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Screening the Afterlife: Theology, Eschatology and Film

Deacy, Christopher (2012) Screening the Afterlife: Theology, Eschatology and Film. Routledge, Abingdon, 195 pp. ISBN ISBN 978-0-415-57258-3 (hardback), 978-0-415-57259-0 (paperback), 978-0-203-35601-2 (e-book). (doi:10.1080/13537903.2012.722303) (Access to this publication is currently restricted. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:29684)

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Abstract

This book looks critically at a range of definitional and methodological questions in theology, eschatology and film before investigating how films encroach upon theological territory regarding questions of the survival of personhood after death. Despite being perennial themes in both cinema (in films such as Ghost, What Dreams May Come, Heaven Can Wait, Defending Your Life, A Matter of Life and Death and Made in Heaven) and theology (where it is common to find scholars writing about such issues as the resurrection of the body, immortality of the soul, Heaven, Hell, judgement, purgatory, mind-dependent worlds, etc.), there have been no major attempts to bring these areas together.

I accord particular attention to the language of resurrection and immortality, followed by a critical evaluation of films which address questions of Near-Death Experiences and Mind-Dependent Worlds, with particular reference to academic scepticism in this area (e.g. Susan Blackmore). I also focus on critical links between ‘realized’ trends in theological and cinematic discourse. The book further investigates cinematic portrayals of ‘heaven’ and ‘hell’ in film, with specific reference to the theological challenges that are posed.

Item Type: Book
DOI/Identification number: 10.1080/13537903.2012.722303
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BT Doctrinal Theology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Arts and Humanities > School of Culture and Languages
Depositing User: Chris Deacy
Date Deposited: 21 Jun 2012 14:42 UTC
Last Modified: 09 Mar 2023 11:32 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/29684 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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