EHE Book Reviews

Survival of Death Record Type: Review ID: 1333
Immortality or Extinction? Badham, Paul, & Badham, Linda
The purpose of this work by a theologian (P.B.) and a philosopher of science (L.B.) is to examine a wide variety of arguments for and against life after death. Part 1 concerns whether or not the question of survival can be asked meaningfully. The second part examines the intellectual developments of the past 400 years that have eroded the traditional religious foundations in favor of immortality, concluding that it is necessary to go beyond the traditional framework in order to find support for the doctrine of a future life. In Part 3, the authors consider some claims that, at face value, may be taken as evidence for survival: the evidence, respectively, from near-death experiences, from psychical research, and from claimed memories of reincarnation. In the final part, they sum up the case for and against immortality, and find that there is compelling evidence on both sides. They conclude that an experientially-based relationship with God that provides a trust that God will hold one in being through death may tip the scales in favor of survival, but for those who doubt the reality of the religious dimension, a belief in survival is not tenable.
Publisher Information:	Totowa, NJ: Barnes & Noble Books, 1982. 146p. Chapter notes; Index: 144-146; Select bibliography: 142-143

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Immortality or Extinction?