Eschatology Flashcards
(11 cards)
The paschal candle and easter virgil
What happens and what does it represent?
After the sun has set, the priests lights a fire-The light of christ rising from the tomb,destroying the power of sin and earth through his resurrection
The priest traces design of alpha and omega symbols with hand-appear on pascal candle which show eternal christ
Priest light candle from fire saying ‘May the light of christ rising in glory/dispel the darkness of our hearts and mind’-the light of christ coming into the world, to overcome the darkness of sin and death
The priest processes with the candle up to the altar. Light from candle is used to light the candles held by everyone else in church-shows that all believers are able to share risen glory of christ
Other uses of paschal candle:
-used for baptisms and funerals
-when person is baptised, they are given a candle that lit from paschal candle which shows person has ben fulfilled with the light of christ
-at funeral the paschal candle is lit to show the deceased person has joined with Christ in resurrected life
Michelangelo’s last judgement
-near to Jesus are some saints who are holding tools that were used to torture and kill them.
-despite their torture, the saints are shown as having perfect bodies which reflects the catholic belief that people’s bodies will be resurrected and made perfect
-also reflects people who stick to their faith, no matter what happens, will be raised up to heaven
-Christ is central figure in painting,emphasising his importance as judge of all
-the wounds from his crucifixion are still visible,showing that jesus came to glory through obedience and suffering
-Christ’s right hand is raised,reflecting the parable of sheep and goats in which Jesus promises the good will be on his right and wicked in his left
-here christ is raising those on his right up to heaven
-people rising from their graves, showing that all people will be raised up for judgement on last day
-in original painting, everyone except for jesus and mary was naked
-shows that in last judgement , all people are equal before God
-In book of revelation, 7 angels blow trumpets to bring about end of world and christ’s judgement
-one angel is holding small book filled with names lf those who will be raised up to heaven,while another angel is holding a much larger book filled with names destined for hell
-reflects Jesus’ teaching that no one should be complacent and assume they will be raised to heaven
-people shown moving towards hell, with a sense of despair
-Hell is shown as a place of darkness, which reflects the idea that the light of Christ can’t reach people who have rejected God
Memorials for dead
Tombstones:
-Tombstone is a large cave stone that id placed over a person’s grave. It indicates the loaction of person’s grave, so it can be treated with respect
Letters Rip inscribed- prayer expressing that person is in heaven, enjoying peace and happiness of eternal life
Shaped like cross-indicates the person believed Jesus. Expresses the hope they will be resurrected with Jesus to eternal life
Some Catholic tombstones have an angel carved on them-Reflects the belief that all people have their oen guardian angel,who takes care if them during their life. This angel will represent them to God to be jduged, and ask for a merciful judgement
Monuments:
A monument is a structure that is built to remember an important person or event
In past some wealthy Christians were buried in highly decorated coffins with the Chi-Rho symbol on them-shows person believed in Jesus. Reminder of belief that Jesus died so everyone would be able to experience eternal life in heaven
Decorated with skeletons and symbols of decay in middle ages- no matter how important or wealthy a person is, they face death and God’s judgement just like everyone else
Remembrance Garden:
-outside area where the ashes of people who have been cremated can be kept
Peace and beauty design- help mourners to reflect on peace and beauty of heaven, where the person who died is now hopefully present
Quite,reflective spaces-helps people to mourn for their loved ones in peace in a place where they feel close to them
Eschatology and life after death
Eschatology and resurrection:
-bible suggests end of time will be signalled by cosmic disasters such as sun darkening or stars falling from heaven
After this:
-the son of man will come to judge the whole kf creations
-the end of current world order will lead to creation of a new one
-the Reign of God will be established
Jesus resurrection taught Christians that life continues after death in presence of God
St Paul’s letter on resurrection:
Here Paul compares the relationship between the earthly body and the resurrected body to the relationship between a seed and the plant that grows from it. In some ways they are the same thing, but they are also different from each other.
John 20:19-29 also helps to give an idea of what a resurrected body is like.
This passage tells how Jesus was resurrected in a physical body - he was not limited by any physical barrier, but he was fully present and touchable.
The four last things
Death:
-For Christians, death is a transition to a new phase of life
-Death is not something to fear, because it is the start of eternal life without limitations of earthly body
-whilst body dies, the soul continues to live on
-The soul is judged by God and sent to heaven or hell
-At end of time, final judgement, the body and soul will be reunited in a perfect form
Judgement:
-Catholics believe that after they die they will be judged by God
-God will consider everything a person has done during their lifetime
-This is moment of truth when people have to accept responsibility for all their actions
-Some Catholics believe that while God judges them, they also judge themselves in light of his love
-Because Jesus died so all people could be saved, Christians believe God’s judgement will be merciful
Heaven:
-If people are judged favourably, they will enter heaven
-Heaven is state of eternal happiness in presence of God
-In heaven,God’s love removes all cares and worries
-God wants all people to join with him in heaven, but he also respects people free will. This means people have to choose to accept God in order enter heaven.
Hell:
-If people are judged unfavourably, they will enter hell
-Hell is state of eternal separation from God
-Christians believe God dosen’t send people to hell;people send themselves by not accepting God
-People in hell of what they have thrown away, and exist in a state of frustration and anger at themselves
Purgatory
Catholics believe that when people are judged before God, many want to accept the offer of heaven
-but presence and overwhelming love of God makes some people ashamed of bad things they have done in life
-even though God has forgiven their sins, they still want to make up for bad things they done wrong.
-In this case purgatory is a cleansing process where effects of sin are removed so person can feel happy in presence of God
-can be quickend through prayers from those who are still alive
Particular and final judgement
Particular:
-Happens immediately after person dies
-When God judges someone on a personal,individual basis. Means thst they are judged on all actions during their lifetime
-Results in person going,heaven hell or prugatory
Final Judgement:
-happens at end of time
-Christ will come in glory at end kf time and judge whole lf creation
-After this reign of God will be established and everything made perfect and those who have been judged favourably by God will stay with him forever in perfect creation
Other beliefs about afterlife:
-Many Christians do not believe in purgatory
-Some people believe judgement doesn’t occur immediately after death
Parable of rich man and Lazarus
Teaching and how shown in parable:
Showing love and kindness to others will lead people to heaven-By not showing love and kindness to Lazarus, the rich man went to hell
Wealth can make it easier to forget the needs of others:
- The rich man ‘feasted sumptuously every day’ but didn’t sha
of his food with Lazarus
He didn’t use his wealth to help others, so went to hell
People in hell are conscious and aware of those in heaven:
• In hell, the rich man is aware that Abraham and Lazarus are in
• This shows that people in hell are aware of the happiness of those
in heaven
• This increases their suffering
It is not possible to move between heaven and hell:
• Abraham tells the rich man that there is a great chasm’ between heaven and hell, and it is not possible to cross from one to the d
• This shows a person can’t escape hell by repenting or apologising the things they did wrong in their life
• A person’s actions and choices during their lifetime determine the state in which they will spend the afterlife
Having faith in God, and following Jesus’ teachings, will lead people to heaven
The rich man asks Abraham to send someone from the dead to ve his brothers that heaven and hell are real, and they need to chang their ways in order to enter heaven
• Abraham replies that, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prope neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the des.
• This means that everything people need to know to get into heze. is in the scriptures. If people do not believe in the scriptures - if te don’t already have faith in God - then seeing someone rise from ta will not change their minds
Cosmic reconciliation
Refers to idea that,at end of time, the whole of creation will be reconciled with God
What is cosmic reconciliation:
1)God the father created the universe through God the Son. He made sll things to perfectly balanced in harmony
2) Sin broke this harmony,throwing the whole of creation out of balance
3)As son of God,Jesus was able to destroy power of sin and death, which had disrupted God’s perfect creation. Jesus death and resurrection helped to restore harmony to world
4)The whole of creation sill be fully restored and made perfect st end of time. At this point the cosmos will be fully reconciled with God. Cosmic reconciliation
Julian of norwich
Git was necessary that there should be sin; but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well. J 9
Revelations of Divine Love 32 (NRSV)
The first phrase reflects the Christian teaching that sin is necessary because God has given humans free will. If people are able to make free choices for or against God then sin has to exist.
But ‘all shall be well’because sin will be defeated and all things made perfect at the end of time. The whole of creation will be brought together in harmony and reconciled with God.
Church’s teachings of end kf time
The Second Vatican Council (see page 83) helped to shape the Catholic Church’s teachings about the end of time. It confirmed the following beliefs:
• At the end of time, Christ will come in glory as the judge and saviour. Catholics must
live on earth in this hope.
• No one is predestined to go to heaven or hell. People have the free will to choose whether to accept God or not.
• This means that God doesn’t send people to hell; people send themselves to hell by choosing to reject God.
• All Catholics can therefore determine what happens to them after they die through the choices they make during their lives.
• The Church teaches that people should be constantly preparing for the end of time, as no one knows when this will happen. They should always strive to follow Jesus’ teachings while they are alie & Since however we know not the day nor the hour, on Our Lord’s advice we must be constantly vigilant J 9
Lumen Gentium 48
Teaching and quote
Keep faith in good and perform good deeds and actions- ‘the work committed to us in this world by the Father, and thus work out our salvation”
Do not commit mortal sin and confess: “a wilful turning away from God is necessary and persistence in it until the end”
