A Brief History of Heaven

by McGrath, Alister E.

• ISBN13: 9780631233534
• ISBN10: 0631233539
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-02-04
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

This engaging book by one of today's best-known Christian writers explores the history of heaven, from its origins in biblical writings to its most recent representations. A short, accessible book on the history of heaven. Draws together representations of heaven by a wide range of writers, theologians, politicians and artists. Covers literary works such as Dante's Divine Comedy, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, and the poems of George Herbert. Considers discussions by Marx and Freud of heaven's role in society. Based on serious scholarship but is ideal for the non-specialist who wants to learn more about the idea of heaven. Alister E. McGrath is one of today's best-known Christian writers.

Author Biography

Alister E. McGrath isProfessor of Historical Theology at Oxford University, and Principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He is the author of numerous best-selling books, including The Future of Christianity, Christian Theology: An Introduction, 3rd edition, and In The Beginning: The Story of the King James Bible.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	viii
Preface	ix
The City: The New Jerusalem	1	(38)
Images and the Christian Faith	2	(5)
The City of Jerusalem in the Old Testament	7	(3)
The City of Jerusalem in the New Testament	10	(3)
Augustine of Hippo on the Two Cities	13	(4)
The Heavenly City and Medieval Spirituality	17	(8)
Pearl and the New Jerusalem	25	(4)
John Bunyan's Heavenly City	29	(4)
The Shape of the Heavenly Body	33	(6)
The Garden: Heaven as Paradise	39	(36)
The Quest for the Garden of Eden	41	(2)
Paradise in the Bible	43	(4)
Early Christian Views of Paradise	47	(5)
The Millennium as Paradise	52	(2)
Medieval Visions of Paradise	54	(4)
Dante's Divine Comedy	58	(7)
Paradise and the Enclosed Garden	65	(5)
Heaven as the Restoration of Eden	70	(5)
Opening the Gates of Heaven: Atonement and Paradise	75	(36)
Christ the Victor	79	(4)
Christ the Hero	83	(5)
Christ the Harrower of Hell	88	(6)
Christ the Redeemer: Atonement as Satisfaction	94	(2)
Christ the Lover: Atonement and the Enkindling of Love	96	(5)
The Institutionalization of Atonement: The Church as the Gateway to Heaven	101	(5)
The Privatization of Atonement: Personal Faith as the Gateway to Heaven	106	(5)
The Signposting of Heaven: Signals of Transcendence	111	(26)
Nature as an Anticipation of Heaven	113	(4)
The Ascent of Love and the Intimation of Heaven	117	(3)
Experience and the Sense of Heaven: Herbert and Traherne	120	(4)
Nature as a Signpost of Heaven: Romanticism and Transcendentalism	124	(6)
Longing for Heaven: C. S. Lewis	130	(7)
The Consolation of Heaven	137	(24)
Reunion with Family in Heaven in Early Roman Christianity	139	(2)
Heaven as an Encounter with God	141	(5)
Heaven as a Dream: Feuerbach, Marx, and Freud	146	(4)
Heaven as an Encounter with Loved Ones	150	(5)
African American Spirituals	155	(6)
Journey's End: Heaven as the Goal of the Christian Life	161	(24)
The Concept of Spirituality	162	(2)
The Hope of Heaven: Theological Foundations	164	(2)
The Appeal to Worship: Heaven on Earth	166	(2)
Feasting in the Kingdom	168	(3)
Journeying to the Promised Land	171	(4)
Returning to the Homeland from Exile	175	(6)
Seeing God Face to Face	181	(4)
Works Consulted	185	(7)
Index	192