Life After Death: Arguments and Responses
Is death the end, or is there something more? Learn why Christians believe in life after death, the arguments for and against it, and how Christians respond to those who disagree.
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What happens next?
What happens when we die? Most Christians believe in life after death, meaning death is not the end. This belief rests above all on the resurrection of Jesus, and letters such as First Peter chapter 3 teach that Christ died and was raised to life.
Key beliefs
Christian teaching about life after death uses these ideas:
A debated belief
People give different answers to the question of life after death.
The foundation
Which event is the main reason Christians believe in life after death?
- The resurrection of Jesus from death
- The birth of Jesus at Christmas
- The baptism of Jesus in the river
- The feeding of the five thousand
Arguments for
- Remembered lives
- Paranormal experiences
- Logic
- Reward
- Comfort
- People who report memories of a life before
- Reports of ghosts or contact with the dead
- The soul is not physical, so it can outlast the body
- A just God rewards good people beyond this life
- Belief brings comfort to those who grieve
The other side
Non-religious people give arguments against life after death. They point to the lack of scientific evidence, to fraudulent accounts such as fake mediums, and to the idea that the promise of an afterlife can be used for social control. For them, this life is all there is.
Arguments against
Which THREE are non-religious arguments against life after death?
- There is no scientific evidence for it
- Some accounts of it are fraudulent
- It can be used for social control
- Jesus rose from death
- A just God rewards the good
A Christian view
Put this Christian view of what happens after death in order.
- A person dies
- Their soul lives on
- They face God at judgement
- They receive eternal life with God
Complete the belief
Christians believe in life after death mainly because of the _____ of Jesus. They teach that the _____ lives on and that God will _____ each person. Non-religious people argue there is no scientific _____ for an afterlife. For Christians, belief brings _____ to those who grieve.
True or not?
Tap the TWO statements that are true about beliefs in life after death.
- Christians believe the resurrection of Jesus points to life after death.
- Some people argue there is no scientific evidence for an afterlife.
- Everyone agrees that there is life after death.
- Christian belief in the afterlife rests on the birth of Jesus.
- Non-religious people believe in judgement and heaven.
A Christian reply
- There is no scientific evidence
- Some accounts are fraudulent
- Religion is used for social control
- The body does not last after death
- Faith trusts in God beyond what science can measure
- A few fakes do not disprove genuine belief
- The resurrection of Jesus offers real hope, not control
- Christians expect a spiritual, resurrected body
Whose argument?
Decide what kind of argument each person is making.
- A Christian says that because Jesus rose from death, believers will too. This is...
- A Humanist says there is no evidence for any afterlife. This is...
- A Christian comforts a grieving family with the hope of eternal life. This shows the argument from...
The Easter hope
Put the events Christians link to their hope of resurrection in order.
- Jesus died on the cross
- He was buried in a tomb
- He rose to life on the third day
- He appeared to his followers
- Christians believe they too will be raised
Explain the debate
Explain arguments for and against belief in life after death.
- Give one Christian argument for life after death
- Explain how the resurrection of Jesus supports this belief
- Give one non-religious argument against life after death
- Explain how a Christian might respond to it