The Afterlife in Western Religion

Comparing Life and Death in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

As someone who writes of religion as a way to collectively fight of the human

condition and our innate fear of death, I am especially curious about the beliefs people
hold of the afterlife. I have collected some facts about the afterlife according to Juda-
ism, Christianity, and Islam, and am interested in discussing these ideas with the class
to gain a more modern perspective.

While early Christianity was unclear about the physical body’s relation to the
soul, with Paul's early belief in a physical resurrection of the body, the church settled on
a compromise. Currently, the soul is thought of as divine creation of god, and the body
as an instrument (Tertullian). As with Judaism and Islam, a judgment will take place af-
ter death. An eternal resting place is given to all souls, as being either heaven or hell,
although some forms of Christianity allow for souls to correct some of their sins in pur-
gatory.

Islam also shares the idea of a Judgment, basing the afterlife on the life lived on
earth. Muhammed was especially graphic with the descriptions of Hell, though some
believe this to be more a tool of conversion than an actually description. Islam shares
some similarities with Judaism in regards to the description of heaven (or paradise),
both being referred to as the Garden of Eden. In addition, both believe in various
stages of heaven and hell.

In addition, in my research I came across some information concerning wit-

nesses, or martyrs. Given a lot of popular misconceptions about promised made to
martyrs, and those who participate in jihad, I think it’s important to understand the origin
and interpretations. In the Islamic belief, those who die must wait at their grave for their
judgement. Martyrs are not made to wait and go directly to a specially prepared
pleasure-garden to await the day of judgment, Though death is not the only to be con-
sidered a martyr, suicide and random killing of civilians is forbidden. The idea of 72
women awaiting the martyrs is questioned in the translation of the Quran, but this is not
completely out of the question, as it would fall in line with the idea of a pleasure-
paradise and the sacrifice of youthful pleasures.

Judaism also features a judgment preceding life, yet the concept of heaven and
hell differs extensively from Christianity. Similar to Islam, Judaism believes heaven as
the garden of eden, or Gan Eden. It is the Jewish interpretation of hell which differs
most wildly from Islam and Christianity. In Judaism, the conventional idea of hell does
not exists, making way for gehinom, a place where souls are refined, or “cleaned”
before entering Gan Eden. In addition, each year the souls ascend another level
closer to god.