Louisville Process Theology Network

Visions of Heaven, I

Oct 06, 2005

Some politicians and the preachers who support them are making plenty of political hay out of their particular idea of Heaven. "Our message is salvation through grace alone, by faith alone, through Christ alone" said one preacher at a recent political event in Louisville. In other words, just believe in Jesus and you'll get to Heaven. That's all there is to it. In terms of politics, the speaker seemed to saying that the politicians he supports are headed for Heaven.

Everyone knows the traditional teaching about Heaven. It's where true believers go for eternal happiness after life on earth. Non-believers go to another place that's pretty awful for damnation and punishment.

Objective-minded believers are obviously put a tremendous political disadvantage here. Many of them do not profess to know all the details about the working of Heaven. Some figure Jesus did not tell us everything there is to know about it, and probably didn't intend to either. Maybe he wanted us to leave some of this up to our imaginations.

He might have figured that a litte uncertainty would help us appreciate the gift of life and make better use of its potential.