After Lives: A Guide to Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory

A scholarly look at Western cultural and religious beliefs of the afterlife. Very heavy reading, but so well written and eminently readable! From the ancient Egyptians to the present day, Casey states at the outset that he does not intend to attempt to formulate one comprehensive view, but instead, to make some sense of the multitude of beliefs, and how they developed. He begins with Ancient Egypt, moves on to Ancient Judaism, Ancient Greece and Rome, then moves through Christianity, the Reformation and up to the present, with amazing and thought-provoking detail and analysis. He discusses Dante's Divine Comedy at length, and uses it as a yardstick for comparison of other Catholic as well as Protestant views of heaven and hell. This is a very fine blending of theological views, interposed with philosophy as well as history and culture. Truly fascinating, well-researched and a great pleasure to read. A true scholarly work, there are many pages of footnotes.