Our Jewish Catholic Muslim Dialogue of South Jersey will be offering another Breaking Bread Together symposium on Sunday, April 29, at 2 p.m. at St. Mary’s Parish, 2001 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill. This year’s topic is “Heaven and Hell — Jewish, Catholic and Muslim Perspectives.” Commonalities of belief and tradition relative to heaven and hell within Judaism, Catholicism and Islam will be explored and explained by Rabbi Lewis Eron, myself and a local imam.
The program is open to everyone and admission is free, donations will be gratefully accepted. Refreshments will be served following the workshop sessions. Pre-registration by April 27 would be appreciated at www.jcrcsn.org; walk-in registration on April 29 begins at 1:30 p.m. For more information please contact Helene Klimberg at the JCRC Office 856-751-9500, ext. 117.
The subject of heaven and hell promises to be a fascinating topic indeed. Both our Christian and Muslim understandings of heaven and hell have their roots in the Jewish understanding of both. Yet at the same time the Jewish concept of an afterlife generally known as, olam haba, the world to come, is not as exact as Christian and Islamic understandings of an afterlife.
Jewish Scriptures and literature are not precise either about what happens after death. Judaism tends to concentrate on the here and now and what good works or Mitzvots, one should perform in this life. The Torah and Talmud stress this world and the duties one must fulfill to God and neighbor. Succeeding at this brings rewards and punishment for failing, all in this life. There is not a clear and definitive teaching in Judaism as to whether these rewards or punishments continue after death. At the same time there is a strong strain in Judaism that the afterlife is something to look forward to. A Mishnah passage says, “This world is like a lobby before the Olam Haba. Prepare yourself in the lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall.”
There are many and various understandings drawn from Scripture, tradition, the teaching of the rabbis about the afterlife, the resurrection of the dead, judgment, heaven and hell, as well as the messianic age. Many of these themes will be explored at our gathering.
For us Christians life after death is a central doctrine of our faith. Our faith in an afterlife freely given to us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the heart of the Christian message. Christian Scriptures are replete with illusions, teachings, parables that point to the existence of heaven and hell. Jesus often speaks of the Kingdom of God, which for him is a reality experienced partially in this life and fully in the next. Heaven is described as a place of eternal life where all the ranks of angels surround the Throne of God and where the elect will abide. Our belief in the afterlife is ensconced in our creeds, such as in the Nicene Creed, which says, “We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”
The Book of Revelation reflects our Jewish roots as it speaks of a city called the New Jerusalem. This New Jerusalem has a wall and 12 gates and on each gate is the name of one of the tribes of Israel along with an angel. There are also 12 foundations, one for each of the 12 Apostles. The 1,400 square mile wall is made of precious stones and there is a river of “water of life,” which flows from God’s throne, and trees of life line the banks of the river and produce fruit in every month. The elect will bear the name of God upon their foreheads and all pain, tears and death will disappear forever. Sounds like Paradise restored.
The Qur’an contains many references to the afterlife, which is described as Eden, reserved for those who have done more good than bad in life. The path to heaven for Muslims is following the path laid out in the Qur’an. Heaven is a garden where the faithful lie upon couches in a perfect environment surrounded by “bashful, dark-eyed virgins, chaste as the sheltered eggs of ostriches.” They will drink from crystal goblets and silver vessels and will be clothed in green silk and brocade and will wear silver bracelets and they will “drink a pure draught” drawn from Allah’s own source as a reward for their perseverance and faithfulness.
As you can see, I have only scratched the surface of our topic and did not even delve into the interesting subject of hell and our various views on that place of sorrow. That and more will be covered in our enlightening learning experience, “Heaven and Hell — Jewish, Christian and Muslim Perspectives.” Come and join us on Sunday, April 29, at St. Mary’s Church and join in on the learning and fellowship.
Father Joseph D. Wallace is coordinator, Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs, Diocese of Camden.
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