The terms afterlife or life after death refer to the continuation of existence of the soul, spirit or mind of a human (or animal) after physical death, sometimes in a spiritual or ghostlike afterworld. In common usage existence is the world of which we are aware through our senses but in Philosophy the word has a more specialized meaning and is often contrasted with The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living The English word " spirit " comes from the Latin " spiritus " (breath MIND ( Moving In New Directions) (est 1975 is an alternative education high school in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific Spirituality, in a narrow sense concerns itself with matters of the Spirit, a concept closely tied to religious belief and Faith, a transcendent reality A ghost is said to be the apparition of a Deceased person frequently similar in appearance to that person and usually encountered in places she or he frequented Deceased persons are usually believed to go to a specific region or plane of existence in the next life, often depending on the rightness of their actions during life. In Metaphysics and Esoteric cosmology, a plane, other than the Physical plane, is conceived as a subtle state of Consciousness that transcends Some believe the afterlife can be another life in this world (reincarnation). The major views on the afterlife derive from religion, esotericism and metaphysics. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos Metaphysics is the branch of Philosophy investigating principles of reality transcending those of any particular science There are those who are skeptical of the existence of the afterlife, or believe that it is absolutely impossible, such as the materialist-reductionists, who state that the topic is supernatural, therefore does not really exist or is unknowable. The Philosophy of materialism holds that the only thing that can be truly proven to exist is Matter, and is considered a form of Physicalism. The term supernatural or supranatural ( Latin: super, supra "above" + natura "nature" pertains to entities events

Contents 1 Types of views on the afterlife 2 The afterlife in different metaphysical models 3 Afterlife research in the early 20th century 4 Afterlife in modern science 5 Afterlife in Ancient Egyptian religion 6 Afterlife in Zoroastrianism 7 Afterlife in ancient Greek and Roman religion 8 Afterlife in Norse religion 9 Afterlife in Abrahamic religions 9.1 Judaism 9.2 Christianity 9.2.1 The Early Church: 1st century 9.2.2 The Early Church: 2nd and 3rd century 9.2.3 The Early Church: 4th and 5th century 9.2.4 Medieval Christianity 9.2.5 The Protestant Reformation 9.2.6 Swedenborg and the Enlightenment 9.2.7 Afterlife in Latter-Day Saints (Mormonism) 9.2.8 Salvation, faith, and merit from ancient to modern Christianity 9.2.9 The dead as Angels in Heaven 9.2.10 Universalists 9.2.11 Jehovah's Witnesses 9.2.12 The Modern Catholic Church 9.3 Islam 10 Afterlife as reincarnation 10.1 Eastern Religions 10.1.1 Hinduism 10.1.2 Buddhism 10.1.3 Sikhism 10.2 Other believers in reincarnation 11 See also 12 References 13 Further reading 14 External links

Types of views on the afterlife

There are two fundamentally different types of views on the afterlife: views claiming to be scientific and religious views.

• The first type claims to be based on some form of an observation by a human or an instrument (for example a radio or a voice recorder, which are used in EVP). Electronic voice phenomena (EVP are sections of static noise on the Radio or electronic Recording that some listeners believe sound like voices These observations come from reincarnation research, near death experiences, out-of-body experiences, astral projection, electronic voice phenomena, mediumship, various forms of photography etcetera. Reincarnation research is a field of inquiry that records and analyzes the discourse of people who claim to have had Past lives. An out-of-body experience ( OBE or sometimes OOBE) is an experience that typically involves a sensation of floating outside of one's body and in some cases perceiving Astral projection (or astral travel) is an esoteric interpretation of a type of Out-of-body experience that assumes the existence of an " Astral Electronic voice phenomena (EVP are sections of static noise on the Radio or electronic Recording that some listeners believe sound like voices Mediumship is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Louisiana Voodoo, and They are studied by survivalism. Survivalism refers to the belief in the survival of the Conscious self after the Death of the physical body. The work of people like Bruce Moen and Robert Monroe are also of this type. Bruce Moen from Colorado, USA is an author and international lecturer as well as an engineering consultant in his own firm Disambiguation Robert Monroe is also the name of one of the protagonists of the book series Bunnicula. Also scientific research into near death experiences based on observation, for example the work of Pim van Lommel. Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding ^[1]
• The second type is based on some form of faith, usually faith in the stories that are told by ancestors or faith in religious books like the Bible, the Qur'an, the Talmud, the Vedas, the Tripitaka et cetera. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran The Talmud ( Hebrew: he תַּלְמוּד is a record of Rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Tripiṭaka ( Sanskrit; Devanagari: त्रिपिटक lit This article is mainly about this second type.

The afterlife in different metaphysical models

See the list of philosophical questions for related information.

In metaphysical models, theists generally believe some sort of afterlife awaits people when they die. Theism, in its most inclusive usage is the belief in at least one Deity. Atheists generally do not believe that there is an afterlife. Atheism Members of some generally non-theistic religions such as Buddhism, tend to believe in an afterlife like reincarnation but without reference to God. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity.

Agnostics generally hold the position that like the existence of God, the existence of supernatural phenomena, such as souls or life after death, is unverifiable and therefore unknowable. Agnosticism ( Greek: α- a-, without + γνώσις gnōsis, knowledge after Gnosticism) is the philosophical view that the Some philosophies (i. e. posthumanism, Humanism, and often empiricism) generally hold that there is not an afterlife. In literary and Critical theory, posthumanism or post-humanism, meaning beyond humanism, is a major European Continental philosophy See also philosophical Humanism For the Renaissance liberal arts movement see Renaissance humanism Humanism is In Philosophy, empiricism is a theory of Knowledge which asserts that knowledge arises from Experience.

Many religions, whether they believe in the soul’s existence in another world like Christianity, Islam and many pagan belief systems, or in reincarnation like many forms of Hinduism and Buddhism, believe that one’s status in the afterlife is a reward or punishment for their conduct during life. Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world

Afterlife research in the early 20th century

Science, in general, either describes the universe and human beings without reference to a soul or to an afterlife, or tends to remain mute on the issue. A notable exception is a famous study conducted in 1901 by physician Duncan MacDougall, who sought to measure the weight purportedly lost by a human body when the soul departed the body upon death. Duncan MacDougall can refer to Duncan MacDougall Donnchadh of Argyll (d The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific ^[2] MacDougall weighed dying patients in an attempt to prove that the soul was material, tangible and thus measurable. These experiments are widely considered to have had little if any scientific merit, and although MacDougall's results varied considerably from "21 grams," for some people this figure has become synonymous with the measure of a soul's mass. Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding ^[3] The title of the 2003 movie 21 Grams is a reference to MacDougall's findings. 21 Grams is a 2003 Drama directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and written by Guillermo Arriaga.

Afterlife in modern science

Some, such as Francis Crick in 1994, have attempted a ‘scientific search for the soul’. Francis Harry Compton Crick OM FRS (8 June 1916 – 28 July 2004 Ph ^[4] Frank Tipler has argued that physics can explain immortality, though such arguments are not falsifiable and thus do not qualify as science. Frank Jennings Tipler III (born February 1, 1947 in Andalusia Alabama Prof Physics (Greek Physis - φύσις in everyday terms is the Science of Matter and its motion. Immortality (or eternal life) is the concept of living in physical or spiritual form for an Infinite length of Time. ^[5]

Some investigations have been conducted which failed to find evidence that “out-of-body” experiences transcend the confines of the brain. For example, one hospital placed an LED marquee above its patients’ beds which displayed a hidden message that could only be read if one were looking down from above. As of 2001, no one who claimed near-death experience or out-of-body experience within that hospital had reported having seen the hidden message. ^[6]

Afterlife in Ancient Egyptian religion

The afterlife played an important role in Ancient Egyptian religion, and its belief system is one of the earliest known. Ancient Egyptian religion encompasses the various religious beliefs and rituals practiced in Ancient Egypt from the predynastic period until the adoption of Christianity When the body died, parts of its soul known as ka (body double) and the ba (personality) would go to the Kingdom of the Dead. While the soul dwelt in the Fields of Aaru, Osiris demanded work as payback for the protection he provided. "Reed fields" redirects here For the natural habitat see Reed bed. Osiris ( Greek language, also Usiris; the Egyptian language name is variously transliterated Asar, Aser, Ausar, Ausir Statues were placed in the tombs to serve as substitutes for the deceased.

Arriving at one's reward in afterlife was a demanding ordeal, requiring a sin-free heart and the ability to recite the spells, passwords, and formulae of the Book of the Dead. ' The Book of the Dead' is the common name for the Ancient Egyptian Funerary text known as ' Spells of Coming' (or ' Going') ' Forth By Day' In the Hall of Two Truths, the deceased's heart was weighed against the Shu feather of truth and justice taken from the headdress of the goddess Ma'at. Maat or Mayet, thought to have been pronounced as *Muʔʕat (Muh-aht was the Ancient Egyptian concept of Truth, balance order— Law ^[7] If the heart was lighter than the feather, they could pass on, but if it were heavier they would be devoured by the demon Ammit. In Egyptian mythology, Ammit (also spelt Ammut, Ammet, Amam, Amemet and Ahemait) was the personification of Divine

Egyptians also believed that being mummified was the only way to have an afterlife. Only if the corpse had been properly embalmed and entombed in a mastaba, could the dead live again in the Fields of Yalu and accompany the Sun on its daily ride. Embalming, in most modern Cultures is the Art and Science of temporarily preserving human remains to forestall Decomposition A mastaba was a flat-roofed rectangular building with outward sloping sides that marked the burial site of many eminent Egyptians of Egypt's ancient period. Due to the dangers the afterlife posed, the Book of the Dead was placed in the tomb with the body.

Afterlife in Zoroastrianism

Zoroaster, who lived in Iran around 1000 BCE, teaches that the dead will be swallowed by terror and purified to live in a perfected material world at the end of time. Zoroaster ( Latinized from Greek variants) or Zarathushtra (from Avestan Zaraθuštra) also referred to as Zartosht (زرتشت

The Pahlavi text Dadestan-i Denig ("Religious Decisions") from about 900 CE, describes the particular judgment of the soul three days after death, with each soul sent to heaven, hell, or a neutral place (hamistagan) to await Judgment Day. Particular judgment, according to Christian Eschatology, is the judgement given by God a departed Soul undergoes immediately after death in See also Zoroastrian eschatology As described in the 9th century Zoroastrian text Dadestan-i Denig ("Religious Decisions" hamistagan In Christian eschatology, the Last Judgment or Day of the Lord is the judgment by God of every human who ever lived

Afterlife in ancient Greek and Roman religion

In the Odyssey, Homer refers to the dead as "burnt-out wraiths. The Odyssey ( Greek: Ὀδύσσεια or Odússeia) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. Homer ( Ancient Greek:, Homēros) is a legendary ancient Greek epic Poet, traditionally said to be the author of the epic poems the " An afterlife of eternal bliss exists in Elysium, but is reserved for Zeus's mortal descendants. In Greek mythology, Elysium ( Greek:) was a section of the Underworld (the spelling Elysium is a Latinization of the Zeus (zjuːs in Greek: nominative: Zeús /zdeús/ genitive: Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/ in Greek mythology

In his Myth of Er, Plato describes souls being judged immediately after death and sent either to the heavens for a reward or underground for punishment. The Myth of Er is an eschatological legend that concludes Plato 's dialogue known as "The Republic" (10 Biography Early life Birth and family Plato was born in Athens Greece After their respective judgments have been enjoyed or suffered, the souls are reincarnated.

The Greek god Hades is known in Greek mythology as the king of the underworld, a bleak place in between the place of torment and the place of rest, where most souls live after death. Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient Some heroes of Greek legend are allowed to visit the underworld. The Romans had a similar belief system about the afterlife, with Hades becoming known as Pluto. The Trojan prince Aeneas, who founds the nation that would later become Rome, visits the underworld according to the epic poem Aeneid. For the group of nine Ancient Egyptian deities see Ennead. The Aeneid (əˈniːɪd in

Afterlife in Norse religion

The Poetic and Prose Eddas, the oldest sources for information on the Norse concept of the afterlife, vary in their description of the several realms that are described as falling under this topic. The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems primarily preserved in the Icelandic mediaeval Manuscript Codex Regius. The Prose Edda, also known as the Younger Edda, Snorri's Edda ( Snorra Edda) or simply Edda, is an The most well-known are:

• Valhalla: (lit. See also Death in Norse paganism In Norse mythology, Valhalla (from Old Norse Valhöll "hall of the slain" is a majestic enormous "Hall of the Slain" i. e. "the Chosen Ones") This heavenly abode, somewhat analogous to the Greek Elysium, is reserved for those brave warriors who die heroically in battle. In Greek mythology, Elysium ( Greek:) was a section of the Underworld (the spelling Elysium is a Latinization of the
• Hel: (lit. See also Death in Norse paganism In Norse mythology, Hel, the location shares a name with Hel, a female figure associated with the location "The Covered Hall") This abode is somewhat like Hades from Ancient Greek religion: there, something not unlike the Asphodel Meadows can be found, and people who have neither excelled in that which is good nor excelled in that which is bad can expect to go there after they die and be reunited with their loved ones. Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient The Asphodel Meadows is a section of the Ancient Greek underworld where indifferent and ordinary souls were sent to live after death
• Niflhel: (lit. Niflhel ("Misty Hel " Nifel being cognate with Nebel, a German and Latin root meaning Cloud) is the name of a location in "The Dark" or "Misty Hel") This realm is roughly analogous to Greek Tartarus. In classic Greek mythology below Heaven, Earth, and Pontus is Tartarus, or Tartaros ( Greek Τάρταρος deep place It is the deeper level beneath Hel, and those who break oaths, abduct and rape women, and other vile things will be sent there to be among their kind to suffer some pretty harsh punishments.

Afterlife in Abrahamic religions

Judaism

Writing that would later be incorporated into the Hebrew Bible names sheol as the afterlife, a gloomy place where all are destined to go after death. The term Hebrew Bible is a generic reference to those books of the Bible originally written in Biblical Hebrew (and the related Biblical Aramaic Sheol (pronounced "Sheh-ole" in Hebrew שאול (Sh'ol is the "abode of the dead" the " Underworld " "the common The Book of Numbers identifies sheol as literally underground (Numbers 16:31-33), in the Biblical account of the destruction of the rebellious Korah, Dathan and Abiram and their 250 followers, although it is speculated that this passage should be read literally, signifying an earthquake or split in the earth. The Book of Numbers, ( Bamidbar, meaning in the wilderness) is the fourth book of the Torah, the Tanakh, and the Old Testament. Sheol (pronounced "Sheh-ole" in Hebrew שאול (Sh'ol is the "abode of the dead" the " Underworld " "the common

The Talmud offers a number of thoughts relating to the afterlife. The Talmud ( Hebrew: he תַּלְמוּד is a record of Rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history After death, the soul is brought for judgment. Those who have lead pristine lives enter immediately into the "World to Come. " Most do not enter the World to Come immediately, but now experience a period of review of their earthly actions and they are made aware of what they have done wrong. Some view this period as being a "re-schooling", with the soul gaining wisdom as one's errors are reviewed. Others view this period to include punishment for past wrongs. At the end of this period, approximately one year, the soul then takes its place in the World to Come. Although punishments are made part of certain Jewish conceptions of the afterlife, the concept of "eternal damnation," so prevalent in other religions, is not a central tenet of the Jewish afterlife. According to the Talmud, eternal punishment is reserved for a much smaller group of malicious and evil leaders, either whose deeds go way beyond norms, or who lead large groups of people to evil. In the Talmud, completed by 500 CE, eternal damnation is reserved for the Caesar of Rome, for example, along with other individuals who led many to evil. The modern-day example of someone who would merit eternal damnation in Jewish thought would be Hitler.

The Book of Enoch describes sheol as divided into four compartments for four types of the dead: the faithful saints who await resurrection in Paradise, the merely virtuous who await their reward, the wicked who await punishment, and the wicked who have already been punished and will not be resurrected on Judgment Day. The Book of Enoch is any of several works that attribute themselves to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah and son of Jared ( Sheol (pronounced "Sheh-ole" in Hebrew שאול (Sh'ol is the "abode of the dead" the " Underworld " "the common Paradise is a word of Persian origin ( Persian: پردیس Pardìs) that is generally identified with the Garden of Eden or with Heaven. ^[8] It should be noted that the Book of Enoch is considered apocryphal by most denominations of Christianity and all denominations of Judaism.

The book of 2 Maccabees gives a clear account of the dead awaiting a future resurrection and judgment, plus prayers and offerings for the dead to remove the burden of sin. 2 Maccabees is a deuterocanonical book of the Bible which focuses on the Jews revolt against Antiochus and concludes with the defeat of the

Maimonides describes the Olam Haba ("World to Come") in spiritual terms, relegating the prophesied physical resurrection to the status of a future miracle, unrelated to the afterlife or the Messianic era. Moses Maimonides ( March 30 1135 – December 13 1204) also known as the Rambam, was a Rabbi, Physician, and Jewish eschatology is concerned with the Jewish Messiah, Afterlife, and the revival of the dead. According to Maimonides, an afterlife continues for the soul of every human being, a soul now separated from the body in which it was "housed" during its earthly existence.

The Zohar describes Gehenna not as a place of punishment for the wicked but as a place of spiritual purification for the souls of almost all mortals. For the village in southern Israel see Tzohar The Zohar (זהר lit Splendor or Radiance) is widely considered the most important for the Polish film see Gehenna (film See also Jewish eschatology Gehennam (or gehenom or gehinom (גהינום is [1]

Christianity

The Early Church: 1st century

Jesus and the New Testament writers of the Bible books mention notions of an afterlife and resurrection that involve ideas like heaven and hell. Domenico di Pace Beccafumi (1486&ndash May 18 1551) was an Italian Renaissance - Mannerist painter active predominantly Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin This article concerns itself with Jesus Christ Christian, Islamic and other religious interpretations of resurrection in general Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond Hell, according to many Religious beliefs, is a location in the Afterlife, which may be described as a place of suffering The author of Luke recounts the story of Lazarus and the rich man, which shows people in Hades awaiting the resurrection either in comfort or torment. The Gospel of Luke (Gk Κατά Λουκάν Ευαγγέλιον) is a synoptic Gospel, and is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the Dives and Lazarus or Lazarus and Dives is a narrative attributed to Jesus that is reported only in the Gospel of Luke ( Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient See also Intermediate state The phrase " Bosom of Abraham " refers to the place of comfort in Sheol (Greek hades The author of the Book of Revelation writes about God and the angels versus Satan and demons in an epic battle at the end of times when all souls are judged. The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John, Apocalypse of John ( pronounced, from the Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. An angel is a Spiritual Supernatural being found in many Religions Although the nature of angels and the tasks given to them vary from tradition to tradition Satan, ( Standard Hebrew Satan'el, English accuser) is a term that originates from the Abrahamic faiths, being traditionally The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living There is mention of ghostly bodies of past prophets, and the transfiguration.

The Early Church: 2nd and 3rd century

The non-canonical Acts of Paul and Thecla speak of the efficacy of prayer for the dead, so that they might be "translated to a state of happiness. The Acts of Paul and Thecla ( Acta Pauli et Theclae) is an apocryphal story of St Paul 's influence on a young virgin named Thecla. "^[9]

Hippolytus of Rome pictures Hades as a place where the righteous dead, awaiting in the bosom of Abraham their resurrection, rejoice at their future prospect, while the unrighteous are tormented at the sight of the "lake of unquenchable fire" into which they are destined to be cast. For places named after the saint see Saint-Hippolyte Saint Hippolytus of Rome (c Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient See also Intermediate state The phrase " Bosom of Abraham " refers to the place of comfort in Sheol (Greek hades A lake of fire appears in both Ancient Egyptian and Christian religion as a place where after death the wicked are punished or destroyed

The Early Church: 4th and 5th century

Gregory of Nyssa discusses the long-before believed possibility of purification of souls after death. Gregory of Nyssa ( Greek: Άγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης Latin: Gregorius Nyssenus; Arabic: غريغوريوس النيصي See also Intermediate state Limbo|Heaven|Sheol|Hades in Christianity|Hell in Christianity Purgatory, in the original sense is the condition or process of purification ^[10]

Saint Augustine counters Pelagius, arguing that original sin means that the unbaptized go to hell, including infants, albeit with less suffering than is experienced by those guilty of actual sins. Pelagius (ca 354 &ndash ca 420/440 was an ascetic monk who denied the doctrine of Original sin, later developed by Augustine of Hippo, and Original sin is according to a doctrine in Catholic theology, humanity's state of Sin resulting from the Fall of Man.

Medieval Christianity

Pope Gregory I repeats the concept, articulated over a century earlier by Gregory of Nyssa that the saved suffer purification after death, in connection with which he wrote of "purgatorial flames". Gregory of Nyssa ( Greek: Άγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης Latin: Gregorius Nyssenus; Arabic: غريغوريوس النيصي See also Intermediate state Limbo|Heaven|Sheol|Hades in Christianity|Hell in Christianity Purgatory, in the original sense is the condition or process of purification The noun "purgatorium" (Latin: place of cleansing^[11]) is used for the first time to describe a state of painful purification of the saved after life. See also Intermediate state Limbo|Heaven|Sheol|Hades in Christianity|Hell in Christianity Purgatory, in the original sense is the condition or process of purification The same word in adjectival form (purgatorius -a -um, cleansing), which appears also in non-religious writing,^[12] was already used by Christians such as Augustine of Hippo and Pope Gregory I to refer to an after-death cleansing.

The Protestant Reformation

Martin Luther denounces the doctrine of particular judgment, professing instead the belief that the soul sleeps until Judgment Day. Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer Particular judgment, according to Christian Eschatology, is the judgement given by God a departed Soul undergoes immediately after death in See also Intermediate state In Christian theology, soul sleep is a belief that the Soul sleeps unconsciously between the Death of the In Christian eschatology, the Last Judgment or Day of the Lord is the judgment by God of every human who ever lived John Calvin denounces Luther's doctrine, writing instead that the souls of the elect rest in blessedness while awaiting the resurrection of the dead. John Calvin (or Jean Calvin) (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564 was a French Protestant theologian during the Protestant Reformation and This article concerns itself with the belief in the final Resurrection at the End of time, commonly found in the Abrahamic religions.

Swedenborg and the Enlightenment

During the Age of Enlightenment, theologians and philosophers presented various philosophies and beliefs. The Age of Enlightenment or The Enlightenment is a term used to describe a phase in Western philosophy and cultural life centered upon the eighteenth century A notable example is Emanuel Swedenborg who wrote some 18 theological works which describe in detail the nature of the afterlife according to his claimed spiritual experiences, the most famous of which is Heaven and Hell. (born Emanuel Swedberg; February 8 1688–March 29 1772 was a Swedish Scientist, Philosopher, Christian mystic, and Theologian Heaven and Hell is the common English title of a book written by mystic Emanuel Swedenborg in Latin, published in 1758.

On the other hand, the enlightenment produced more rationalist philosophies such as deism. Deism is the belief that a supreme God exists and created the physical universe and that religious truths can be arrived at by the application of reason alone without dependence on revelation Many deist freethinkers held that belief in an afterlife with reward and punishment was a necessity of reason and good moral order.

Afterlife in Latter-Day Saints (Mormonism)

President Joseph F. Smith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints presents an elaborate vision of the Afterlife. Joseph Fielding Smith Sr ( November 13, 1838 &ndash November 19, 1918) was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known It is revealed as the scene of an extensive missionary effort by righteous spirits to redeem those still in darkness - a spirit prison or "hell" where the spirits of the dead remain until judgement. It is divided into two parts: Spirit Prison and Paradise. Together these are also known as the Spirit World (also Abraham's Bosom; see Luke 16:19-25). They believe that Christ visited spirit prison (1 Peter 3:18-20) and opened the gate for those who repent to cross over to Paradise. This is similar to the Harrowing of Hell doctrine of some mainstream Christian faiths. The Harrowing of Hell is a doctrine in Christian theology referenced in the Apostles' Creed and the Athanasian Creed (Quicumque vult, which states that Both Spirit Prison and Paradise are temporary according to Latter-day Saint beliefs. After the resurrection spirits are assigned "permanently" to three degrees of heavenly glory (1 Cor 15:44-42; Doctrine and Covenants, Section 76) or are cast with Satan into Outer Darkness. (See Doctrine and Covenants, Section 76. ) This continues to be the belief system of most Mormons.

Salvation, faith, and merit from ancient to modern Christianity

Most Christians deny that entry into Heaven can be properly earned, rather it is a gift that is solely God's to give through his unmerited grace. This belief follows the theology of St. Paul: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and The Augustinian, Thomist, Lutheran, and Calvinist theological traditions all emphasize the necessity of God's undeserved grace for salvation, and reject so-called Pelagianism, which would make man earn salvation through good works. Thomism is the philosophical school that arose as a legacy of the work and thought of Thomas Aquinas. Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the Pelagianism is a theological theory named after Pelagius (ad 354 – ad Not all Christian sects accept this doctrine, leading many controversies on grace and free will, and the idea of predestination. The question of free will Predestination (also linked with Foreknowledge) is a religious concept which involves the relationship between God and His creation In particular, the belief that heaven is a reward for good behavior is a common folk belief in Christian societies, even among members of churches which reject that belief.

Christian theologians Thomas Aquinas and Jonathan Edwards wrote that the saved in heaven will delight in the suffering of the damned. This article is about the theologian (b 1703 for other uses of Jonathan Edwards see Jonathan Edwards. Hell, however, doesn't fit modern, humanitarian concepts of punishment because it can't deter the unbeliever nor rehabilitate the damned, this however, does not affect the Christian belief which places Biblical teaching above the ideas of society. Some Christian believers have come to downplay the punishment of hell. Universalists teach that salvation is for all. Universalism can be classified as a Religion, Theology and Philosophy that generally holds all persons and creatures are related to God or the Divine and Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists, though they have among the strictest rules on how to conduct their lives, teach that sinners are destroyed rather than tortured forever. Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination The Seventh-day Adventist (abbreviated " Adventist " Church is a Christian denomination which is distinguished mainly by its observance

The dead as Angels in Heaven

In the informal folk beliefs of many Christians, the souls of virtuous people ascend to Heaven and are converted into angels. The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living An angel is a Spiritual Supernatural being found in many Religions Although the nature of angels and the tasks given to them vary from tradition to tradition More formal Christian theology makes a sharp distinction between angels, who were created by God before the creation of humanity, and saints, who are people who have received immortality from the grace of God through faith in the Son of God Jesus (John 3:16). God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity.

Universalists

Some sects, such as the Universalists, believe in universalism which holds that all will eventually be rewarded regardless of what they have done or believed. Universalism can be classified as a Religion, Theology and Philosophy that generally holds all persons and creatures are related to God or the Divine and

Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah's Witnesses understand Ecclesiastes 9:5 to preclude an afterlife:

For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all, neither do they any more have wages, because the remembrance of them has been forgotten. Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination Ecclesiastes (often abbreviated Ecc) (קֹהֶלֶת Kohelet, variously transliterated as Qoheleth, Göhalath, Koheles, Koheleth

They believe that following Armageddon a resurrection in the flesh^[13] to an Edenic Earth^[14] will be rewarded to both righteous and unrighteous (but not wicked) dead. Acts 24:15 states, "“I have hope toward God . . . that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. ”

Eternal death (non-existence) is the punishment for sin lacking repentance after Armageddon. Although those who are not dead when Armageddon occurs will be judged and possibly slain during Armageddon because of their potential regretless sins. They believe that death is the price for sinning (that is why most dead will be resurrected - they paid the price already). ^[15][16]

The Modern Catholic Church

In the 1990s, the Catechism of the Catholic Church defined hell not as punishment imposed on the sinner but rather as the sinner's self-exclusion from God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, or CCC, is an official exposition of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the twenty-two

Islam

The Islamic belief in the afterlife as stated in the Qur'an is unique, its official description is more detailed. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran The word used to describe Paradise in Islam is referred to as jannat and to describe Hell is jahannam. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Jannah (جنّة is the Islamic conception of Paradise. The Arabic form Jannah is a shortened version meaning simply "Garden" Jahannam (جهنم(in Turkish: cehennem in Bosnian: džehennem is the Islamic equivalent to Gei Hinnom, or Hell. Jannat and Jahannam both have different levels. Souls will not get there until after the Judgment Day, but their level of comfort while in the grave depends on their belief in The God and hereafter, as well as their deeds during this life. The levels are 7 for Jannat and 5 for Hell.

Islam teaches that the purpose of Mans creation is to worship the Creator of the Heavens and Earth, Allah, the Arabic word used to refer to The One and Only God of the Abrahamic Tradition. Allah ( Arabic: الله, ʔalˤːɑːh) is the standard Arabic word for ' Islam teaches that life lived on this Earth is a test for man to determine each individuals ultimate Reward or Punishment in the Afterlife, which is eternal and everlasting.

According to the Qur’an, the basic criteria for salvation in afterlife is:

1. The belief in one and only God 2. To believe in the afterlife, resurrection and Last Judgment 3. Performing good deeds and abstaining from bad actions 4. To believe in ALL the seen and unseen messengers of Allah: All of the Angels (i. e. Gabriel and Michael); All of the Prophets including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jesus (including his miraculous birth and Second Coming), as well as believing that Muhammad is the last messenger of God, Peace and Blessings upon all of them.

When one holds these to be true, then they are considered to be a Muslim, or one who submits to Allah, and should formally declare their Islam at their local masjid. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Allah ( Arabic: الله, ʔalˤːɑːh) is the standard Arabic word for ' A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger

Afterlife as reincarnation

An afterlife concept that is found among Hindus, Rosicrucians, Spiritists, and Wicca is reincarnation, as evolving humans life after life in the physical world, that is, acquiring a superior grade of consciousness and altruism by means of successive reincarnations. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The term Rosicrucian (symbol the Rose Cross) describes a secret society of mystics allegedly formed in late mediaeval Germany, holding a doctrine "built on Spiritism is a Christian philosophical Doctrine, established in France in the mid-nineteenth century The physical plane, physical world, or physical universe, in Emanationist metaphysics such as are found in Neoplatonism, Hermeticism Consciousness has been defined loosely as a constellation of attributes of Mind such as Subjectivity, Self-awareness, Sentience, and the Altruism is selfless concern for the welfare of others It is a traditional Virtue in many cultures and central to many religious traditions This succession is conceived to lead toward an eventual liberation or spiritual rebirth as spiritual beings. In Theology, salvation can mean three related things being saved from or Liberation from something such as Suffering or the punishment of

Some practitioners of eastern religions follow a different concept called metempsychosis which purposes that human beings can transmigrate into animals, vegetables, or even minerals. Reincarnation Metempsychosis is a philosophical term in the Greek language referring to the belief of Transmigration of the soul, especially its Reincarnation Transmigration of the soul (sometimes given simply as Transmigration) is similar and foreign in some ways to the philosophy of Reincarnation. The term " vegetable " generally means the edible parts of Plants The definition of the word is traditional rather than Scientific, however A mineral is a naturally occurring substance formed through geological processes that has a characteristic chemical composition a highly ordered atomic structure and specific One consequence of the Hindu and Spiritist beliefs is that our current lives are also an afterlife. According to those beliefs events in our current life are consequences of actions taken in previous lives, or Karma. Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्म, kárman - "act action performance" Pali: kamma) is the concept of "action"

Eastern Religions

Hinduism

The Upanishads describe reincarnation, or samsara. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings The Bhagavad Gita, an important book for Hinduism talks extensively about the afterlife. Here, the Lord Krishna says that just as a man discards his old clothes and wears new ones; similarly the soul discards the old body and takes on a new one. Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism In Hinduism, the belief is that the body is but a shell, the soul inside is immutable and indestructible and takes on different lives in a cycle of birth and death. The end of this cycle is Moksha or salvation. However, not all Hindus believe in reincarnation.

Buddhism

Buddhists believe that rebirth takes place without a self (similar to soul) and that the process of rebirth is simply a continuation of the previous life. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Rebirth in Buddhism is the doctrine that the consciousness of a person (as conventionally regarded upon the death or dissolution of the aggregates ( Skandhas Ātman (आत्मन् or Atta ( Pāli) literally means "self" but is sometimes translated as " Soul " or " Ego " The process of being reborn as any other being is based on your karma. Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्मन karman, Pāli: कमा Kamma) means "action" or "doing" whatever From a Buddhist perspective, the current life is a continuation of the past life. If one dies with a peaceful state of mind, this will cause fortunate karma to ripen and a fortunate rebirth as a human or god will follow. If one dies with a negative state of mind, this will ripen negative karma and a lower rebirth such as an animal, ghost, or hell-being will follow.

In Tibetan Buddhism the Tibetan Book of the Dead explains the intermediate state of humans between death and reincarnation. Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including The deceased will find the bright light of wisdom, which shows a straightforward path to move upward and leave the cycle of reincarnation. There are various reasons why the deceased do not follow that light. Some had no briefing about the intermediate state in the former life. Others only used to follow their basic instincts like animals. And some have fear, which results from foul deeds in the former life or from insistent haughtiness. In the intermediate state the awareness is very flexible, so it is important to be virtuous, adopt a positive attitude, and avoid negative ideas. Ideas which are rising from subconsciousness can cause extreme tempers and cowing visions. In this situation they have to understand, that these manifestations are just reflections of the inner thoughts. No one can really hurt them, because they have no more material body. The deceased get help from different Buddhas who show them the path to the bright light. In Buddhism, buddhahood ( Sanskrit: buddhatva. Pali: buddhatta. The ones who do not follow the path after all will get hints for a better reincarnation. They have to release the things and beings on which or whom they still hang from the life before. It is recommended to choose a family where the parents trust in the Dharma and to reincarnate with the will to care for the welfare of all beings. Dhamma ( Pāli: धम्म or Dharma (धर्म in Buddhism has two primary meanings the teachings of the Buddha which lead to enlightenment

Sikhism

Sikhs also believe in reincarnation. Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. They believe that the soul belongs to the spiritual universe which has its origins in God. It is like a see-saw, the amount of good done in life will store up blessings, thus uniting with God. A soul may need to live many lives before it is one with God. But there is more to it than this; there are four classes that are included in this belief. . . Above these four classes is God "Waheguru" and you can stay with him if you like or take another step and go to your people and serve them. Below these four classes are non humans such as plants and viruses. You move up and down according to your deeds, a good life and death moves you up to a higher class and a bad life and death results in going down a class. Bolo satnam waheguru.

Other believers in reincarnation

Rosicrucians,^[17] in the same way of those who have had near-death experiences, speak of a life review period occurring immediately after death and before entering the afterlife's planes of existence (before the silver cord is broken), followed by a judgment, more akin to a Final Review or End Report over one's life. A life review is a phenomenon widely reported as occurring during Near-death experiences in which a person rapidly sees much or the totality of their life history in chronological In Metaphysics and Esoteric cosmology, a plane, other than the Physical plane, is conceived as a subtle state of Consciousness that transcends This article is about a metaphysical term For the album by The Classic Crime see The Silver Cord Silver cord is in metaphysical literature a In Christian eschatology, the Last Judgment or Day of the Lord is the judgment by God of every human who ever lived ^[18]

Some Neopagans believe in personal reincarnation, whereas some believe that the energy of one's soul reintegrates with a continuum of such energy which is recycled into other living things as they are born. Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism is an Umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements particularly those influenced by historical

Many Wiccans, though not all, profess a belief in an afterlife called the Summerland, a peaceful and sunny place where the souls of the newly dead are sent. Here, souls rest, recuperate from life, and reflect on the experiences they had during their lives. After a period of rest, the souls are reincarnated, and the memory of their previous lives is erased. Shi'a Muslims believe to Raj'a that can be understood as a limited reincarnation. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Raj`a الرجعة in Arabic means return In Islamic terminology it refers to the second coming or the return to life of a given past figure after death

See also

Akhirah Atheism Bardo Belief Brig of Dread (Bridge of Dread) Bruce Moen Cognitivism Cryonics Death Doomsday Electronic voice phenomenon Elysium Empiricism Epistemology Eschatology Eternity

Exaltation (Mormonism) Ghosts Happiness Harrowing of Hell Haunting Health Heaven Hell Humanism (life stance) Immortality Intermediate state Jewish eschatology Life Life extension Logical positivism Mictlan

Near-death experience Omega point Out-of-body experience Pre-Birth communication Preventive medicine Reincarnation Salvation Scientific method Sheol Soul Suspended animation Truth Undead Valhalla Verification

References

Further reading

• Death and Afterlife: Perspectives of World Religions edited by Hiroshi Obayashi, Praeger, 1991
• Beyond Death: Theological and Philosophical Reflections on Life after Death edited by Dan Cohn-Sherbok and Christopher Lewis, Pelgrave-MacMillan, 1995
• The Islamic Understanding of Death and Resurrection by Jane Idelman Smith and Yazbeck Haddad, Oxford UP, 2002
• Life After Death: A History of the Afterlife in Western Religion by Alan F. Segal, Doubleday, 2004
• Brain & Belief: An Exploration of the Human Soul by John J. McGraw, Aegis Press, 2004

External links

• Is there life after death? - An Evangelical Christian perspective
• www.spiritualtravel.org - A Tibetan Buddhist View of the Afterlife
• What Happens When You Die? - A Luciferian's View of the Death Process and Collective Reincarnation
• Dictionary of the History of Ideas: Death and Immortality
• Near-Death Experiences and the Afterlife
• www.yourafterlife.nu - Various Accounts of the Afterlife
• Common problems with the concept of Heaven
• Rosicrucians: The Light Beyond Death
• Afterlife entry at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy by William Hasker
• Veritas Research Program The University of Arizona, Tucson Arizona
• The Destiny of the Soul: A Critical History of the Doctrine of a Future Life, available at Project Gutenberg. Max Heindel - born Carl Louis von Grasshoff in Aarhus, Denmark on July 23, 1865 - was a Christian Occultist, Dan Cohn-Sherbok is a Rabbi of Reform Judaism and a prolific author on religion Alan F Segal is a Professor of Religion and Ingeborg Rennert Professor of Jewish Studies at Barnard College. John J The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP is a freely-accessible Online encyclopedia of Philosophy maintained by Stanford University. Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to Digitize, archive and distribute Cultural works (Extensive 1878 text by William Rounseville Alger)
• Eternal Perspectives - Articles About Eternity from a Biblical Point of View by Randy Alcorn
• Buddhist View of Death & Dying
• Dying, Yamaraja and Yamadutas (Hindu/Vedic view)
• Afterlife Kids

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