Death-Related Experiences Record Type: Review   ID: 916
Beyond Death: Exploring the Evidence for Immortality Habermas, Gary R., & Moreland, J.P.
This work is by two Christian scholars, Habermas, who chairs the Department of Philosophy and Theology at Liberty University, and Moreland, who is Professor of the Philosophy of Religion at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. Although the subtitle says it is an examination of the evidence for survival of death, there are barely any references made to the empirical findings of parapsychology and psychical research, ignoring the many books written in the 1950s-1980s by a number of British and American philosophers who regularly incorporated parapsychological findings, such as C.D. Broad, C.J. Ducasse, H.H. Price, and many others. Although reincarnation is a major topic, only Ian Stevenson’s first of several casebooks on that topic is included. Part One consists of nine chapters on evidence for immortality, conferred on body and soul, dualism, the resurrection of Jesus, and near-death experiences (nothing on mediumship, afterdeath communi-cations, apparitions). Part 2 has 5 chapters on the state between death and eternity, reincarnation, the ultimate afterlife model, and a chapter each on heaven and hell. The final three-chapter section is on the implications of immortality, with the first emphasizing the importance of the New Testament’s view that "heaven and its relation to the believer’s life is the most revolutionary idea (next to salvation) ever penned" (p. 323). Another chapter is on overcoming the fear of death, and the last is on problems concerning abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia. As regards EHEers, it seems to me this book would be useful only to Christians who have a need to reconcile their death-related exceptional experiences with their Christian faith. It would provide arguments that would help them to accept, work with, and find the meaning of their experiences that may be questioned by their peers, including fellow parishioners and even fellow experiencers.
Publisher Information:	Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1998. Chapnotes: 383-449; Ind: 451-458; Scripture ind: 459-462

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