Heaven: Our Enduring Fascination with the Afterlife

Lisa Miller gives us readers an extremely entertaining, educative and vulnerable exploration into the plethora of views regarding heaven. She is a Reformed Jew and editor of Newsweek's religion section. Miller isn't committed to a firm belief in Heaven but definitely manages to elicit our hopes for a meaningful life... and perhaps more. I haven't read any treatment of heaven that is more conversationally readable than this book. With genuine interest and tolerance the author listens to a variety of view points concerning afterlife. She honestly admits that she wished she might have the same faith and confidence in heaven as some of her interviewees express. She seems particularly drawn to the ideas of heaven in orthodox Judaism and evangelicalism. I am not sure whether or not her hopes are crushed due to being a thoroughly postmodern person divorced from a the ancient world-views but she does seem to wish for the earlier literal belief in heaven, even though she is intellectually convinced of modern cosmology.I felt as if I were receiving a wonderful review of all the comparative religion courses I have ever had while at college. The only difference was that she was thoroughly engaging and utilized testimony from individuals who believed ardently in their views of afterlife rather than mere theorists. She made me want to take the topic seriously and to explore how whatever the other side contains it has an importance to my here and now life.Lisa Miller has definitely done a vast amount or research and recommends some of the best popular and academic treatments of her subject. I was delighted to see that she even spoke to and read N.T. Wright one of my favourite Christian theologians who stresses the importance of Resurrection rather than immortality in a bodiless other world. Like the author herself, Wright does all in his power to intricately connect the Heaven to Earth in a profoundly hopeful manner.While tabulating the views of Heaven in the history of religions and current traditions, she doesn't neglect to submit Heaven to the gaze of empirical science by discussing the various research on NDE (Near Death Experience) and physic phenomena. The age old dilemma of Mind/Brian connection is ever in the background. However, even when discussing the first hand accounts of dying and returning Lisa Miller emphasizes the need to apply a ethical litmus test as to whether the experience enhanced the character of the person having had it. From her examples it appears that the NDE experience regularly retrieves individuals from death to their normal consciousness with more love, generosity and confidence. Such transformation can not be easily dismissed.Lisa Miller rarely takes sides in the debates on heaven, except in the case of exploiting the grieving through seances or by making the entry to Heaven a sectarian or ethnic privilege. She maintains an open mind throughout her book and ultimately displays a gracious attitude toward different points of view. There is very little reductionism here nor is there any deriding of the beliefs of others. Love is Heaven's watchword; Dante is its prime poet. Miller doesn't evade the fact that heaven, when overly literalized and humanized, is jest-worthy as her comments on Albert Brooks' 1991 film Defend Your Life reveal. In-between reincarnating Hassid Jews, Paradise pursuing Muslims and a host of others, the true North of Miller's discussion is an affirmation of life. She exalts the importance of Heaven for the expectant living in her last paragraph,I do not cling to heaven as a radical concept, a place that embodies the best of everything - but beyond the best. A belief in heaven focuses our minds on the radical nature of what's beautiful, most loving, most just, and most true. At the beginning of this book, I said, I believed that heaven was hope. I would now amend that to say, "Radical hope - a constant hope for unimaginable perfection even as we fail to achieve it. As Emily Dickinson said, heaven is what we cannot reach. But it is worth a human life to try.

Ms. Miller's historical overview is excellent. Our interpretation of what exists in the afterlife has greatly changed in the past 2500 years. It has grown and matured as mankind has grown more complex. Ms. Miller makes this journey fascinating. She also debunks many of our current myths about other religions' views of heaven [e.g., the 72 virgins of Islam]. Yes, as this book is written by an American, for the American audience, she does, for the most part, deal with the three major religions in America. This may be off-putting to some. One warning: You must approach this book with an open mind. When I was reading it, one deeply religious Baptist friend asked me what I was reading, and I explained that it was a book that described how our views on heaven have changed over the past 2500 years. She gave me a blank expression, and informed me that "Heaven has never changed!" I had to quickly say, "Heaven may not have changed, but our understanding and interpretation of it sure has!" Ms. Miller has done an excellent job of writing on a difficult subject.

Millier is a pro writer who has done a lot of homework to write this book, but without direct experience (there are those who can write from deep spiritual experience) it's a sort of "Popular Mechanics" approach, one of investigating and presented select authorities opinions. But as far as I can, those opinions are also just opinions, and apparently they all have to do with Heaven as as actual location rather than as an advanced state of consciousness. The writing is good, hence the four stars, but if one writes skillfully about the moon being made of green cheese, does that make it a good book?

For a life long Christian and "sometimes" Methodist over +50 years, I am used to the discussions about heaven--is it a real place, a metaphor, how do you get there, will you see God, your family, etc. Lisa Miller's book is rich in history, conceptual strength, vivid and compelling language and thought provoking. The book is documented like a scholar' work and including dozens of citations, paraphrases and references to centuries of religious history. Lisa's writing is A+ thus the book's deeper content comes to life and keeps the reader engaged in learning, thinking and reflecting. My last thought is a reflection on recent family events--the death of my mother-in-law (at 92 minus one day). Her husband proceded her in death and she used to ask "will I see Bob again". After reading Lisa's book, I am comforted to believe we gave her "normative explanations" for why she would.

Lisa Miller offers a readable history and views of heaven by the major religions, but mostly Christian and Jewish religions. For many who have studied these religions there is not a lot new, but she does a good job of concentrating the views of these religions as to heaven and the “afterlife”.

Lisa Miller's "Heaven: Our Enduring Fascination with the Afterlife" is a happy discovery for those of us who enjoy thinking about life's other dimensions. Ms. Miller addresses the foundations of afterlife beliefs among those of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths and does so in a balanced and interesting way. This is an easily read book that is likely to leave the reader much more informed for having delved into it. I recommend it!

A decent resource of multiple views, some of a Greek, Egyptian, Babylonian, a minority of the ancient Hebrew and Biblical faith (sleep of the dead and mortality with hope only in Christ and the resurrection from the grave). I will be able to use this to view the opinions of men and the few that are opinions/understandings of God's people. Delbert Rankin

A thorough review of the subject matter. It provides great information and never tries to convert the reader. It has helped in bettering my understanding of other peoples views of the subject. Not only the comfort people get from their belief but also how the concepts have developed and matured down through history.