1.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE9E07E znXw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE9E07E znXw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE9E07E znXw  Watch the following clip, what does it tell us about the importance of funerals? Starter – What is the purpose of a funeral service? Use the following pictures to help you decide.

6. Funerals When a person dies their body is placed in a coffin. Sometimes this coffin is left open so that relatives can say a final goodbye to the person.

8. Topic 4 – Death and the Afterlife  (a) Describe Christian beliefs about what happens to evil people after death. (8)  (b) Explain how a Christian funeral service might comfort someone whose close friend had died. (7)  © ‘It cannot be true that there is life after death, because there is no proof for it’  Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Christianity in your answer. (5)

9. Task  Design and produce a leaflet that explains  What happens at a Christian funeral  Explain how each part is designed to help the mourners

10. Is there life after death?  Christians believe that Christ rose from the dead. This is called the resurrection. They believe that this is a sign that Christ had overcome the power of death. ChristiansChrist resurrection ChristiansChrist resurrection

11. Purpose of a Funeral  Although a funeral is always sorrowful, a Christian funeral is not total misery, as Christians are aware that, as long as the deceased has lived a good life, death is the doorway into a better existence. Hence, the funeral does nothing for the deceased, its purpose is to help the living come to terms with their grief.

12. The Church  The coffin is then usually taken to a church or chapel (occasionally straight to the crematorium). Here a priest will read from the Bible. The priest will also say a few words about the person which are designed to comfort the mourners and then say prayers, hoping that the person will now be in heaven.  Such prayers will generally contain a plea to God to forgive the sins of the dying person and welcome them into Heaven Heaven

13. Burial or Cremation  Next the coffin is taken from the church, either for burial or cremation.  In the past many people did not approve of cremation because they felt that it would mean that the person could not be resurrected on the Day of Judgement. In the Apostle's Creed it says: I believe in...the resurrection of the body... However, St Paul said that  'on earth it is a physical body but in heaven it will be a spiritual body...'(1 Corinthians 15:43)

15. Physical body on earth, spiritual body in heaven

16. At the Crematorium or Graveyard  At both services the priest or minister will probably say: We commit this body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. In this way people are reminded that we are all human and made by God.  People often send flowers to a funeral as a tribute. They represent the new life and the beauty of the world which the dead person is about to enter.  Candles are sometimes lit to remind people that Jesus was the Light of the World and that because of him, Christians can be saved from their sins and go to heaven.

17. Task  Design and produce a leaflet that explains  What happens at a Christian funeral  Explain how each part is designed to help the mourners

18.  Christian funeral is not total misery, as Christians are aware that, as long as the deceased has lived a good life, death is the doorway into a better existence. Hence, the funeral does nothing for the deceased, its purpose is to help the living come to terms with their grief.  In the past many people did not approve of cremation because they felt that it would mean that the person could not be resurrected on the Day of Judgement. In the Apostle's Creed it says: I believe in...the resurrection of the body... However, St Paul said that  'on earth it is a physical body but in heaven it will be a spiritual body...'(1 Corinthians 15:43)  At both services the priest or minister will probably say: We commit this body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. In this way people are reminded that we are all human and made by God.  People often send flowers to a funeral as a tribute. They represent the new life and the beauty of the world which the dead person is about to enter.  Candles are sometimes lit to remind people that Jesus was the Light of the World and that because of him, Christians can be saved from their sins and go to heaven.