Hello! Who would like to asnwer my questions concerning the resurrection and souls? :)

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I have been looking into the various beliefs that Christians hold concerning the resurrection of Revelations and where souls go after death. I am most curious to know what the Catholic view of these matters is, and whether or not there is a consensus in the faith or if there is a debate.

Many Christians seem to think that the soul is judged and goes off to heaven or hell immediately after death. This, to me, seems rather contradictory with the resurrection in Revelations 20:12-13:

“And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.–And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.”

It has been my understanding that, in the Judeo-Christian understanding, Hades is "Sheol"or the Abyss:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheol

This concept seems to make sense and fits better with scripture. All souls go to Sheol after death and rest until the resurrection, whereat their souls are reunited with their bodies and they are judged. This also does away with any oddities, such as the idea that Christ removed Lazarus’s soul from heaven to resurrect him. The view that souls are merely resting in Sheol until such time as a holy power resurrects them seems to fit.

I have no idea where the Catholic Purgatory would fit into all of this. And I have no idea where the Rapture would fit either. I am particularity interested in the Catholic understanding of these things.

So tell me, where do Catholics believe the soul goes before the resurrection. Where does Purgatory and the Catholic understanding of the Rapture fit? Is there a consensus of belief among Catholics, or is there still debate? I would appreciate references to online texts.

Thanks! 🙂
 
There are two Judgments: the Individual which is immediate (when a person dies) and the General (when all bodies are resurrected).

Purgatory is a place of purification (purgation) where any last remnant of attachment to sin is removed from the soul before entering into the Presence of the Lord. Lazarus’ soul may have been here before he was resurrected. He may also have been in the Bosom of Abraham, a place of rest for the faithful Jews, but not Heaven. Heaven was not opened until Jesus died and rose from the dead.

The rapture is more prominent in protestant belief, but it is simply the time of Jesus’ second coming and is also the time of the General Judgment. Some people will just happen to be alive on earth when that happens.

Gem
 
Generally speaking, Catholics don’t believe in the Rapture, at least as understood by some contemporary Evangelical groups.

Sheole was a place of resting in afterlife for observant Jews who died before Christ’s death. Another poster referred to it as “the Bosom of Abraham”. Christ’s death and resurrection changed the afterlife, in that when Christ, Himself an observant Jew, died, He went down to Sheole, and busted out the souls down there, and unlocked the gates to heaven, letting them in.

Jesus then became the first Man to be resurrected from the dead, returning to Earth, and passing the “keys” to Heaven to the Catholic Church. From this we gleam that at the end of time, all of human kind that in heaven will be raised from the dead.

Purgatory is kind of court yard outside the Gates, where one waits because they realize they are not yet worthy to enter Heaven. While they are not damned forever to hell, they are still damaged by sins they committed on earth, and wait in Purgatory to heal. Sacraments taken immediately before death can remove this waiting periods, and prayers for the deceased soul can reduce this time. As for how it differs from Sheole, for all we know, it could be the same “space” as Sheole, just re-purposed after Christ’s death!

Returning to the idea of the Rapture, according to the Catholic article another poster mentioned, the Church generally teaches that the world will become holier, a “Golden Age”, in the time leading up to the end end of the world, in stark contrast to what evangelical groups teach, about the coming of an anti-Christ and wide spread persecution, etc.

At the end of time, anyone evil left on earth, as well as all demons, will be locked permanently in Hell, and those remaining will be glorified, and those in heaven will be bodily resurrected.

The Catholic Faith is one of great hope and joy, and trust in our Lord and Savior!
 
Drewh313 said:
I have been looking into the various beliefs that Christians hold concerning the resurrection of Revelations and where souls go after death. I am most curious to know what the Catholic view of these matters is, and whether or not there is a consensus in the faith or if there is a debate.

Many Christians seem to think that the soul is judged and goes off to heaven or hell immediately after death. This, to me, seems rather contradictory with the resurrection in Revelations 20:12-13:

🙂
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Hi Drew,

Some Protestants/non-Catholics seem to think the heavens opened, the Bible fell out, and God said, “Here’s My Word. Now figure it out for yourselves.” But that’s not how it happened.😃

Christ, who was God, founded the Catholic Church in A.D. 33 in Jerusalem. The Church, wrote the New Testament and produced the Bible under the guidance of the Spirit. The NT consists of 27 of the Catholic Church’s own writings. So to understaned what it means, ask the Church who wrote it.

Here’s a little book that tells you Where We Got the Bible:

catholicapologetics.info/apologetics/protestantism/wbible.htm

Private interpretation of Scripture is often antithetical to the truth.

Upon death, the soul goes immediately to the Particular Judgment. From there, it goes directly to (or through) the process of purification (purgatory), to heaven, or to hell.

This teaching is de fide and must be held by all Catholics.

Revelation was written in symbolic code to a suffering Church while it was undergoing the severe persecutions of Domitian. One should be cautious about taking it literally.

The Lamb’s Supper by Scott Hahn, Ph.D., shows how Revelation describes the Mass as it is celebrated in Heaven. Interesting book, and highly recommended.

Welcome! Glad you joined us. :tiphat:

Jim Dandy
 
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