Views on the afterlife
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain different religious and non-religious beliefs about what may happen when we die.
Key learning points
- What happens to us after death is a long pondered question of ultimate reality.
- For Humanists, there is only this life and no part of us exists beyond death.
- Abrahamic religions teach that there will be judgement, followed by an afterlife.
- Dharmic faiths describe a cycle of life, death and rebirth called reincarnation.
- Some non religious people believe in life after death.
Keywords
Afterlife - what follows the physical life on Earth; life after death
Judgement - the belief that God will decide whether each person should receive eternal life or eternal punishment
Reincarnation - the rebirth of a soul in another body
Common misconception
All non-religious people believe there is no afterlife and that death is the absolute end.
Many non-religious individuals believe in a form of an afterlife, but without a soul moving to a spiritual realm.
Teacher tip
Pupils could carry out their own research/survey on different views on the afterlife. The findings could be presented in class via a presentation, or for homework.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Which of the following is a Dharmic religion?
Q2.Karma refers to the idea that actions have ...
Q3.Which of the following is an Abrahamic religion?
Q4.Abrahamic religions teach a single earthly ...
Q5.Where are agnostic and atheist views most common?
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Questions about life after death are questions of ultimate ...
Q2.What do Humanists believe happens after death?
Q3.What usually follows judgement in Abrahamic beliefs?
Q4.Reincarnation is the cycle of life, death and ...
Q5.Why might a non-religious person believe in life after death?
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Views on the afterlife, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Views on the afterlife, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Memory: what happens to us and our memories when we die? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.