I have always been fascinated by eschatology and love to think about what Heaven and Hell would be like. I have always found it hard to explain however, these concepts to people. Not to mention that many Christians have non Christian views of heaven and hell.

This book is part of the Kregel Publishing 40 questions series. The book is a great addition to the series.

The author of this book, Alan Gomes is straightforward and solemn with the topic at hand. The book is so well written I kept thinking that I wish we had read the book in seminary. After reading 40 Questions I felt that I was more up to speed on a topic that many find as fascinating as I do.

After I read it, I let a non-Christian friend borrow it; the book has opened a door for us as we both are enjoying a long discussion on the topics within the book.

If you are looking to brush up on questions about heaven and hell or even wanting to preach a sermon series on the topic, you really need look no further than this book as it will answer all of your questions and give you a challenge as you seek answers.

STRENGTHS:

-The format of this book is one that I greatly enjoy. The Q&A format makes all of the books in this series great resources. They aren't books that need to be read from cover to cover (though I definitely recommend doing so!), but can be referenced whenever a question comes to mind.

-Each question provides a substantial answer, and yet in a concise manner.

-The answers are derived from God's Word. As a matter of fact, this book is essentially an exposition of God's Word on the different topics that are included in the questions. You will find biblical references on every single page of this book (just check out the Scripture index in the back of the book), and the author is explaining the meaning of those texts. As with all other books, not everybody is going to agree with every conclusion that Gomes presents, but even when that is the case, it will still be beneficial to interact with his position.

-Reflection questions are provided at the end of each chapter. These are good and helpful for both individuals reading the book as well as groups that are reading together.

-Gomes interacts with historical theology as he works through the different questions. We are able to see what Christians throughout church history have believed and taught about these topics being addressed.

-Similarly, Gomes has provided no shortage of footnotes for the serious student. Many of the footnotes interact with historical and systematic theology throughout church history as well as translation notes/issues.

-Gomes shows himself to be a scholar who has studied these questions in depth. Again, though the answers are concise and not exhaustive, they are nonetheless rigorous, solid answers!

-Gomes is very charitable and fair toward opposing views. I believe he honors Christ in the way he discusses other religions and worldviews.

WEAKNESSES:

-There is one thing about the book that I would consider a weakness due to its inconsistency. Some chapters (such as 2 & 3) end with a section called "Conclusion" or "Concluding Thoughts" that comes immediately before the Reflection Questions. Most of the chapters, however, do not include that section. When the book is being used as a reference work, that conclusion section can be very helpful! For instance, in 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law by Thomas Schreiner, every single chapter ends with a "Summary" just prior to the Reflection Questions. That summary is a very brief section that provides the meat of the entire chapter. When one just wants the answer to the question, that is the section to read. However, this volume does not provide summary sections. To make it worse, it isn't consistent with its conclusion sections. Some chapters have them; others do not. I'm not sure why the summary section was not included in this volume. I believe that it would have improved the book.

CONCLUSION:

Since I just complained about the conclusion section, I feel the need to provide my own conclusion. Despite the weakness of the lack of summaries, I highly recommend this book! Again, it's a great book on the topic of Heaven and Hell to either read from cover to cover, or to use as a reference book on the topic. You won't be disappointed!

40 Questions About Heaven and Hell is another volume from Kregel Academic in the ongoing series 40 Questions About (You can check out my reviews of three others in this series here (salvation), here (church) and here (ordinances).

Heaven and Hell is just as the title describes: Everything you wanted to know about Heaven and Hell yet had never had explained all accomplished in 40 questions. And you might wonder how there can be forty questions. Author Alan W. Gomes, professor at Talbot School of Theology, is meticulous in his approach. He leads us through the ins and outs of the afterlife beginning with nine questions on "An Overview of the Afterlife."

The book is divided into four parts, not all equal in volume. Part 4: The Eternal State is the longest covering half the "Questions," and it is divided into two sections: The Eternal State for Believers and the Eternal State for Unbelievers (Hell). This is likely the Part that most readers will gravitate to first. For believers it will serve as a basis for hope and a motivation for witnessing. The volume is also well footnoted and there are questions for reflection at the end of each chapter. He has obviously done a massive amount of research for this book.

Whereas other volumes in this series are informative and educational, this particular volume is sobering. Gomes is straightforward and very frank at times. Yet, at other times, when the biblical evidence is not totally conclusive, he is not afraid to so as with "What Happens to Infants Who Die?" You may or may not agree with all of his conclusions (they are written from a conservative viewpoint), however, he will certainly pique your interest and should get you to do some personal research. Gomes presents alternative viewpoints and then graciously refutes them and presents the biblical evidence for his view.

40 Questions About Heaven and Hell is a book for all believers, not just theologians and pastors. It should be required for all who claim the name of Christ. It is well-designed for a group Bible study.

Disclaimer: This volume was provided to me by Kregel Academic for a fair and honest review.

What happens once a person dies? What kind of afterlife is there? What about the questions surrounding the intermediate state of being between death and resurrection? What about the final judgment? What does the Bible say about the eternal state of believers and the eternal state of hell? These questions are part of 40 well thought-out questions and answers about heaven and hell. Written in a way like the catechism of old, this book categorizes the questions in four parts:

Overview of the Afterlife (9 questions)

The Intermediate State (5 questions)

The Final Judgment (6 questions)

Eternal State for Believers (9 questions); Unbelievers (11 questions)

Some of the questions may not reflect the way the sections are named. For instance, the part about eternal state for animals don't exactly fit into the believers category, but the authors put the question there. At the same time, some questions do cover across different categories. Thus, I would say that the categories are mainly to be used as a general guide. A more accurate guide would be the the question set forth. The style reflects a catechism style of questions and answers. A key difference would be the length of answers. Catechisms give brief answers. This book provides much more. The answers look more like detailed articles to teach and to serve as a resource for anyone interested in the topic. Some of the very interesting topics for me are:

Does God give people an opportunity for conversion after they die?

Will there be degrees of punishment assigned to unbelievers at the final judgment?

What Does the Bible Mean When It Speaks of Our "Soul" and "Spirit"?

Will there be animals in the eternal state?

What is hell like?

Is There Such a Place as Purgatory?

How Can a God of Love Send People to an Eternal Hell?

Some of the questions are dealt with in two chapters namely; about the Resurrection body, about animals in the eternal state; about the people suffering in hell; and the meaning of Jesus 'descend into hell.'

At the end of each chapter, there are more reflection questions to help us engage with the material presented. This would likely spawn more questions and insights. In Gomes's dealings with cultural understanding of the afterlife, he notes that while Americans are increasingly secular, their interest about the afterlife appear to be rising. This in itself is an opportunity to share the relevance of faith and religion.

My Thoughts

This volume is not just talking about theology. It bridges modern concerns with biblical content. Gomes readily highlights the various surveys and studies to show us the prevailing cultural views. This helps readers to understand the background behind the interest. Not only that, it provides the necessary context to draw readers into these questions. For the reader, just knowing the level of interest in the questions might be enough to keep them engaged not only with the text but also as a conversational topic with family and friends. Gomes also goes beyond mere cultural perspectives. He also describes some of the other religious views about heaven and hell. In doing so, he makes the book relevant to all of us as human beings instead of mere religious or non-religious parties.

This book is also a powerful apologetics resource. With carefully selected arguments, the author leads us through some of the most common objections and to deal with them systematically through rational explanations. He addresses some of the stories of people's after death experiences and cautions us from using them as a launchpad for interpreting the truth about life and death. He makes a case for the Bible as the authoritative truth without necessarily dumbing down on the alternative viewpoints. At the same time, he teaches us to maintain a posture of humility. This is important because truth-telling is not only the facts per se, but also the way we present the truth.

Gomes understands the common cultural views about heaven and hell. Every chapter is chockfull of examples and illustrations about contemporary cultural views. He consistently tie these observations and to provide a counter explanation from the Bible. This keeps us grounded while we explore the topic. This work is well-researched and easy to follow. There are many ways to use this book. We could use it as a launchpad for conversation; a teaching resource; apologetics training; and many more.

Alan W. Gomes is Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology at Talbot School of Theology.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

This book has been provided courtesy of Kregel Academic without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Whatever people may think (believers and unbelievers in Jesus Christ) about heaven and hell, both topics are mentioned several times in the Bible. Fortunately, this title thoughtfully addresses both realities in the format of a question and answer format. While the book is scholarly and well-researched, the writing is understandable and smoothly transitions from topic to topic.

Some of the questions asked and addressed include:

1. Why we need to think about the afterlife.

2. Is there a place known as purgatory.

3. What will resurrected bodies be like.

4. What the new heavens and new earth be like.

5. Will there be animals in heaven.

6. What hell is like.

7. What certain belief systems (i.e. - Universalism) teach about hell.

8. What we will do in eternity.

Very good read and an excellent aid for anyone wanting to preach or teach about the topics. Will be read more thoroughly in the future. Recommended.

I was given a review copy by Kregel Academic in exchange for a fair review and appreciate the opportunity.