afterlife

Belief that life does not end with death but continues in some other form or in some other place, granting some form of immortality. Belief in an afterlife of some kind is a hallmark of all religions. Notions of what happens range from reincarnation into another body (Buddhists, Hindus, and Sikhs usually teach this) to being resurrected from death on Judgement Day when God will end the world and judge everyone according to how they have lived (Christianity, Islam, and Judaism usually teach a form of this).

Most religions believe that human beings have an immortal soul, which survives the death of the body and retains the individual's identity and personality. Christianity teaches that it will live on in heaven or hell in a spiritual body. Roman Catholics believe that many souls must first pass through purgatory to be cleansed of sin and prepared for heaven.

Most Jews believe that there will be a life after death, and a physical or spiritual resurrection. However, it is regarded as more important to perform God's commandments in this life and so there is little written about life after death. The reward for good behaviour is thought to be closeness with God. In the Hebrew Bible the place of the dead is called Sheol. Jews do not believe in hell, but that people will be separated from God for a period of time.