Friday 25 November 2022

Researching the nature of Heaven (in order to decide whether, or not, you want to go there)

I don't think the nature of Heaven can be understood by direct assault on the problem; but only via several prior stages of discernment. 

Note: this is not what I myself did - my own procedure was much more haphazard; but it strikes me in retrospect that progress only occurred with a linear sequence of intuitive assumptions:


First we need to decide what God wants with creation, including why; and how this purpose relates to Man. In different words: where is creation aiming; and how do I personally fit in? 

It is necessary also - either at this, or some other, point - to understand how and why the life/ death/ resurrection/ ascension of Jesus Christ was necessary to this aim. 

(If Jesus is not considered absolutely necessary to God's plan for creation, then there is no compelling reason to be A Christian.) 


Then we can move onto the question of what kind of Heaven God would want; what fits in with God's creative intent for Man.

At some such point; the focus can shift to yourself; and the question of what it is that situation you would most want after your death; especially if it is forever.   

And only then does it make much sense to research the various Heavens that have been described through history - because only then will you have criteria to evaluate them, their coherence and believable-ness; and to exercise your intuitive discernment about which Heaven (or aspects of the Heavens described) is plausible and desirable. 


In researching Heaven I read a wide range of descriptions of Christian Heaven. These included:

Fourth Gospel ('John')

Books of Revelation

Pauline Epistles 

Evangelical Church of England

Roman Catholic 

Russian Orthodox

Mormon (CJCLDS)

William Arkle 

Swedenborg

Rudolf Steiner


Only after something-like this prolonged 'quest' did I reach the ('very simple!) understanding of Heaven that I now believe.


No comments: