what follows the physical life on earth; belief in life after death

a formal event or ritual held to mark a significant occasion

a speech given to honour and remember someone

a ceremony marking a person's death which takes place before burial or cremation; family and friends gather to honour the deceased and support one another

passages of text read aloud during an event to convey a message, offer reflection, or provide comfort

Christian and humanist funerals

Religious education

Christian and non-religious beliefs about creation

Dominion, stewardship and environmental responsibility

Christian attitudes to human life

Non-religious attitudes to human life

Contrasting views on abortion

Contrasting views on euthanasia

Christian beliefs about death and the afterlife

Non-religious beliefs about death and the afterlife

In this unit pupils will focus firstly on the relationship between religion and science - looking at ideas of creation. They will examine how Christians and non-religious people view the world. Finally they will examine how people speak about the sanctity of life.

Issues of life and death

Subjects which particular individuals may be sensitive to, eg, adoption, migration, bereavement or death, divorce, poverty, deprivation.

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

to focus on religious teachings about death

to bring people together and provide a structure for mourners

to strictly follow a set of rituals with no room for personal expression

What is the primary purpose of funerals, regardless of whether they are religious or not?

they focus on remembering the deceased without religious rituals

they are only for people who do not believe in any religion

Which of the following statements about non-religious funerals, such as humanist funerals, is true?

to celebrate the deceased's life with festivities

to reinforce social unity and shared beliefs

to provide a time for family members to grieve alone

to focus on the physical aspects of burial or cremation

What is the main purpose of funerals according to Durkheim?

Catholics do not pray for the soul of the deceased

Catholics emphasise silence rather than prayers

Catholics pray for the soul of the deceased

Catholics only include music in their funeral ceremonies

Which of the following statements about Catholic funeral practices is correct?

music and worship are incorporated into the ceremony

they do not have any specific rituals for the deceased

What is a common feature of Pentecostal funerals?

Funerals, including humanist ones, bring people together and provide a structure for {{}}.

All non-religious individuals reject the idea of an afterlife.

Some non-religious individuals believe in an afterlife or a soul.

Non-religious individuals believe in reincarnation.

Which of the following statements about non-religious individuals’ views on life after death is true?

Which of the following non-religious views involves the idea that consciousness continues through the transfer of energy after death?

Humanists reject the idea of life after {{}} and instead focus on making the most of the present life.

the importance of religious teachings about the afterlife

focusing on the present life and the human experience

the hope for an eternal soul that lives on

the need for personal salvation in the afterlife

What do humanists emphasise in place of a belief in life after death?

Arguments against the existence of an afterlife often emphasise brain-dependent {{}}, contradictions in religious teachings, and the use of beliefs about an afterlife as a form of social control.

Christian and humanist funerals

Lesson outcome

Content guidance