Who Goes There?: A Cultural History of Heaven and Hell

by Rebecca Price-Janney

Princess Diana, John Ritter, Saddam Hussein, Mother Teresa, Chris Farley Does it seem reasonable to guess where each of these people ended up after they died? While it is comforting to suppose that... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802454933
• ISBN13: 9780802454935
• Release Date: February 2009
• Publisher: Moody Publishers
• Length: 234 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.9" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Historically excellent, theologically simplistic

I received a promotional copy of this book from Mike Morrell over at theOoze.com. (Thank you) Rebecca Price Janney's writing is simple and clear. Her subject covers the cultural evolution of beliefs regarding the afterlife in America - a subtitle that should take prominence over the more confusing "Who Goes There?" on the front cover. The book's thesis is simple: American cultural beliefs of heaven and hell have been fragmented and dispersed far from their origins in Puritan Protestant orthodoxy. Proof is then given through a whirlwind tour through the history of the United States, particularly focused upon obituaries and views toward the afterlife. It is in the numerous sermons, poems, songs, articles and films quoted that Janney's work as a historian shines. The fact that it is a quick read is a testament to her clear organization of the material and consistent writing style. The theological side, however, is slightly stunted. The strength here is on the history - while her theological biases are clear, they remain largely unargued except via correlations between each era's behaviours. The strong 'divine war' ethic that fueled many U.S. foreign incursions is sympathized with and as the years gain on the present the writing loses some of it's potency. Janney's examination of challenges to this theological hegemony sometimes comes off as dismissive - whether that was the true intent or merely a symptom of brevity is unclear. Nevertheless, as someone strongly interested in history and theology, this was a wonderful book, and is highly recommended (chapters 3-16 in particular). The Ameri-centricism and the emphasis on Protestant theology leaves gaps worthy of another's work, but within it's bounds this work is steadfast.

Great, thought provoking book!

Rebecca Price Janney has written a great book about heaven and hell creatively titled, Who Goes There?: A Cultural History of Heaven and Hell. Janney is described on the book cover as "a theologically trained historian" and this book is a perfect example of what that means. The book begins with a quick overview of how our contemporary popular culture seems to think about the afterlife and then asks some important and critical questions. Just what are our thoughts about heaven and hell - and more importantly who goes there - based on? With this question on the table, Janney begins an historical overview of how Americans have viewed this subject from the founding of our country to the present. There are fascinating nuggets of theological, ecclesiastical, cultural, academic, and sociological factors that have shaped and changed our views of the afterlife. How did the various wars shape our thinking? What about immigration? Did technology play any role? All of these questions and more are approached in a clear, easy to read narrative that shows how a nation that once viewed all people as "sinners in the hands of an angry God" has transformed into a kinder, gentler people who believes that all, or at least most, people go to heaven and "are looking down on us from up there." But the question is still the same, Just what are these beliefs based on? While Janney subtly argues throughout the book that we need to resist the "feel good" conclusions of universalism the book is not preachy or apologetic in tone. Rather, it is a call for all of us (whether we are pastors or computer technicians) to think theologically about this important issue. At one point she says: "When people think of the 1930s, images usually arise of unemployment and bread lines, hobos bumming cigarettes and train rides, and the Dust Bowl. It was also the age when secular mass media began to dominate American life. For example, as strapped for cash as they were, by the end of the decade some 80 percent of Americans owned radios, and seventy-five million went to the movies weekly. Radio, movies, and newspapers both reflected and helped shape the culture of that time, supplanting the church as the keeper of the keys to the American way of life. What Americans listened to and watched were aimed for the lowest common denominator in terms of intellectual content, good taste, and morals, and their influence was enormous." Based on the currently popular views of heaven and hell it seems that many of us have aimed for the lowest common denominator in terms of intellectual content on this subject and Janney's book is a timely call to rethink things more carefully and theologically. Depending on how we answer the important question, "who goes there?" our thoughts on this topic shape everything else about how we live out our faith.

Who Goes There?

This book has been written on the premise of the organic unity of belief and behavior, convictions informing conduct and conduct mirroring convictions. With this inextricable connection in mind, Rebecca Janney explores Americans' beliefs about heaven and hell over the course of our national history, observing their behavioral effects. She draws a distinction between expectations colored by sentiment and those anchored in the Bible. And what emerges is the compelling message that biblical theology matters. Dr. Janney's expert analysis in a vivid retelling of successive turning points in the American experience makes her book engaging. Moreover, it challenges the reader to carefully examine the basis for his/her thoughts about heaven and hell, grasping their impliations.

Who Goes There

I don't usually have the time to pick up a book and read it straight through. But, I found this to be a very interesting read. I was fascinated at looking at the topic of heaven and hell through the lens of culture. I appreciated the quotes from a variety of historical figures. If one is looking for a thumbnail sketch of culture's perspective on heaven and hell--then I would heartily suggest you purchase this book.