PERCEPTIONS OF THE AFTERLIFE BETWEEN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN RELIGION AND JUDAISM: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE CONCEPTS OF DEATH, RESURRECTION, AND IMMORTALITY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.6391Keywords:
The Afterlife, Egyptian Religion, Judaism, DeathAbstract
The study aims to understand the perceptions of the afterlife in ancient Egyptian and Jewish religions. Ancient Egyptians believed in an eternal life after death, with funerary rituals designed to assist the deceased in their journey. In contrast, Judaism presents different concepts focusing on resurrection and retribution, derived from Biblical tradition, with further later developments in their views about the unseen and eternal life. The study discusses similarities between the two religions, as well as fundamental differences, and points to possible influences between them. It also focuses on the role these beliefs played in shaping the religious, cultural, and social identity of both communities and in the development of their understanding of death and immortality. The study concludes that, despite each religion’s distinct beliefs, there was historical and cultural interaction that contributed to shaping some perceptions about the afterlife.
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