Purgatory: The Logic of Total Transformation

by Jerry L. Walls

Overview

Jerry L. Walls, the author of books on hell and heaven, completes his tour of the afterlife with a philosophical and theological exploration and defense of purgatory, the traditional teaching that most Christians require a period of postmortem cleansing and purging of their sinful dispositions and imperfections before they will be fully made ready for heaven. He examines Protestant objections to the doctrine and shows that the doctrine of purgatory has been construed in different ways, some of which are fully compatible with Protestant theology. In particular, while purgatory has often been understood as matter of punishment in order to make satisfaction for sins that have not been fully remitted, it can also be seen as the completion of the sanctification process, an account of the doctrine that is fully consistent with the Protestant doctrine of justification by faith. Purgatory assumes not only continuity of personal identity but also gradual moral and spiritual growth between death and resurrection. Different theories of personal identity are examined and assessed in light of these assumptions. Walls also shows that the traditional doctrine of purgatory is not understood as a second chance for salvation, but goes on to argue that it should be modified to allow for postmortem repentance. He concludes with an examination of C.S. Lewis's writings on purgatory, and suggests that Lewis can be a model for evangelicals and other Protestants to engage the doctrine of purgatory in a way that is true to their theology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199732296
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	12/01/2011
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Jerry L. Walls has served as a Research Fellow in the Center for Philosophy of Religion at Notre Dame. He is the author of a trilogy on the afterlife, the first two volumes of which are Hell: The Logic of Damnation and Heaven: The Logic of Eternal Joy. He is also the editor of The Oxford Handbook of Eschatology.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: A Short History of Purgatory

Chapter 2: Protestant Objections and Alternatives to Purgatory

Chapter 3: Models of Purgatory

Chapter 4: Personal Identity, Time, and Purgatory

Chapter 5: Purgatory and Theories of a "Second Chance"

Chapter 6: C.S. Lewis and the Prospect of Mere Purgatory

Conclusion: Looking Forward by Looking Back

Editorial Reviews

"Only Jerry Walls or C.S. Lewis could have written this splendid book on the history and philosophical theology of purgatory. It is clear, systematic, engaging, and illuminating."
— Charles Taliaferro, Professor of Philosophy, St. Olaf College

"A fascinating account of the development of the doctrine of purgatory by a leading Wesleyan scholar. Walls traces Christian views on purgatory from the early church to C. S. Lewis and comes up with a surprisingly affirmative conclusion about a view of the afterlife that has divided Catholics and Protestants for nearly 500 years. An important and nuanced study."
— Timothy George, dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University

"For a generation or more a stout Protestant doctrine of purgatory has been an accident waiting to happen. Given Jerry Walls's cheerful and articulate presentation, we can predict that a host of readers will be in no hurry to leave the scene until they have come to terms with this provocative proposal in analytic theology."
— William J. Abraham, Albert Cook Outler Professor of Wesley Studies, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University

"Historically informed, philosophically competent, and theologically alert, the result is an impressive book...This is a splendid treatment of the topic — as careful and fair a discussion of the doctrine of purgatory as one is likely to find."—Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

"Historically informed, philosophically competent, and theologically alert, the result is an impressive book...This is a splendid treatment of the topic — as careful and fair a discussion of the doctrine of purgatory as one is likely to find."—Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

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