OCR A Level DCT Topic 3: The Afterlife

Eschatology

The study of the end times, the soul's destiny, and the afterlife.

Beatific Vision

Aquinas's view of Heaven as an eternal, timeless state of perfect happiness facing God.

Summum Bonum

The highest good, which is realized through the Beatific Vision in Heaven.

Spiritual view of Hell

Eternal separation from God and the psychological agony of being cut off from His love.

Paul Tillich's view of Hell

An existential state of total alienation, rather than a physical subterranean torture chamber.

Purgatory (Catholic theology)

A temporary state of cleansing and purification for souls with venial sins.

Protestant rejection of Purgatory

The belief that Christ's death fully washed away sin, making a middle stage unnecessary.

Limited Election

The belief that only a specific chosen few (the Elect) are saved by God.

Unlimited Election

The belief that Christ died for everyone, but salvation must be actively accepted.

Universalism (Apokatastasis)

The belief that everyone will eventually be saved and Hell is not eternal.

Massa peccati (Augustine)

The "mass of sin" meaning humanity is fallen and no one deserves salvation.

Double Predestination (Calvin)

The belief that God has already decided who goes to Heaven and who goes to Hell.

Karl Barth's view of Election

Jesus Christ is the Elect, throwing salvation open to all who accept Him.

John Hick's "soul-making" afterlife

The afterlife provides further opportunities for spiritual growth and eventual salvation for everyone.

Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25)

Scripture supporting limited election through a definitive, final split and judgment of humanity.

John 3:16 (Eschatological application)

Scripture supporting unlimited election by establishing salvation as conditional upon belief.

Why does Limited Election preserve divine sovereignty?

It ensures God is completely omnipotent and uninfluenced by human actions or choices.

Why does Universalism provide moral coherence?

It protects the definition of God as love, rather than a creator of damned souls.

"Geographical accident" argument

Hick's argument that limited salvation is unfair because birth location largely decides eternal destiny.

Cosmic Renewal (Parousia)

God heals and transforms the physical world rather than destroying it.

Particular Judgement

Individual judgment happening immediately at the moment of death.

General (Final) Judgement

Public, corporate judgment of all humanity at the end of time.

Tension between Particular and General Judgement

If souls are already judged at death, a final public judgment seems redundant.

Karl Barth's "hopeful universalism"

Jesus is the only elect; salvation is structurally open to all without declaring universalism.

Dante's Purgatorio

A mountain of active rehabilitation where souls desire purification, not raw punishment.

Matthew 25 "Surprise Element"

Salvation is based on unconscious moral action, not explicit cognitive faith.

Matthew 25 vs. Sola Fide

It contradicts Pauline theology by basing salvation on works rather than faith alone.