This essay explores heaven and hell as a spiritual and physical place and draws upon both sides of the argument. Includes all the scholars and A02 to get the high marks in the exam.
In Christian theology, teachings about life after death are the focal point of the understanding of
Christians. The issue of what occurs after death has plagued Christian's thought throughout history;
the typical idea is that Heaven, hell are literal eternal places a person is sent to at Final Judgement.
In this essay, I will argue whether the concept of heaven and hell are eternal places or if they are
classified as temporary spiritual state of mind.
The concept of heaven may appear to a myriad of people as a literal eternal place where one goes
after their demise credibly and not deemed as temporary. Heaven is comprehended to Catholics as a
eternal place in the presence of God with experiences of unending bliss and joy. The idea of heaven
is plausible to through biblical references in the Gospel of John, 'My Father's house has many rooms;
of that we're not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you ?'. This
strengthens the argument of heaven as a literal eternal place; perhaps in metaphorical terms, it
alludes to ideas of comfort, return and familiarity to Catholics. Moreover, the 'place' described in the
Gospel conveys the physical place of Heaven where God chooses whom to be saved from his final
judgement therefore not conceived as transient. Thus, it further emphasises that the Bible directs
Catholics thoughts to heaven as a future place where it will evoke everlasting happiness into the soul
of humans as there will be no corruption and decay as we are in the eyes of God- reiterated through
biblical reference Revelation 21:27 ‘nothing impure will ever enter it’. The idea of heaven is depicted
as a physical place, reiterated through the perspective of the medieval era, where heaven was
conceived to be a literal eternal physical place, the 'Empyrean' where Catholics go after they perish.
However, this idea is significant and strengthens the argument, indicating that on the day of
Resurrection, the body is transported to this 'place' located above everything, juxtaposed with the
lowest level of hell. Certain Christian theologians perspective of heaven as a literal place is due to
their belief at the end of time; there is Resurrection of the dead to heaven; which is evident in the
Nicene Creed 'We believe in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.'As such,
it enables certain Christians a sense of hope perhaps to be reunited with loved ones as Jesus was
resurrected from the dead in a physical body so the Blessed will follow in his footsteps. The Catholic
understanding is that it will not be the same physical body but a body that will prohibit humans to
reunite. This idea is weakened through science, and our perception of the universe has evolved-
perhaps it demonstrates why some people perceive heaven as a literal place and is seemingly
located in a different dimension to where our reality of earth is. Therefore, some Christians may
discern heaven as a literal place to be a coping mechanism to their beliefs of an all-loving God, as to
why would heaven not be a physical place where one can no longer feel any agony and suffering?
Why would heaven not be a place where one goes after they perish from humanity. As such,
Christians reject Plato's idea that the soul and the body will part company at death while the soul
will move on by itself(disembodied existence).
On the contrary, the notion of hell as a literal eternal place where one encounters after death
appears coherent. The traditional depiction of hell is a place of everlasting punishment with the
absence of God. The idea of hell is highlighted in the parable of 'the Rich Man and Lazarus', where
'the rich man died and was buried. In Hades(Hell), where he was in torment, he looked up and saw
Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side'. Perhaps, this parable suggests the damned will suffer
endless pain if they do not concede the teaching of God and follow in the path of caritas.
Alternatively, it may be interpreted as if one only holds their vigilance towards material aspects
rather leading and following in the path of God, it will affect them drastically in the afterlife,
resulting in eternal life in hell. This notion is strengthened through the Biblical reference, 2 Timothy
3, ‘People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money... rather than lovers of God, having a form of
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