Heaven and Hell

A History of the Afterlife

Heaven and Hell
Bart D Ehrman
RRP:
NZ$ 26.99
Our Price:
NZ$ 21.59
Paperback
h198 x 129mm - 352pg
7 Oct 2021 UK
International import eta 7-19 days
9780861541201
Out Of Stock
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Whether we believe in them or not, we are all familiar with the concepts of heaven and hell. There was a time, however, when no one thought they would go to either of these places after they died. In fact, Jesus didn' t believe a dead person' s soul was bound for heaven or hell, and these ideas are nowhere to be found in the Old Testament. So, where did they come from? From the Epic of Gilgamesh to the writings of Augustine, Bart Ehrman provides a fascinating and thought-provoking history of the afterlife. He traces how beliefs changed over time and reveals the social, cultural and historical roots of competing views held by Greeks, Jews and Christians. Ultimately, he shows that many of our ideas about heaven and hell emerged long after Jesus' s time, through the struggle to explain the injustices of our world.
' [Ehrman' s] is a vast learning worn wonderfully lightly and he is an engaging but expert guide around how religious ideas were formed and shaped our world. ' * The Times * ' Many redoubtable volumes have been written about all this, but Ehrman, who already has more than two-dozen books on early Christianity under his belt, merrily blows the dust off the subject. ' * The Economist * ' This elegant history explores the evolution of the concept of the afterlife in Western thought. . . Well-trod subjects are presented with engaging clarity, and more contentious theories are laid out carefully. ' * The New Yorker * ' Ehrman, as always, writes in a very accessible way, and gives the reader plenty to think about. ' * Irish Independent * ' An impressively readable, clear and wide-ranging study. ' -- Spectator ' A number of religions and philosophies give detailed accounts of post-mortem existence; in this learned and highly readable book, Bart Ehrman offers a tour of the whole field. . . There are many nuances possible here; Ehrman presents them all with great clarity and massive scholarship. ' * TLS * ' The reader is struck by his nimbleness in drawing the thread of this rich-layered narrative, sprinkling larger thematic arcs with anecdotes that honor the non-lineal and multivalent nature of eschatological thought. ' * Boston Globe * ' As lucid, learned and fascinating as ever, Ehrman has written a brilliant book on a profoundly important topic. Wonderful. ' -- Catherine Nixey, author of The Darkening Age ' Do after-life threats and promises distract from this-world problems and hopes? Could heaven and hell be options in the present here-and-now rather than locations in the future then-and-here? Read this book and think. ' -- John Dominic Crossan, author of Resurrecting Easter ' There' s no one I' d rather read on what Christians believe, and why they believe it, than Bart Ehrman. This is a wise and fascinating book. ' -- Tom Bissell, author of Apostle ' Ehrman' s eloquent understanding of how death is viewed through many spiritual traditions is scintillating, fresh, and will appeal to scholars and lay readers alike. ' * Publisher' s Weekly (starred review) * ' Honest discussion about this is long overdue. . . [' Heaven and Hell' ] is a wide-ranging book. ' -- Methodist Recorder
Bart D. Ehrman is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and the New York Times bestselling author of Misquoting Jesus and How Jesus Became God. He has contributed to such major publications and media outlets as Time, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, NBC, CNN and the BBC.
Status: Active
ISBN-13: 9780861541201
Published: 7 Oct 2021
Published In: United Kingdom
Imprint: Oneworld Publications
Publisher: Oneworld Publications
Format: Paperback
Height: 198mm
Width: 129mm
Pages: 352

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