This book examines what heaven is, and Paula Gooder applies her considerable scholarship to understanding the biblical idea of heaven. She draws on biblical, deutero-canonical books and the rabbinic literature in her survey of the subject, concluding with an examination of what an understanding of heaven means for Christians in the here-and-now. As usual with Paula Gooder, it is written in an easy-to-read style, bringing great scholarship into the everyday world. A must-read for any Christian who thinks we will spend eternity in a disembodied heavenly existence. ( )

NCLA Review: Heaven is big right now. With top-selling titles like Rob Bell’s LOVE WINS, Todd Burpo’s HEAVEN IS FOR REAL, and evangelical pastor Randy Alcorn’s HEAVEN and numerous related volumes, people are surrounded with guides on what to expect of heaven, eye-witness accounts of what it was like for a few who claim to have been there, and in some cases refutations that heaven exists at all. A calm voice among the controversy is Paula Gooder in Heaven, a slim volume that describes its goal as “to give an introduction to the vast subject of heaven in the Bible.” In chapters such as “In the beginning . . . heaven and earth”, “From heaven to earth: angelic messengers”, and 7 more, Gooder delves into the Biblical presentation of heaven, explaining concepts in the context of their time, helping us understand the Greek and Hebrew roots of some of the important terms in Scripture, and showing parallels and differences between heavenly visions as recorded in the Bible. Though clearly written for laypersons, this is a serious work. It is not a light read but is a worthwhile one. The book is carefully annotated and contains a bibliography for further reading, as well as indexes to the content. Recommended for most church libraries. Rating: 3 – KLF ( )