They Saw Beyond Death: New Insights on Near-Death Experiences

"They Saw Beyond Death" is one of the most definitive works yet on near-death experiences. Written by the late Arvin S. Gibson, founder of the Utah Chapter of the International Association for Near-Death Studies, this unparalleled volume adds valuable new insights concerning near-death experiences, and it details how these experiences change people's lives forever. A major objective of the book is to report and analyze the numerous contributions of Latter-day Saint authors and researchers to the fields of near-death and life-after-death studies. It explains the problems associated with NDE research, the religious impact of NDEs, the difference between Mormon NDEs and other NDEs, and why the LDS community has an inordinate interest in NDEs. Chapters in the book were written (by invitation of the author) by various Latter-day Saints who have been prominent in near-death research and compilations of numerous NDEs and life-after-death experiences. He then molded the book into a unified whole. "Part I: Latter-day Saint Perspectives on Near-Death Experiences" contains five insightful chapters: (1) Joseph Smith's Experiences and Their Aftermath, (2) Mormons and Near-Death Experiences--Preparing the Way, (3) Mormon Contributions to NDE Research, (4) Near-Death Experience Correlations with LDS Teachings on Death and God, and (5) Near-Death-Experience Correlations with LDS Teachings on God's Plan. "Part II: Research on NDEs" has five chapters, several of them focusing on NDEs which have made significant contributions to understanding of LDS beliefs: (6) Representative Near-Death Experiences, (7) Follow-up Interviews, (8) More Follow-up Interviews, (9) An Overview of the History of NDE Research, and (10) Significant Happenings in NDE Research: People, Events, and Ideas. "Part III: The Impact of NDEs on LDS Professionals" has four chapters: (11) The Nature of God and Man, (12) The Therapeutic Value of NDEs, (13) The Need for Proper Research Methods and Techniques: An LDS Sociologist Views the NDE, and (14) The Life-Changing Aspects of Teaching about NDEs. The final section, "Part IV: Comparisons, Religious Effects, and the Future," has three chapters: (15) NDEs that Add Insights to Mormon Theology: A Comparison with Key Elements of LDS Theology, (16) The Religious Impact of Some NDEs: Individuals Who Became Mormons as a Result of NDEs, and (17) How Close Is Omega? Arvin S. Gibson is the author of several other books on the subject: "Glimpses of Eternity--New Near-Death Experiences Examined," "Echoes From Eternity--New Near-Death Experiences Examined," "Journeys Beyond Life--True Accounts of Next-World Experiences," "In Search of Angels--Finding Joy Midst the Bramble Bushes," "Fingerprints of God: Evidences from Near-Death Studies, Scientific Research on Creation and Mormon Theology," and a novel based on near-death experiences: "Love's Eternal Legacy." This man, truly, has made significant contributions to the field of near-death studies.