Bart Ehrman traces how beliefs about the afterlife changed across history. He starts with the Greek and Hebrew ideas of Hades and Sheol, moves through the early Christian teachings of Jesus, the development of heaven and hell in Paul's writings and the book of Revelation, and then follows the later medieval imagery such as Dante's. He argues that the notion of eternal torment is not found in the earliest sources.
It suits readers of religious history and those curious about where ideas of reward and punishment came from. They get a clear, readable account by a historian of early Christianity.
Balanced in tone; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2020
- Language
- EN
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