Last Judgment
The Last Judgment is a concept originating in Zoroastrianism and found across the Abrahamic religions.
Christianity considers the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to entail the final judgment by God of all people who have ever lived, resulting in the salvation of a few and the damnation of many. Some Christian denominations believe most people will be saved, some believe most people will be damned, and some believe the number of the saved and of the damned is unknown. The concept of the Last Judgment is found in all the canonical gospels, particularly in the Gospel of Matthew. The Christian tradition is also followed by Islam, where it is mentioned in many chapters of the Quran, according to some interpretations.
The Last Judgment has inspired numerous artistic depictions, including painting, sculpture and evangelical work.
In Zoroastrianism
Frashokereti is the earliest surviving articulation of a final judgement in any religion. It refers to the Zoroastrian doctrine of a final renovation of the universe, when evil will be destroyed, and everything else will be then in perfect unity with God.The doctrinal premises are good will eventually prevail over evil; creation was initially perfectly good, but was subsequently corrupted by evil; the world will ultimately be restored to the perfection it had at the time of creation; the "salvation for the individual depended on the sum of thoughts, words and deeds, and there could be no intervention, whether compassionate or capricious, by any divine being to alter this." Thus, each human bears responsibility for their own fate, and simultaneously shares in the responsibility for the fate of the world.
In Judaism
In Judaism, beliefs vary. Rosh HaShanah is sometimes referred to as a 'day of judgement', but it is not conceptualized as the Day of Judgement. Some rabbis hold that there will be a future day following the resurrection of the dead. Others hold that the final accounting and judgment happens when one dies. Still others hold that the Last Judgment applies to only the gentiles, not the Jewish People.The Babylonian Talmud has a lengthy passage describing the future Judgement Day.
In Christianity
Biblical sources
The doctrine and iconographic depiction of the Last Judgment are drawn from many passages from the apocalyptic sections of the Bible, but most notably from Jesus' teaching of the narrow gate in the Gospel of Matthew and in the Gospel of Luke.Salvation and damnation
In Christianity, there are three main beliefs about who will be saved and who will be damned on Judgment Day. All three beliefs are based on biblical interpretation and Christian tradition.Some Christians who believe in universal salvation say most people and angels will go to heaven on Judgment Day. Some Christians who believe in double predestination say most people and angels will go to hell on Judgment Day. Other Christians who disbelieve in universal salvation and double predestination say the number of the saved and of the damned on Judgment Day is unknown.
Anglicanism and Methodism
Article IV – Of the Resurrection of Christ in Anglicanism's Articles of Religion and Article III – Of the Resurrection of Christ of Methodism's Articles of Religion state that:Anglican and Methodist theology holds that "there is an intermediate state between death and the resurrection of the dead, in which the soul does not sleep in unconsciousness, but exists in happiness or misery till the resurrection, when it shall be reunited to the body and receive its final reward." This space, termed Hades, is divided into Paradise and Gehenna "but with an impassable gulf between the two". Souls remain in Hades until the Last Judgment and "Christians may also improve in holiness after death during the middle state before the final judgment".
Anglican and Methodist theology holds that at the time of the Last Day, "Jesus will return and that He will 'judge both the quick and the dead'," and "all be bodily resurrected and stand before Christ as our Judge. After the Judgment, the Righteous will go to their eternal reward in heaven, and the Accursed will depart to hell." The "issue of this judgment shall be a permanent separation of the evil and the good, the righteous and the wicked". Moreover, in "the final judgment every one of our thoughts, words, and deeds will be known and judged," and individuals will be justified on the basis of their faith in Jesus. However, "our works will not escape God's examination."
Catholicism
Belief in the Last Judgment is held firmly in Catholicism. Immediately upon death, each person undergoes the particular judgment, and depending upon one's behavior on earth, goes to heaven, purgatory, or hell. Those in purgatory will always reach heaven, but those in hell will be there eternally.The Last Judgment will occur after the resurrection of the dead, and "our 'mortal body' will come to life again." The Catholic Church teaches that at the time of the Last Judgment Christ will come in His glory, and all the angels with him, and in his presence the truth of each one's deeds will be laid bare. Each person who has ever lived will be judged with perfect justice. The believers who are deemed worthy as well as those ignorant of Christ's teaching who followed the dictates of conscience will go to everlasting bliss; those who are judged unworthy will go to everlasting condemnation.
A decisive factor in the Last Judgment will be the question, were the corporal works of mercy practiced or not during one's lifetime. They rate as important acts of charity. Therefore, and according to the biblical sources, the conjunction of the Last Judgment and the works of mercy is frequent in the pictorial tradition of Christian art.
Before the Last Judgment, all will be resurrected. Those who were in purgatory will have already been purged, meaning they would have already been released into heaven, and so like those in heaven and hell will resurrect with their bodies, followed by the Last Judgment.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
The Eastern Orthodox and Catholic teachings of the Last Judgment differ only on the exact nature of the in-between state of purgatory/Abraham's Bosom. These differences may only be apparent and not actual due to differing theological terminology and evolving tradition.
Eastern Orthodoxy
The Eastern Orthodox Church teaches that there are two judgments: the first, or particular judgment, is that experienced by each individual at the time of his or her death, at which time God will decide where one is to spend the time until the Second Coming of Christ. This judgment is generally believed to occur on the fortieth day after death. The second, General or Final Judgment will occur after the Second Coming.Although in modern times some have attempted to introduce the concept of soul sleep into Orthodox thought about life after death, it has never been a part of traditional Orthodox teaching, and it contradicts the Orthodox understanding of the intercession of the Saints.
Eastern Orthodoxy teaches that salvation is bestowed by God as a free gift of divine grace, which cannot be earned, and by which forgiveness of sins is available to all. However, the deeds done by each person are believed to affect how he will be judged, following the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. How forgiveness is to be balanced against behavior is not well-defined in scripture, judgment in the matter being solely Christ's.
Similarly, although Orthodoxy teaches that sole salvation is obtained only through Christ and his Church, the fate of those outside the Church at the Last Judgment is left to the mercy of God and is not declared.
Icons
The theme of the Last Judgment is important in Orthodoxy. Traditionally, an Orthodox church will have a fresco or mosaic of the Last Judgment on the back wall so that the faithful, as they leave the services, are reminded that they will be judged by what they do during earthly life.The icon of the Last Judgment traditionally depicts Christ Pantokrator, enthroned in glory on a white throne, surrounded by the Theotokos, John the Baptist, the Apostles, saints and angels. Beneath the throne the scene is divided in half with the "mansions of the righteous", i.e., those who have been saved, to Jesus' right, and the torments of those who have been damned to his left. Separating the two is the river of fire which proceeds from Jesus' left foot. For more detail, see below.
Hymnography
The theme of the Last Judgement is found in the funeral and memorial hymnody of the Church, and is a major theme in the services during Great Lent. The second Sunday before the beginning of Great Lent is dedicated to the Last Judgement. It is also found in the hymns of the Octoechos used on Saturdays throughout the year.Cretan School
There were many renditions of the Last Judgment completed by Greek painters living in Crete which was held by the Venetian Empire. Most of the works of art were influenced by Venetian painting but were considered to be painted in the Maniera Greca.File:Last Judgment by F.Kavertzas.jpg|thumb|200 px|left|The Last Judgment by Francheskos Kavertzas, 1648 Georgios Klontzas painted many triptychs featuring the Last Judgment some include The Last Judgment, The Last Judgement Triptych, and The Triptych of the Last Judgement. Klontzas was the forerunner of a new painting style.Other Greek painters followed the precedent set by Klontzas. Theodore Poulakis added the last judgment to his rendition of Klontzas' In Thee Rejoiceth. The painter incorporated the Last Judgement into one of Klontzas' earlier works entitled In Thee Rejoiceth. Poulakis paid homage to the father of the Last Judgement style. Leos Moskos and Francheskos Kavertzas also followed the outline for the stylistic representation of the Last Judgement set by Klontzas. Their works were The Last Judgment and The Last Judgment . Both paintings resemble Klontas' Last Judgement painting.