Description
Book SynopsisThis volume is a collection of essays analyzing different issues concerning the nature, possibility, and desirability of heaven as understood by the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity. and Islam. Topics include whether or not it is possible that a mortal could, upon bodily death, become an inhabitant of heaven without loss of identity, where exactly heaven might be located, whether or not everyone should be saved, or if there might be alternative destinations (including some less fiery versions of Hell). Chapter authors include believers and skeptics, well-known philosophers, and new voices. While some chapters are more challenging than others, all are written in a style that should be accessible to any interested reader.
Trade ReviewA notable quality of this book is the accessibility of the writing. Cushing’s introduction offers a useful and entertaining crash course on the history of metaphysics, setting the stage for the more complex arguments laid out in the following chapters. Theologians and philosophers will quickly find common ground in the issues raised, while students of religion will discover a new lens through which to view their subject. . . . The volume combines intriguing questions with engaging writing. By drawing examples from popular culture, the authors make complicated concepts relatable to those outside the field. . . a delightful and thought-provoking volume. * Reading Religion *
Table of ContentsChapter 1: Confessions of a Struggling Philosopher: Why I Want to Believe in Heaven (but Reluctantly Don’t) Bertha Alvarez Manninen Chapter 2: Radical Resurrection and Divine Commands Eric T. Olson Chapter 3: Heaven before Resurrection: Soul, Body and the Intermediate State Jean-Baptiste Guillon Chapter 4: Paradise… Lost? Against Locational Accounts of Heaven Cruz Davis Chapter 5: Could Everyone Eventually Be Saved? Josh Rasmussen Chapter 6: The Agony of the Infinite: The Presence of God as Phenomenological Hell A.G.Holdier Chapter 7: Love and Death Helen L. Daly Chapter 8: Heaven and the Problem of Eternal Separation Eric Yang Chapter 9: Two Arguments for Animal Immortality Blake Hereth Chapter 10: Evil, Freedom, and Heaven Simon Cushing Chapter 11: Will We Be Free (to Sin) in Heaven? Michaël Bauwens Chapter 12: Heaven and Homicide Simon Cushing\
