Benjamin G. Myers

It is a VERY difficult task to write a book like this, and on the whole it's masterfully done. Myers synthesizes rich scriptural and theological material and distills it in a wonderfully accessible way. The puzzle for me is the surprisingly weak - even cagey - eschatology. Focussing on Origen's 'single person' corporate body approach to the resurrection of the dead...? That's.... a bizarre choice for a book like this. And yes, of course, eternal life is about quality of life not JUST quantity... but Myers chooses to focus almost entirely on quality, to the notable exclusion of a clear statement of ongoing personal existence in that chapter. Taken together it looks very much like he is not able to confidently express the eschatological hope of continuing personal bodily existence in the new creation. I recognize the theological influences behind this choice, but it is unfortunate, especially for a book like this which is intended for non-specialist readers who may not have the background to evaluate the more traditional (and to my mind, scripturally and theologically better-grounded) alternatives behind the positions he has taken here.… (mer)