9.5.1 Death & the Afterlife (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))
Revision Note
Written by: Glenn Millington
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Is There Life After Death?
Death is when the brain and body stop functioning permanently
For many people, death is the end of life and there is nothing left when the brain and body stop functioning
This is materialism. It is a belief based on the physical nature of the body
Religious people believe that at death the soul/spirit/self leaves the physical body and lives on beyond death
Dualism is the belief that humans are made of two separate parts: body and soul
Non-dualism is the belief held by some Christians that the body and soul cannot be separated and that the body is resurrected after birth
Though religious beliefs vary, all religions believe there is a continuation and some other kind of life after death
Although belief in an afterlife is often associated with religious people, some non-religious people believe death is not the end
Evidence of Life After Death
There are many religious and non-religious arguments which support the belief in an afterlife
Religious arguments are often based on scripture and faith
Non-religious arguments could be based on experiences which lead them to believe that there is an afterlife. These experiences include:
Paranormal events - things that occur that are beyond normal experience or scientific explanation. Some people view such events as proof of an afterlife
Ghosts - claimed to be disembodied spirits believed to be dead people who remain on earth
Spiritualist mediums - people who claim to be able to contact the spirit world
Some non-religious may believe in reincarnation. This may be because they claim to have memories of past lives
Some people claim to have experienced near-death experiences. This is when they have temporarily died and been brought back to life
Many people are sceptical of some of these arguments for belief in an afterlife
They might claim that there is no absolute scientific proof for any of the events, and that there are alternative explanations for these beliefs
Some non-religious people may choose to believe in an afterlife because it brings them comfort and reassurance, especially if they are fearful of death
For some people an afterlife makes sense of life which otherwise may lack meaning or purpose
Religious Teachings about Death & the Afterlife
There are many religious arguments which support the belief in an afterlife
Christians and Muslims have similar beliefs about life after death but there are some differences
Christianity and the afterlife | Islam and the afterlife |
|---|---|
Christians believe that there is life after death because the bible says that death is not the end | Muslims believe that there is life after death because the Qur'an says that death is not the end |
'He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit' (1 Peter 3: 18) | 'One who has repented, believed and done righteous, it is promised by Allah that he will be among the successful' (Qur'an 28: 67) |
Christians believe that the resurrection of Jesus is evidence that there is life after death | Muslims believe that all of this life is preparation for akhirah (afterlife) |
Christianity teaches that those who have led good lives will go to heaven and those who do not will go to hell. The parables of the Rich Man and Lazarus, and the Sheep and | Muslims believe that everyone will either go to Jannah (paradise) or Jahannam (hell) when they die |
Some Christians believe in 'resurrection', where the body is brought back to life after death | All Muslims believe that they will be resurrected on the Day of Judgement for their actions to be judged and their fate decided |
Other Christians believe in the 'immortality of the soul' where the body dies at death but the soul lives on in the afterlife | Allah 'will assemble you for the Day of Resurrection' (Qur'an 45: 26) |
The purpose of being a Christian is to live life by the Bible and as a result, to go to heaven when they die | The purpose for Muslims is to live life according to the Qur'an and the teachings of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) |
Some Christians (Evangelicals) view hell literally as a place of torment and torture. Others believe that hell is simply an absence of God | Muslims believe that paradise and hell are very real and that all of their actions are being recorded so they can be considered on the Day of Judgement |
Worked Example
Explain two Christian beliefs about the afterlife. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Christian belief and teaching in your answer
[5 marks]
Answer
Christians believe that in the afterlife you are chosen to either go to heaven or hell depending on how you lived life on Earth (2 marks)
The Bible states that if you succeed in living a good Christian life you will be ‘rewarded’ in the afterlife and go to heaven (2 marks)
They believe this because the bible says, 'He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son' (Colossians 1:13) (1 mark)
Explanation of marks
This response would earn the full 5 marks because both points are detailed (2 marks each) and there is a clear and relevant reference to sacred writings
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Questions relating to life after death could ask you about different religious beliefs relating to an afterlife but it may also ask you to evaluate a statement considering the likelihood of life after death. An example of this would be;
‘It is not reasonable to believe in life after death.’
Evaluate this statement.
In your answer you:
• should give reasoned arguments in support of this statement
• should give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view
• should refer to religious arguments
• may refer to non-religious arguments
• should reach a justified conclusion
In response to this question you are expected to explain a number of arguments in support of, and against the statement. You must also include some religious arguments and can include some non-religious arguments too. The response must include a reasoned conclusion based upon the arguments within the response
An example of arguments in support of the statement include,
Many atheists would argue that there is no proof of any form of afterlife or of a soul or spirit that could survive death
Nobody has come back from the dead in a way that is proof of an afterlife
Jesus’ ‘appearances’ could have been made up in the bible
A person can only be human in one physical body and when the body dies the person dies
Ideas of spirits etc. are just wishful thinking because people are scared of facing the reality that they are alive only for a short time
Spiritualist mediums are fakes and ghosts are made up
An example of arguments against the statement include,
There is evidence in scripture or religious texts of life after death and scripture is the ‘Word of God’
There are a lot of cases of people being able to recall previous existences in detail that can only be valid if the person actually lived that previous existence
In near death experiences, the soul leaves the body for a time, proving that the soul is different from the body and can live on without the body
The bible states that humans will live after death and the resurrection of Jesus is proof that it can happen
The bible talks about how humans will be judged at death, and this makes sense of life including why people should live life doing good
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