A Brief History of Heaven

Where does the concept of heaven come from? How has it shaped western culture? This engaging and highly accessible book explores the remarkable history of heaven, from its origins in biblical writings right up to the modern day. 216 pages, from Blackwell.

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.Read less