sacrificed himself
on the cross to redeem
believers from the
original sin – now
people were forgiven
by God and allowed to
enter Heaven

What does Christianity say about God
as a judge?God as a
creator –
he is
eternal
and was
there at
the start
at the
world
Individuals
will be
judged by
their
actions, the
way they
have lived
their life and
their faith.
The Bible states that at the end of life
there are two books – one containing the
deeds people have done in their life, and
another which contain the names of
those who have shown belief in the death
and resurrection of Jesus.

How will people be judged?
The parable of the
sheep and goats
Those who have lived
good lives = Heaven
Those who have
sinned = Hell
Some sheep and Goats

What is the relationship between God
the judge, life on earth and the
afterlife?
Leading a good life = REWARDS
Therefore during a Christians life they will
Follow the 10 Commandments
Help Others
Follow the Bible
Live morally
Anything which does not ANNOY God – so
they can get into heaven

A Christian FUNERAL service reminds people that one day a Christian’s
SOUL will be raised up to eternal life with Jesus. This is called
RESURRECTION.
Christians, like everyone else, are sad when someone they love
dies. But a Christian funeral service teaches that death is not
the end. Christians believe in life after death.
A Christian funeral service reminds people that all life is
given by God, and that God is also responsible for taking
life away.
What are funeral rites?

What happens at a Christian funeral
and how do funeral rites reflect
beliefs?1. A reading from the Bible,
which will often reflect
Christian ideas of the
afterlife. E.g. John 11:25-
26‘Jesus said, I am the
resurrection, and I am the
life; he who believes in me,
though he dies, yet he will
live, and whoever believes in
me shall never die’
2. A Psalm is read (Psalm
23, 90, 121 or 130 are
common)
3. Hymns are sung. These
will often have been
suggested by the deceased
or chosen by the family.
4. A eulogy about the deceased will be
read. This is a talk by either the vicar
or priest o a family relative. The life of
the deceased is spoken about and
remembered with memories being
shared.
5. Prayers
are said for
both the
dead and
for the
living
6. The committal - either
burial or cremation if it is
a burial the following
words are used: ‘We
commit (name of
deceased) body to the
ground, earth to earth,

Features of a Christian funeral:
1. Take place in a Church, where a service is led by a priest or
minister.
2. Passages from the Bible are read to offer comfort for the
bereaved and provide hope for eternal life.
3. Prayers are said to ask for comfort and to give thanks for the
life of the dead person.
4. Friends or family may give a Eulogy to celebrate the dead
person’s life.
5. Hymns are sung to praise God and give thanks to Him for all He
does.
6. The Committal – either burial or cremation.
Traditionally RC’s would only bury, but cremation is now
accepted.
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How do funeral rites aim to support
the bereaved?
• Family and Friends can
draw comfort
• The life of the
deceased can be
celebrated
• The bereaved can
express their feelings
and emotions for the
deceased
• There is a sense of
closure
funeral