Description:
For all who are curious about the dwelling place of God and the angels, this book explores the Bible's teaching on heaven and explains how it is nearer to earth than you might think.
Paula Gooder considers the ways in which the Bible sees heaven and earth connecting, and explores all the major strands of belief about life after death, including the role of paradise, and what happens between death and resurrection. She shows how the biblical writers see heaven and earth as closely connected, so that what happens in heaven affects events on earth and vice versa.
Brief description: Dr Paula Gooder is Canon Chancellor at St Paul's Cathedral and a writer and lecturer in Biblical Studies. Her research areas focus on the writings of the apostle Paul, with a particular focus on 2 Corinthians and on Paul's understanding of the body. Her publications include Body: Biblical spirituality for the whole person and Searching for Meaning: An introduction to interpreting the New Testament.
Review Quotes: As Paula Gooder puts it, this book tackles all the "weird stuff" the Church tends to shy away from. We are in the realm here not of fluffy clouds and harps but of God's presence, angelic beings and mystical visions. Heaven, we discover, is not just about the afterlife but the here and now - about how we live with each other, the planet and God. This is indeed the essential 'rough guide' to heaven, and much more.