A short, accessible, thorough introduction to, and overview of, Christian teaching on death, judgment, hell and heaven, called in theology the "four last things."
Demonstrates that, though there has been considerable disagreement and even polemic between Christians on the topic of purgatory, there is significant room for agreement between Catholics and many heirs of the Reformation concerning what happens after death.
Beginning with its anthropological foundations, Robin Ryan explores the development of Christian eschatology—the consideration of the "last things," our anticipation of our "joyful hope" as the liturgy says. Working his way through Scripture, the Christian tradition, and modern theology, Ryan ends with a reflection on Julian of Norwich's teaching about hope grounded in the love of God as exemplified by the passion of Christ, and considering the mystery of suffering."This work is a lucid overview...
Complete with references from the Bible, Dante, and C.S. Lewis, among others, this work offers a Christian understanding of one of life's greatest mysteries-death.
