Christians believe heaven is being with God — his presence, where there is no more death or sorrow. The fuller Christian hope is not just souls going to heaven but the resurrection of the body and a renewed creation, 'a new heaven and a new earth', when Christ returns. Traditions differ on what happens between death and that final resurrection.
Heaven is first about God
In the Bible "heaven" can mean the sky, but chiefly it means God's dwelling — the place where his will is fully done (hence "thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven"). Its central feature is not golden streets but God's presence. Jesus comforted his disciples: "In my Father's house are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2, KJV).
The bigger hope: resurrection and new creation
The Apostles' Creed ends with "the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting". The New Testament's final picture is not people leaving earth but heaven and earth joined: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying" (Revelation 21:4, KJV). Jesus' own bodily resurrection is the pattern and promise (1 Corinthians 15).
Between death and resurrection
Most Christians believe that believers who die are "with Christ" (Philippians 1:23) in conscious rest while awaiting the resurrection. Traditions add different details:
- Catholic teaching includes purgatory — a final purification for those who die in God's friendship but not yet fully purified — and prays for the dead.
- Orthodox Christians pray for the departed and speak of an intermediate state, but do not define purgatory as Catholics do.
- Protestants generally reject purgatory, holding that believers go directly into Christ's presence; a minority hold "soul sleep" until the resurrection.
Who goes there?
Christian teaching connects eternal life with Christ: "I am the resurrection, and the life" (John 11:25). Traditions differ on the fate of those who never heard the gospel and on the nature of hell — from eternal conscious separation (the majority historic view), to conditional immortality, to the hope, held by some, that all may finally be saved. These are discussed respectfully in our theology section.
In Scripture
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.John 14:2 · KJV
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.Revelation 21:4 · KJV
Where the traditions differ
Each position is attributed to the tradition that holds it; we do not rank them. See the full comparison.
Context
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