Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife

By Bart D. Ehrman

Where did the ideas of heaven and hell come from?

As strange as it may seem to us now, there was a time when no one thought they would go to heaven or hell after they died. In fact, there is no mention of them in the Old Testament, and Jesus did not believe the souls of the departed were bound for either realm.

In this gripping history of the afterlife, Bart Ehrman reveals how the concepts of heaven and hell developed and took hold, and why they endure to this day. He examines the social, cultural and historical roots of competing views held by Greeks, Jews and Christians, and traces how beliefs changed over time. 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 the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Oneworld Publications
• Release date: Apr 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9781786077219

Bart D. Ehrman

Bart D. Ehrman is one of the most renowned and controversial Bible scholars in the world today. He is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and is the author of more than twenty books, including the New York Times bestsellers How Jesus Became God; Misquoting Jesus; God’s Problem; Jesus, Interrupted; and Forged. He has appeared on Dateline NBC, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, CNN, History, and top NPR programs, as well as been featured in TIME, the New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, and other publications. He lives in Durham, North Carolina. Visit the author online at www.bartdehrman.com.

Reviews for Heaven and Hell

[la2bkk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As always, professor Ehrman's research and writing style is impeccable. He has that rare ability to communicate concepts to lay people in a way that is interesting and enlightening.The book provides excellent historical context, using pagan and Jewish/Christian sources, so that the reader can appreciate the development of the concepts of Heaven and Hell over the centuries. A minor negative- occasionally my attention waned a bit when yet another biblical passage or pagan myth was quoted in detail.Nonetheless, any reader should come away with a much deeper and more intelligent understanding of the subject. Recommended whether or not you have a religious belief.

[authorjanebnight · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Summary: This is a non-fiction book that looks into the history and origins of the Christian views of Heaven and Hell.My rating: 4/5I really enjoyed this book. It was engaging, easy to read, and rarely dragged. The author was concise but still made reasonable points. He explained things in a way I could understand and I absolutely plan to read more books about Christianity and related topics by this author.Please note that this author is no longer a devout believer though he has done extensive research into many aspects of Christianity and for a long time was a believer. I feel that this book will be much more enjoyable by people who are not devout Christians. It digs into the religious beliefs of those surrounding the Jews prior to and during the time of Jesus and how those views may have influenced the ideas of Jesus, Paul, and early Christians.I found it well written and informative and if this book doesn't clash with your belief system I highly recommend reading it.