Heaven, Hell, & Purgatory

Religious Studies: OCR A Level, topic 3.2.1

Christian Teachings on Heaven, Hell and Purgatory

Christian teachings on the afterlife centre around the concepts of heaven, hell and purgatory.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches the following:
'Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfilment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness'.
Heaven is often represented as a place where an individual experiences absolute joy and happiness.
It is a place all Christians strive to end up.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus describes heaven as paradise whilst on the cross.
'And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." '(Luke 23:43)
Jesus also speaks about heaven to his disciples in the Gospel of John.
'My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?' (John 14)
This implies that there is enough room in heaven for all of those who repent.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches the following:
'The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity.'
Immediately after death, the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell.
Such individuals suffer the punishments of hell, an ‘eternal fire.’
'The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.' (CCC 1035)

The idea of hell is that of a place of permanent, everlasting punishment.
The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus has inspired Christians to think of it as a place of agonising torment:
- 'The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side [Heaven]. The rich man also 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.' (Luke 16)

The definition of ‘purge’ is to clean or remove. Catholics believe purgatory is a stage of purification (also called purgation).
It is a place in which they will be cleansed of their sins.
The Catechism gives the reason for this purification as ‘to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.'(CCC 1030).
The word ‘purgatory’ is never explicitly mentioned in the Bible but is hinted to at points.
For example, in Corinthians 3:15 ‘He himself will be saved, but only as through fire’.

In which Gospel does Jesus describe heaven as paradise whilst on the cross?
In the Gospel of John, Jesus says 'my Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?'

What is the best interpretation of this quote?