Hi, my name's Miss Minton, and welcome to this Christian eschatology lesson on the afterlife.

And by the end of this lesson, you'll be able to explain Christian beliefs about heaven and hell and the significance and influence of these beliefs.

Now, lots of our learning today will be new to you, but we'll also be drawing upon prior knowledge of judgement throughout this lesson.

So let's get started on our new learning by taking a look at our keywords.

We have afterlife, heaven, hell, and sin.

Now, the afterlife refers to what follows this physical life on earth, so life after death.

Heaven refers to the ultimate end and the resting place of all saved souls.

Whereas hell refers to the eternal separation from God.

And, finally, a sin is an act that goes against God's law or his will.

Now, our lesson today will have three parts.

We'll start by looking at Christian beliefs about heaven.

We'll then move on to Christian beliefs about hell.

And then, finally, we'll look at the importance and influence of heaven and hell.

So let's get started and take a look at Christian beliefs about heaven.

Now, for many Christians, the afterlife consists of both heaven and hell.

And heaven is a state of being in the presence of God for eternity, so being with God forever.

And for many Christians, the belief in heaven is directly linked to the belief in judgement.

And this is because judgement is the belief that God will only allow the righteous people who've lived good lives and/or accepted and followed Jesus into heaven.

Now, these beliefs are known as eschatological beliefs.

And that's because eschatology refers to the belief in and study of final things, so things like heaven, hell, and the afterlife.

Now, although most Christians agree that heaven exists, there are different views within Christianity about what heaven actually is.

Now, traditional beliefs about heaven include that heaven is a physical place, that it's a place where God resides, so a place where God lives, and that it's a place of peace and beauty and a place where there's no pain or suffering.

Now, traditional beliefs about heaven come from the Bible.

For example, a teaching from 2 Corinthians 5:1 which says this, "For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

How might this passage be interpreted to show that heaven is a physical place? Off you go.

So this passage can be interpreted to show that heaven is a physical place because the passage refers to heaven as being a building from God and an eternal house.

And that would lead to the interpretation that heaven is an actual physical place.

So let's check your understanding.

Which statement best describes traditional beliefs about heaven? A, heaven is a peaceful and mythical realm where there's no suffering.

Or, B, heaven is a physical place built by God where there is no suffering.

Fantastic.

The correct answer is B.

The statement that best describes traditional beliefs about heaven is that heaven is a physical place that's been built by God where there is no suffering.

Well done.

Now, in contrast to the traditional beliefs about heaven, there are also contemporary beliefs about heaven in Christianity.

And these include that heaven is a spiritual dimension or state of mind rather than a physical place.

And that heaven is a state where humans are happy and fulfilled because they know God.

Now, contemporary beliefs about heaven come from metaphorical interpretations of the Bible.

So we're going to look again at the teaching from 2 Corinthians 5:1.

So let me remind you of what that says.

"For we know that if the earthly tent that we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." Now, Christians could also interpret this passage as being metaphorical rather than literal.

And for Christians who take this approach, they'd argue that heaven isn't literally a building or a house, but instead, this language in this passage is symbolic that heaven is God's creation and it's where humans can know God, but it's not actually a physical place.

Now, Christians who do believe that heaven is a spiritual state or a state of mind might also refer to teachings on eternal life to support this view.

For example, John 3:16 says this, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

How might teachings on eternal life support the belief that heaven is a spiritual dimension or state of mind? Off you go.

Now, teachings on eternal life could be interpreted as referring to a spiritual life with God forever rather than a physical place.

Now the phrase eternal life alludes to an existence.

And for some Christians, this existence would be interpreted as a non-physical existence.

So let's check your understanding.

True or false? All Christians believe that heaven is a physical place where God lives.

Fantastic.

That statement is false.

But why is that statement false? Well, it's because some Christians do believe that heaven is a physical place, but other Christians actually believe that heaven is a spiritual dimension or a state of mind, not a physical place.

So well done for identifying that statement was false and for identifying the reason why.

Now as well as there being different views within Christianity about what heaven is, there's also different views about who will enter heaven.

And these views can generally be categorised into three approaches.

Exclusivist, which means only people who believe in Jesus will go to heaven.

Inclusivist, which means that people who believe in Jesus and people who live a life that pleases God, even if they don't realise it go to heaven.

And a Pluralist approach, which is the belief that all beliefs and all ways of life are equal paths to God and all of them can lead to the possibility of heaven.

Now, there are also some Christians that believe that most people who are sent to heaven actually need to be cleansed and purified first.

Now, the Catholic church is a Christian denomination that teaches this.

And the Catholic church teaches that there is a place or a state of existence before heaven, which is known as purgatory.

And this is where a person is cleansed before they can enter heaven and be in the presence of God.

Now, most Protestants actually reject this belief.

And the 39 Articles of religion, which are used within Anglican Christianity, explicitly reject the belief in purgatory.

So let's check your understanding.

Which of the following refers to the belief that people who've believed in Jesus and people who live a life that pleases God will go to heaven? A, exclusivist.

B, inclusivist.

C, pluralist.

Or D, absolutist.

Fantastic.

The correct answer is B inclusivist.

Well done.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

I'd like you to complete the table to explain two Christian beliefs about heaven.

When completing the table, you should do the following, refer to a source of wisdom and authority to support each point, and develop the source of wisdom and authority to explain its relevance to the point.

The points are some Christians believe that heaven is a physical place, and some Christians believe that heaven is a spiritual dimension or state of mind.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So you were asked to complete the table to explain two Christian beliefs about heaven.

The points had already been completed for you, and you were asked to refer to a source of wisdom and authority to support each point, and then develop that source of wisdom and authority and explain its relevance to the point.

Your responses might be similar to this.

For the point that some Christians believe that heaven is a physical place, you may have used the source of wisdom and authority from 2 Corinthians 5:1, which describes heaven as a house built by God.

And you may have developed this by saying that this shows that heaven is a physical place that was created by God and is where God resides.

For the second point that some Christians believe that heaven is a spiritual dimension or state of mind, you may have referred to the Bible and said that the Bible makes many references to eternal life, including John 3:16.

You may have then developed this by saying that for Christians who believe that heaven is a spiritual state, they might interpret teachings on eternal life as referring to a spiritual existence lasting forever.

So well done again for your work during that task.

We're now moving on to the second part of our lesson, which is to look at Christian beliefs about hell.

So I'd like us to start by considering, if heaven refers to a place or a state in the afterlife where a person is in the eternal presence of God, what do you think hell might be? So pause the video and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself.

Off you go.

So within Christianity, hell is often referred to as a place or state of being separated from God.

So being away from God.

Now for many Christians, the belief in hell is also directly linked to judgement , and this is because hell is seen as a self-inflicted punishment for sin and the rejection of God.

Hell is a fiery place of torment where the devil lives.

Now, traditional beliefs about hell come from the Bible, for example, Matthew 25:41 says this, "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

'" Now this is part of a passage from the parable of the sheep and the goats.

And it describes Jesus separating people who've lived according to his teachings from people who have rejected his teachings and sinned.

Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

How does this passage from the parable of the sheep and the goats describe hell? Off you go.

So this passage from the parable of the sheep and the goats describes hell as a place of eternal fire, and a place that was created and made for the devil and his angels.

So let's check your understanding.

Which of the following best describes traditional beliefs about hell? You can select two answers.

A, a place of peace.

B, a place of torment.

C, a place of fire.

And D, a place of cleansing.

Fantastic.

The correct answers are B and C.

So a place of torment and a place of fire.

Well done.

Now in contrast to the traditional beliefs about hell, there are also contemporary beliefs about hell.

And these include that hell is actually a state of separation or self-exclusion from God rather than being a physical place of torment and pain.

And that this separation is due to sin and humans rejecting God.

And the pain and suffering that's experienced in hell is metaphorical rather than literal.

Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself about what it means to be self-excluded.

Off you go.

So self-exclusion refers to not being allowed to take part in something or go somewhere as a result of your own actions.

So belief that hell is a self-exclusion from God means that it's a result of a human's own individual actions, not God's actions and not anybody else's actions.

Now these contemporary beliefs about hell also come from interpretations of teachings in the Bible.

For example, in Matthew 7:21, Jesus describes his response to people who've not followed God's word or lived by his teachings.

And Jesus says this, "Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you.

Away from me, you evildoers!'" Now I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

How might Christians interpret this passage to show that hell is a state of self-exclusion from God rather than a physical place of pain? Off you go.

So this passage suggests that sinners and evildoers are separated away from God.

And this passage might be interpreted by Christians as suggesting that the punishment is separation rather than physical, eternal torture and pain.

Now later sources of authority have also emphasised the belief that hell is self-exclusion from God, and these sources include the catechism of the Catholic church, which teaches that hell is a definitive self-exclusion from communion with God.

So let's check your understanding.

True or false? Some Christians reject the belief that hell is a physical place of pain and torture.

Fantastic.

That statement is true.

But why is that statement true? Well, it's because contemporary beliefs about hell also include the belief that hell is a state of separation from God rather than be in a physical place of torture and pain.

So well done for identifying that the statement was true and for identifying why.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

Aisha is explaining Christian beliefs about hell.

So far she's said, "One Christian belief about hell is that it's a state of separation from God.

This is supported by the Gospel of Matthew which describes Jesus sending 'evildoers' away." Now what I really like about Aisha's answer is that she's given a point and a source of wisdom and authority, but, unfortunately, she's not developed her source of wisdom or authority or shown the relevance of it.

I would like you to add to Aisha's answer to explain what the source of authority she's used teaches about hell in relation to the point that she's given.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So you were asked to add to Aisha's answer to explain what the source of wisdom and authority she'd used teaches about hell in relation to the point that she'd given.

Aisha had said that "One Christian belief about hell is that it's a state of separation from God and that this is supported by the Gospel of Matthew, which describes Jesus sending 'evildoers' away.

You may have then developed this by saying that this shows that hell means to be separated from God, and that this is a result of humans rejecting God and committing sins." So well done for developing Aisha's answer.

We're now moving on to the third and final part of our lesson, which is to look at the importance and influence of heaven and hell.

Now, Aisha and Lucas are discussing why Christian beliefs about heaven and hell might be important for Christians.

Aisha says, "I think that this belief is important for Christians because it reminds them that God is just," so it reminds them God is fair.

Lucas says, "I think this belief is important because it provides Christians with comfort during difficult times." Now, I'd also like you to consider why Christian beliefs about heaven and hell are important for Christians and why this might be.

So pause the video and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself.

So as part of your thinking time or your discussion, you may have considered that beliefs about heaven and hell are important because heaven is a reminder of God's love, so God's omnibenevolence.

You may have also said that the existence of heaven and hell might justify some of the evil and suffering that exists in the world.

Or maybe you said that the belief in heaven and hell can actually guide Christians in their moral actions and their decision-making.

So let's check your understanding.

True or false? The belief in heaven and hell is not important for Christians because the afterlife is outside of human control.

Fantastic.

That statement is false.

But why is that statement false? Well, it's because for many Christians the belief about heaven and hell is important because it's a reminder that God is just and fair and omnibenevolent, and it can also help guide Christian moral behaviour.

So well done for identifying that statement was false and for identifying the reason why.

Now, for many Christians, because the belief in heaven and hell is important, it might actually influence their thoughts, beliefs, or their actions.

Now, Tia, Fiona, and Danielle discuss how their belief in heaven and hell influences them.

Tia, who is a Methodist says, "My belief in heaven reassures me that there is hope of an afterlife in the presence of God.

My belief in hell helps me understand the importance of following Jesus's teachings in my everyday life.

I don't want to be separated from God, and God does not want to be separated from me, so I try my best to behave in a way that reflects the teachings of Jesus." Fiona, who is an Anglican Christian says, "My belief in heaven influences the way I respond to the death of loved ones.

I attend funerals of people I know who've passed away and I pray for them.

The funerals at my church usually contain references to heaven and the afterlife, and this provides me with comfort." Finally, Danielle, who is Roman Catholic says, "My belief that hell is a self-exclusion from the communion with God reassures me that God is omnibenevolent, because hell is a result of humans' own actions rather than God's decision." I know that I will have life in heaven with God because I want to be united with him, and I will not separate myself from him through sin." So now we've seen that there are different reasons heaven and hell are important for Christians and different ways that these beliefs can influence Christians.

Let's imagine that I've been asked to outline three ways why the belief in heaven and hell might be important to Christians.

So far I've said that the belief in heaven and hell reminds Christians of God's omnibenevolence, so his love.

And the belief in heaven and hell can justify the existence of evil and suffering in the world.

Now, I've not finished my answer, because the question asks for three reasons, and I've only outlined two.

So I would like you to outline another reason why the belief in heaven and hell might be important for Christians.

So pause the video and have a go.

So you may have said that the belief in heaven and hell can influence Christian practises like funerals, and that's another reason that these beliefs are important.

Or maybe you said that the belief in heaven and hell can encourage Christians to avoid sin or follow the teachings of Jesus.

So well done, and thank you for helping me finish that answer.

It's now time for a task.

Alex has written part of an answer responding to the task.

Explain two reasons why heaven and hell are important for Christians.

Alex has said, "Christians believe that heaven and hell are important because they confirm God's omnibenevolence.

This is supported by the Gospel of John which says that God loved the world so much that he was willing to sacrifice his only Son, Jesus.

This is important because it shows that God loves humans so much that he provided them with a way of spending eternity in heaven and avoiding self-exclusion in hell." I would like you to add to Alex's answer and provide another reason why beliefs about heaven and hell are important for Christians.

You must refer to a source of wisdom and authority in your response.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work on that task.

So you were asked to add to Alex's answer to provide another reason why beliefs about heaven and hell are important to Christians.

And you were also asked to refer to a source of wisdom and authority.

Your response might be similar to this.

"Another reason why the belief in heaven and hell are important to Christians is it can help guide moral behaviour.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes it clear that those who believe in him will never die.

This is important because it shows Christians that if they believe in Jesus and demonstrate this through their behaviour, they have the possibility of eternal life in heaven.

It's also important because it helps Christians understand that rejecting Jesus could lead to hell." Now what you can see here is I have used the Gospel of John as my source of wisdom and authority.

Now you may have used a different source of wisdom and authority that better supports the point that you've given.

And if you have, this is absolutely fine.

So well done again for your work during that task.

We've now reached the end of our lesson on "Christian eschatology: afterlife." But before we finish, let's take a look at some of the key things that we've learned today.

So we've learned that for many Christians, the afterlife consists of heaven and hell.

And that heaven and hell might be interpreted differently based on biblical teachings.

We've seen that traditional beliefs about heaven and hell include that they are physical places, and that an alternative belief is a contemporary interpretation, which suggests that heaven and hell are spiritual states of existence, and that hell is a self-exclusion from God rather than a physical place.

And, finally, we looked at how beliefs about heaven and hell might be important because they influence Christian attitudes and moral behaviour, and influence practises such as funerals and provide comfort for people whilst grieving.

So a huge well done for all of your work this lesson.

It's been wonderful learning with you today.