Making Sense of Death and Immortality

Paul Badham is the creator of the Death and Immortality MA programme at the University of Wales in Lampeter, and has been actively writing about death and dying for over 25 years. In this excellent short book, he writes from a Christian point of view, bridging theology with the findings of modern NDE research. He begins by analysing how scientific and medical advances have changed our understanding of death, moving on to show how immortality and resurrection of central to Christian doctrine and arguing for a dualistic understanding of the relationship between soul and body. He discusses various areas of the philosophy of religion, with a focus on religious experience - he directed the Alister Hardy Religious Experience Research Centre for a number of years. His view on the Resurrection argues for a spiritual body as outlined by St Paul in one Corinthians, a view that is consistent with the findings of psychical research. There is an authoritative chapter on NDEs and their interpretation. He advances moral and religious arguments against a belief in hell and discusses concepts of heaven, concluding that 'a strong, living relationship with God includes trusting in the reality of that fellowship against the forces of death.' For Christians with an interest in immortality and others familiar with NDE research but less so with Christian theology, this is surely the most balanced and comprehensive introduction to the field.