Otherworld Journeys: Accounts of Near-Death Experience in Medieval and Modern Times
Lee A. Kirkpatrick, Carol Zaleski
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion December 1, 1987 DOI: 10.2307/1387108 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Keywords | Literature Ancient history Classics |
| Citations | 318 |
| Key points | Argues that eyewitness accounts of life after death are a common motif in global folklore and religious literature, with medieval Christian visionary narratives offering close parallels to modern near-death experience stories. |
Abstract
This book represents the first objective, comprehensive survey of the evidence for life after death provided by 'near-death' experiences. Carol Zalewski demonstrates that the eyewitness account of life after death is a common motif in the folklore and religious literature of the world, and shows that medieval Christian visionary narratives in particular offer surprisingly close parallels to the modern stories. In her discussion of the similarities and differences between the medieval and modern 'otherworld journey' narratives, she sheds light on modern cultural attitudes toward death and religion.