About the Book
Clark-Soles began this project in order to answer the question, "What exactly does the New Testament say about death and afterlife?" It turns out that it says both more and less than one might hope or expect. By more, she means that every time the subject of death and what happens after death arises, it is clear that the authors' interests far exceed answering that single question. Their comments emerge from the concerns and experiences of living Christian communities, they relate to a larger theological and pastoral agenda, and their primary focus remains life on earth and the proper living of it. The texts say less than one may hope because no author sets out to answer my question directly. There is no systematic theology in the New Testament regarding death and aftelife. Certainly resurrection appears throughout, though differently emphasized and interpreted. Beyond that, the fascinating aspects of the question are in the details of the texts. Therefore, the appropriate question, as it turns out, is not: What does the New Testament say about death and afterlife, but what do various New Testament texts say about it?
Others have sought to unify the New Testament witness, glossing over the individual pictures presented by the New Testament authors. Clark-Soles revels in the snapshots of the individuals and am less interested in the family photo. Clark-Soles inquires into the specific language that each author uses regarding death and afterlife. She explores anthropology, cosmology, eschatology, and, where relevant, theology and Christology. Finally, Clark-Soles suggests ways that the stated views function in each situation.
Table of Contents:
Chapter One sets the investigation against a backdrop of options deployed by thinkers and cultures which contributed to the discussion before the New Testament joined it. This includes Ancient Near Eastern, Ancient Jewish, Second Temple Jewish, and Hellenistic materials. The chapter draws upon epitaphs, graves, Roman religions, mystery religions, consolation literature, and Hellenistic philosophy. It addresses particular topics such as anthropology, notions of divine judgment, and the origins of heaven, hell, and Satan.; Chapter two examines the Pauline literature, using 1 Corinthians 15 as a case study. This chapter is often considered the classic statement on Christian afterlife. Chapter three takes up the Gospel of John and compares and contrasts John with Paul's letters. Neither Paul nor John use hell language.; Chapter four is devoted to the gospel of Matthew. Hell language and imagery abounds in Matthew. Matthew's depiction of death and afterlife functions to enjoin ethical behavior, encourage faithfulness, and certify God's character as righteous and just. Chapter five addresses 1 Peter, famous for its supposed depiction of Jesus' "descent into hell" and the subsequent development of the notion of purgatory.; Chapter six summarizes the book's findings and offers concluding comparisons and contrasts among the authors, with consideration paid to their social and cultural millieu.
About the Author :
Jaime Clark-Soles is Assistant Professor of New Testament at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, and the author of Scripture Cannot Be Broken: The Social Function of the Use of Scripture in the Fourth Gospel.
Review :
"This is a welcome contribution"
"The virtues of this book, which [are] not aimed at academics, are twofold. First, it is clear and will keep the attention of a general audience (although the studies of anthropological terms will slow some down). Second, it rightly emphasizes that NT eschatology is not a single thing but a plurality: different writers have different views. Indeed, Clark-Soles correctly observes that individuals can even contradict themselves." -Dale C. Allison, Jr, Interpretation, January 2008
"This volume may serve as a useful reference work for seminary and theological students since it summarizes key interpretive options on death and the afterlife for Paul, the Fourth Gospel, Matthew, and the canonical Petrine texts...Most of the insights and interpretations in the book are solid, and often Clark-Soles avoids making definitive judgments, summarizing key options and leaving it to the reader to decide. Especially strong are her discussions of the absence of hell and eternal punishment language in Paul and the paraenetic functions of afterlife in all the texts. She provides valuable summaries and comparisons of the anthropological vocabulary in each of her four blocks of text...In sum, Clark-Soles has produced a valuable, encyclopedic work covering four major parts of the new testament, and it deserves a place in the libraries of pastors, seminary students, and religious studies and theology programs." —Jeffrey A. Trumbower, The Journal of Religion, January 2008
"Clark-Soles addresses some interesting parallel between the Fourth Gospel and the Epicurean doctrine...We have here a concise, accurate, well-researched study that should prove benefit to students and scholars alike."— Casimir Bernas, Religious Studies Review, Vol. 33, No. 4, October 2007
Reviewed in International Review of Biblical Studies, 2007.
"This book is a compendium, relying on the work of many scholars. It has an extensive bibliography, an index of scriptural references, and a detailed general index. It would be valuable for research by preachers and teachers, and for interested laypersons who have been favorably exposed to critical methods. Most of all, it is a source for those asking: where did our ideas about death and the afterlife come from, and what purpose do they serve?" -Eleanor Abarno, Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Winter/Spring 2009
