Beliefs about Death and the Afterlife

Beliefs about Death and the Afterlife

Christian Beliefs

• Christians believe in eternal life after death, a belief rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• Many Christians believe in Heaven and Hell as places of reward and punishment.
• Some Christians, particularly Catholics, believe in Purgatory - a place for purification before entering Heaven.
• The concept of judgement is also important, referring to God’s assessment of a person’s life.

Buddhist Beliefs

• Buddhists do not believe in a personal soul or eternal life.
• They believe in the cyclic process of rebirth, known as Samsara.
• The goal is to achieve liberation from this cycle, reaching Nirvana - a state of ultimate peace.
• They also believe in Karma, that actions in this life affect the circumstances of the next rebirth.

Hindu Beliefs

• Hindus also believe in Samsara and Karma, similar to Buddhists.
• They’re devoted to achieving Moksha, the liberation from the cycle of rebirth.
• There’s a belief in Atman, the eternal soul, which moves through many lives until Moksha is achieved.
• Many Hindus believe in a heavenly realm and a hellish realm, determined by Karma.

Muslim Beliefs

• Muslims believe in Akhirah, eternal life after death.
• They believe in the concept of Heaven (Jannah) and Hell (Jahannam).
• There is also a belief in a Day of Judgement, where Allah will assess an individual’s life.
• The body is viewed as a temporary container of the soul; hence, burial practises are very important for them.

General Concepts

• Concepts like immortality of the soul, resurrection and reincarnation appear in different beliefs depending on the religion.
• The way a person lives their life often impacts their belief about what happens after death.