A retired bishop dismantles ancient doctrines of heaven and hell to uncover a credible vision of life beyond death.

Drawing on a lifetime of wisdom, New York Times bestselling author and controversial religious leader John Shelby Spong continues to challenge traditional Christian theology in Eternal Life: A New Vision.

Across seventeen chapters, Spong traces his intellectual development from early biblical fundamentalism to a critical engagement with modern science and astrophysics.

The volume also takes on traditional ideas of reward and punishment and the fear of human mortality. Through candid reflections on the deaths of family members and parishioners, he explores how mortality can be embraced without retreating into literalist dogmas.

In this remarkable spiritual autobiography about his lifelong struggle with the questions of God and death, he reveals how he ultimately came to believe in eternal life.

• Biblical Criticism: Spong re-evaluates the Fourth Gospel through early Jewish lectionary traditions and mystical heightened consciousness rather than conventional incarnational dogmas.
• Eschatology: The text traces the evolution of afterlife theology from ancient Hebrew concepts of Sheol to contradictory resurrection narratives in Paul and the canonical gospels.
• End-of-Life Ethics: An outspoken epilogue addresses legal choice and compassion in dying, arguing that honoring life’s sanctity includes the freedom to forgo painful medical prolongation.
• Also by This Author: Unbelievable, Biblical Literalism: A Gentile Heresy and The Fourth Gospel: Tales of a Jewish Mystic.