Religion, Spirituality and the Near-Death Experience / Edition 1

by Mark Fox

Overview

This dramatic and sustained response to decades of research into near-death experiences (NDEs) is the first book to credibly bridge the gap between the competing factions of science and spirituality. Neither a religious argument touting NDEs as hard evidence for God, nor a scientific rebuke to religious interpretations, it balances investigation of these much-reported yet baffling phenomena, and brings fresh urgency to the study of our hopes for a life beyond.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415288309
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	11/07/2002
Pages:	392
Product dimensions:	5.44(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Dr Mark Fox is a member of Lampeter University's Religious Experience Research Centre committee, and an active member researcher into religious and paranormal experience. He currently lectures in philosophy and religious studies at Joseph Chamberlain College in Birmingham.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1. A Brief History of NDEs 2. A 'DeafeningSilence': Theology and the NDE 3. Defining the Light: Language, Epistemology and the NDE 4. Of Plots and Minds: Neuroscience, Narrative and the NDE 5. Second Sight? NDEs and the Blind 6. The RERC Study 7. Building Bridges of Fighting Wars? Religion, Spirituality and the Future of Near Death-Studies Notes Bibliography _ _

Editorial Reviews

'Fascinating, the analysis/explanation, drawing on cognate research into religious and mystical experiences, is of a sophisticated order clear, lucid, engaging and to the point. Highly recommended!' - Paul Heelas, Lancaster University

'Encyclopedia and scholarly; it pushes the boundaries further than any work on this topic in the last few years. There hasn't been anything quite like this for a long while.' - Allan Kellahear, La Trobe University, Australia

"A fascinating overivew ... extremely illuminating for those interested in the question of NDEs ... the value of this work is in bringing together a range of different perspectives." - Jeremy Carrette, University of Stirling

"The most exciting study of NDE's that I have seen in 10 years." - Allan Kellehear, La Trobe University, Melbourne

'Research into NDEs constitutes a fascinating and fast-growing field. In Religion, Spirituality and the Near-Death Experience, Mark Fox has admirably brought together a mass of this research carried out over the past thirty years ... This he presents in a clear and unbiased fashion, leaving the reader to make up their own minds on the issues.' - Russell Stannard, Times Literary Supplement

'Mark Fox ... has written the most sensible, accessible and helpful books so far on near-death experience' - Rt Revd David Atkinson, Church Times

'In Religion, [Mark Fox] attempts to connect the latest research in near-death experiences to philosophical musings. His efforts yields plenty of compelling first-person yarns, culled from more than 100 survivors.' - Psychology Today

'His treatment is a model of interdisciplinary investigation, mapping out evidence coherently and even-handedly ...' - Milltown Studies

'Religion, SPirituality and the Near-Death EXperience is the most sophisticated philosophical and theological analysis of NDE to appear to date.' - Network

'In short, Religion, Spirituality and the Near-Death Experience provides an excellent introduction and overview of research on near-death experiences, with a special emphasis on the religious implications thereof.' - Studies in Religion

'[Fox] has written a comprehensive guide to a subject which has been growing over the last twenty-five years ... a welcome standby for serious students of the subject.' - Christian Parapsychologist

From the Publisher