Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 2020 |
| Founder | Bart D. Ehrman |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Non-fiction book |
| Owner | Simon & Schuster |
Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife is a 2020 publication authored by American scholar of the New Testament, Bart D. Ehrman, and released by Simon & Schuster. This work investigates the development of afterlife beliefs across Greek, Jewish, and early Christian societies, outlining how these traditions combined to form contemporary Christian understandings of Heaven and Hell.
Overview
In Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife, Ehrman delves into the evolution of afterlife concepts from ancient Greek, Jewish, and early Christian backgrounds through to present-day Christian interpretations of Heaven and Hell. The book highlights the impact of figures such as Greek philosopher Plato, poets Homer and Virgil, Syrian satirist Lucian of Samosata, along with early Christian thinkers, emphasizing their contributions to the imagery and ideas that underpin modern Christian doctrines about the afterlife.
Reception
A critic writing for The New Yorker praised Heaven and Hell as "an elegant history," noting its clear presentation of familiar subjects while thoughtfully engaging with controversial viewpoints. Joel Looper from the Washington Independent Review of Books described it as "a tour de force: erudite, provocative, and often fun."
While Randy Rosenthal of The Jerusalem Post pointed out Ehrman’s omission of the Koran and Eastern religious traditions, he also recognized the book’s valuable insights into how literary and philosophical figures like Homer, Plato, and Virgil have shaped modern afterlife concepts.