Tales of Lights and Shadows Mythology of the Afterlife

A scintillating volume on the mythologies of the afterlife in the world religions from various eras.

Introduction \ 1. In That Good Night, What Dreams May Come?: Taking Afterlife Seriously vs. Virtual Disbelief or Unconcern \ 2. The Hunger and the Happy Fields of the Dead: Gloomy views of the Afterlife vs. Bright, Happy Pictures \ 3. The Several Homelands of the Heart: Abodes of the Soul \ 4. Grottoes of Earth and Heaven: Immortality Here and There \ 5. Circling Paths, Endless Journey: Reincarnation on this Earth vs. Eternal Life in a Heavenly Realm \ 6. God or Garden of Delights?: Is Heaven Theocentric or Anthropocentric? \ 7. Progress or Perfection?: Does One Grow Spiritually in Heaven? \ 8. Ghostly Fear and Love: The Dread of Ancestral Spirits vs. Respect and Honor \ 9. On the Long March: Community and Religious Solidarity vs. Individual Reward and Punishment \ 10. Amazing Grace: The Difficult vs. the Easy Path \ 11. The End of Days: Linear and Cyclical Time\ 12. Havens for Heroes: Ordinary vs. Extraordinary Destinies after Death \ 13. The One and the Many: Individual Afterlife Destinies vs. Union with God \ 14. Conclusion: Afterlife and Culture \ Bibliography \ Index