Afterlife
Many religions hold beliefs about an afterlife and have specific ideas on what happens to the body and soul after death, including belief in heaven, hell or, in some religions, reincarnationThe religious belief that existence is a cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth, and that the soul survives physical death and is reborn in a new body..
Beliefs in life after death are not only held by religious people. Many people who are not religious believe in the possibility of an afterlife of some kind.
Christian beliefs in the afterlife
Most Christians strongly believe that death is not the end. Instead, they believe in the immortality of the soulThe idea that the soul lives on after the death of the body. and the possibility of life after death, as Jesus explains in the Bible:
They believe in the resurrectionThe Christian belief that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after the crucifixion. The rising from the dead of believers on the Last Day in a new, or risen, life. of the body on the Day of JudgementThe last day, when God judges all of humanity according to how they have lived., when God will judge everyone individually and they will be sent to Heaven or Hell, as revealed in the Book of Revelation. Therefore, death is not to be feared for those who have lived morally and done God鈥檚 will.
The Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)
The biblical story of the sheep and the goats explains the idea of Last JudgementThe Last Judgement, a time of judgement by God of all humanity.. The sheep represent all who have helped those in need or have given back to the world in some way. The goats represent those who have acted in an unkind or selfish way.
The good sheep are allowed a place in Heaven because they have been helpful and kind, giving the hungry food or the thirsty something to drink.
The bad goats are people who, during their lives, did not show a caring side and ignored those in need. They are told they must go to Hell.
Judgement
Many Christians believe that God has always existed as judge over his creation and that his interventions assist in achieving salvation. God鈥檚 judgement is a process that ends in a decision about whether or not a person is worthy of his reward (Heaven) or not (Hell).
Second Coming
Some Christians believe in the Second Coming, which is when Jesus will return to earth as a physical body and everyone who has died will be resurrectionThe Christian belief that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after the crucifixion. The rising from the dead of believers on the Last Day in a new, or risen, life.. This belief is affirmed in Protestant Churches with the declaration of the Mystery of Faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Many Christians believe that Christ will physically and visibly return to earth, but some Christians believe that there may be an event which symbolises Jesus' return, for instance a bolt of light.
Personal judgement
Some Christians believe that souls are judged as soon as the body dies. Souls are then sent straight to Heaven or Hell, rather than waiting for a Day of Judgement. These Christians believe it is still possible that they will be judged again at the Last Judgement.
Others believe that all souls must wait until the Day of Judgement and will all be judged together.