1. Would they agree or disagree?
A: Dawkins B: Hick A:Plato B:Ryle

2. think, pair, share
‘If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith’ . (1 Corinthians 12-14) What is the problem with this bible quote?

3. Christianity and the soul

4. Learning outcomes
Learning outcome 1: To be able to explain the different Christian views on the Soul. Learning outcome 2: To be able to critically evaluate the Christian view of the soul using different thinker’s ideas.

5. Cow time! Literacy Target
Check that you have spelt all the key words correctly.
Take the time to check over the rest of your work for any other spelling mistakes.
Ask for a dictionary or use the internet to check over any words that you are not sure are correct.

6. Christianity and resurrection
Resurrection: the belief in an afterlife that involves the embodied existence of individuals.
Christians base their belief in resurrection on the resurrection of Jesus.
It is one of the earliest Christian Beliefs defended by St Paul in the first century.
The traditional Christian belief is that resurrection of the body occurs at the end of time when Jesus returns.

7. Resurrection of the body
Some Christians believe that when people die, their SOUL remains in the grave until the time when God will end the world.
This known as the Last Day when Jesus will return to earth (Second Coming).
The dead will be raised and both living and dead will appear before God for the final Judgement.
They will have a RESURRECTION OF THE BODY
Some protestants
(The also tend to imagine heaven as a community of people)

8. What was Jesus’ resurrection like?
For each of these bible passages write a sentence that summarises the meaning.
Luke 24:15-16
Luke 24:31
Luke 24:36-43
John 20:11-16
John 20:26-27
Extension:
Research the parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:46)
What do you think the meaning of this is?

9. Immortality of the Soul
Many Christians believe that people are made up of a body and a soul. When the body dies, the soul leaves the body to be with God (if sin free).
Roman Catholics believe in purgatory – a place between Heaven and Hell where people suffer for a time to be cleansed of their sins before they are allowed into Heaven.
Roman Catholics and some Protestants
Bernard William- is heaven really desirable?

10. Purgatory
A state or place where souls are purged or purified before entering heaven. This is supposed to prepare people for the sight of God or heaven e.g. Beatific vision. Aquinas believed that we have a soul and a body and this is what makes a person therefore it is logical to say that only after a state of purgatory can we be said to be a person again.

11. Christian understanding of the soul
Read through the article and select 5 key sentences.
Write these in your notes. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
Next steps:
Research the parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:46)
What do you think the meaning of this is?
Stretch yourself: Research Dante’s inferno. How did it influence the Christian idea of hell and purgatory?

12. A and B....
Person A: Resurrection Person B: Purgatory Person A: Beatific Vision Person B: The Second coming

13. Learning outcomes
Learning outcome 1: To be able to explain the different Christian views on the Soul. Learning outcome 2: To be able to critically evaluate the Christian view of the soul using different thinker’s ideas.

14. Imagine you are Dawkins, Plato, Marx, Kant...
Write one paragraph, in character, for each person giving your (their) assessment of the Christian belief in life after death.
Next steps:
Add your own opinion to your notes.
Do you agree or disagree with each thinker?
Synoptic Hints
‘Religion is the opium of the people’ – Marx
‘Summum Bonum - Kant
Stretch yourself: Consider and write an answer:
‘Can you be a Christian and not believe in a soul?’

15. If these are the answers...
What are the questions? 1) Resurrection 2) Beatific vision 3) Second Coming 4) Purgatory

16. Learning outcomes
Learning outcome 1: To be able to explain the different Christian views on the Soul. Learning outcome 2: To be able to critically evaluate the Christian view of the soul using different thinker’s ideas.