What topics would you most like to revise? What topics did you find particularly difficult to understand?

Homework “Your soul will never die.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion (3 marks) Give reasons why some people may disagree with you. (3 marks)

REVISION Life after death The objective of this lesson: Revise Christian and Sikh beliefs on life after death

What you need to know… Why Christians believe in life after death and how beliefs about life after death affect their lives. Why the followers of Sikhism believe in life after death and how beliefs about life after death affect their lives. Non-religious reasons for believing in life after death (near- death experiences, ghosts, mediums, the evidence of reincarnation). Why some people do not believe in life after death.

Immortality of the soul When someone who is about to die has an out-of body experience Paranormal Resurrection Unexplained things which are thought to have spiritual causes, for example, ghosts, mediums. Near-death experience The belief that, after death, the body stays in the grave until the end of the world, when it is raised. The idea that the soul lives on after the death of the body.

Christians believe in life after death... Because… All four gospels recount that Jesus rose from the dead. 1 Corinthians 15 St. Paul says that we will have a resurrection like that of Jesus. In the book of Revelation, John Divine says that at the end of the world the dead will be raised and brought to judgement by God. Those that believed will be saved. Jesus taught he would come at the end of the world to judge the living and the dead. There are differences amongst Christian Churches about the nature of life after death. Many Christians believe we are made up of a body and a soul. The soul is immortal. Some Christians may use evidence of the paranormal to justify their beliefs. It gives their life meaning and purpose.

How could these beliefs affect the lives of Christians? 1.Christians believe that what happens to them after they die will be determined by how they lived their lives (Judgement Day). Because of this many Christians will follow the teachings of the Bible. 2. Jesus taught that the two most important commandments are: 1. Love God 2. Love your neighbour as yourself. 3. This may mean attending Church (no.1) and caring for all other people (no.2) Parable of Sheep and Goats (Matthew 25:31-46) Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37) 4. Some Christians believe that those who die with unforgiven sins will go to hell. The Catholic Church teaches that those people will go to purgatory to be purified. Because of this many Christians will avoid committing sins. 5. Many Christians believe that life after death can give their lives meaning and purpose. Surveys suggest Christians suffer less from depression and are less likely to commit suicide.

Sikhs believe in life after death... Because… Life after death is stated in the Guru Granth Sahib, which many Sikhs consider to be the words of God. The Ten Gurus believed in life after death. Sikhs believe there must be an ultimate purpose. A good God would have created an after-life. Evidence of reincarnation – Children knowing things they couldn’t unless they had been on earth before. It gives their life meaning and purpose. Reincarnation rewards the good and punishes the evil but everyone receives a second chance.

How could these beliefs affect the lives of Sikhs? Many Sikhs believe that there is a DIVINE SPARK in all human beings which is a part of God. Souls are reborn (samsara) until they have attained sufficient purity to attain relief from rebirth (mukti.) To achieve mukti Sikhs have to move from human-centred (manmukh) God-centred (gurmukh) To move towards God centred (gurmukh) Sikhs must follow the teachings of the Ten Gurus and the Guru Granth Sahib. The souls of the human-centred will always be reborn, but the souls of the God-centred will achieve release from re-birth.

1. Why Christians believe in life after death. 2. How Christian beliefs about life and death affect the lives of Christians. 3. Why Sikhs believe in life after death AND how Sikh beliefs about life after death affect the lives of Sikhs. Become an expert…

“Your soul will never die.”

Some example questions: Look at the yellow boxes on the following pages: Page 33 Page 41 PRACTISE SOME EXAM QUESTIONS! AND TIME YOURSELF!