Heaven: Our Enduring Fascination with the Afterlife - Paperback

by Lisa Miller (Author)

"Wonderful.... A smart and accessible take on the ultimate question: What is Heaven? Lisa's book is a good place to begin to find an answer."
-- Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of American Lion

"A rare combination of journalism, memoir, and historical research ... this smart yet heartfelt book leads us into the center of one of the greatest conversations of all time. And Lisa Miller is the perfect conversation partner."
-- Stephen Prothero, New York Times bestselling author of American Jesus and Religious Literacy

A groundbreaking history of the hereafter, Heaven by Newsweek reporter and religion editor Lisa Miller draws from both history and popular culture to reveal how past and presage visions of heaven have evolved and how they inspire us to both good and evil.

Front Jacket

A groundbreaking and accessible history of heaven--from the earliest biblical conceptions of the afterlife to the theologians who frame our understandings to the convictions and perceptions of everyday people.

The desire for a celestial afterlife is universal. It is as old as the Bible itself. While there are many notions of what exactly heaven is and how we get there, Jews, Christians, and Muslims all agree that heaven is God's home. Drawing on history and popular culture, biblical research and everyday beliefs, Heaven offers a new understanding of one of the most cherished--and shared--ideals of spiritual life.

--Martin E. Marty, Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus, University of Chicago

Back Jacket

A groundbreaking and accessible history of heaven--from the earliest biblical conceptions of the afterlife to the theologians who frame our understandings to the convictions and perceptions of everyday people.

The desire for a celestial afterlife is universal. It is as old as the Bible itself. While there are many notions of what exactly heaven is and how we get there, Jews, Christians, and Muslims all agree that heaven is God's home. Drawing on history and popular culture, biblical research and everyday beliefs, Heaven offers a new understanding of one of the most cherished--and shared--ideals of spiritual life.