One might suppose that the one certain thing about Heaven is that
no one knows what it will be like. No one, that is, except the
author, who has gone to the best biblical and theological sources -
from 200BC and the Greco-Roman writers to 1336 and the papal decree
Benedictus Dei, which laid out the whole landscape of the Other
World - in his quest to find out what heaven is like. Russell is a
wholehearted believer in heaven, and authoritatively answers all
our questions, from the garb of the angels (so we'll be wearing
clothes, then?) to sex (a qualified yes). For perhaps the majority
of readers, this book will fall into the area of the 15 impossible
things we should all believe before breakfast; for others it will
answer genuine concerns. For those in between, it is a curious and
intriguing speculation. (Kirkus UK)
"Jeffrey Russell knows more about heaven than anyone except Saint
Peter. In this sensitive inquiry, Russell examines the traditional
Christian heaven in an ecumenical spirit. Expounding one
perspective after another, he makes each vision pointed, clear,
illuminating. Anyone interested in religion of any kind will prize
this book. It is an exhilarating read."--Alan E. Bernstein,
University of Arizona
""A History of Heaven" serves the important purpose of educating
us in the fullness of the Christian tradition about the nature of
the afterlife of the blessed regarded from every relevant point of
view: theology, popular religious feeling, poetic metaphor and
expression, devotion, and psychology of religious feeling. The
wealth of Russell's knowledge is demonstrated on every page and is
presented with a fluency and ease that are the marks of mature
scholarship informed by genuine fresh enthusiasm."--Nancy F.
Partner, McGill University
"This is a masterly synthesis of much of the ancient and
medieval understandings of heaven through Dante, accenting both the
commonalities and the divergences and debates within the traditions
studied. It is the only in-depth treatment of its subject and
should become a standard reference for scholars as well as the
general reader. The style is engaging and accessible, and the
author displays a magisterial grasp of his materials."--Marcia L.
Colish, Oberlin College
"Jeffrey Russell's history of the concept of heaven is written
with the same sensitivity and thoroughness that characterized his
earlier work on Satan/Lucifer, but it is presented with a lyric
intensity that is necessarily absent from the earlier work. In
terms of comprehensiveness, respectfor diverse philosophical and
religious traditions and influences, and awareness of the changing
character of the concept over time, Russell has written the most
useful and intelligent history of heaven to date."--Edward Peters,
University of Pennsylvania
"Jeffrey Russell has written a remarkably comprehensive account
of the Christian concept of heaven in the later ancient and
medieval periods down to Dante. A History of Heaven makes a complex
subject accessible to a wide range of contemporary readers, while
it offers specialists in the Middle Ages the benefits of a lifetime
devoted to the study of Western orthodoxy and dissent."--Brian
Stock, University of Toronto
"Jeffrey Burton Russell once observed that an adequate general
history of heaven had yet to be written for a contemporary
audience. Students of the history of Christianity should rejoice
that he has taken up the task with his customary gusto and
learning. "A History of Heaven" provides a rapid, yet sure tour
through the varied Christian ideas about heaven, commencing with
their origins in Judaism and Greco-Roman religions down to Dante.
Modern students, lacking the presence of a Vergil or a Beatrice,
will find in this book a useful guidebook on their journey through
the varied landscapes of heaven."--Thomas Head, Washington
University-St. Louis
"Jeffrey Russell, renowned historian of evil and of Satan, has
turned his pen to medieval conceptions of heaven. This is a work of
love, not of duty. The preface and conclusion wax poetic on the
hope of everlasting beatitude, on the yearning of medieval people
for a state of bliss beyond time and space. The genius of Russell's
book is to give that yearning historical texture, todifferentiate
visions of hope over time--and to do so in a language both
beginners and scholars can follow. Russell begins with the Hebrew
Bible, focuses on the complex teachings of the early church, and
leads the reader into the poetic vision of Dante. A wonderful
achievement, a work of maturity and mastery."--John Van Engen,
Director of The Medieval Institute, University of Notre Dame
"Bold in its historical sweep and assured in its scholarly
depth, "A History of Heaven" is vintage Russell--a wonderfully
imaginative evocation of the celestial theme and a fitting
complement to his four fine volumes on the history of the
Devil."--Francis Oakley, Williams College
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