J. Harold Ellens (editor) - Heaven, Hell, and the Afterlife [3 volumes]: Eternity in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

H EAVEN , H ELL, AND THE A FTERLIFE

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H EAVEN , H ELL, AND THE A FTERLIFE

Eternity in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Volume 1
End Time and Afterlife in Judaism

J. Harold Ellens, Editor

Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality

J. Harold Ellens, Series Editor

AN IMPRINT OF ABC-CLIO, LLC

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Copyright 2013 by J. Harold Ellens

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Heaven, hell, and the afterlife : eternity in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam / J. Harold Ellens, editor.

pages cm. (Psychology, religion, and spirituality)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4408-0183-9 (alk. paper) ISBN 978-1-4408-0184-6 (ebook)

1. Future life. 2. Eternity. I. Ellens, J. Harold, 1932 editor of compilation.

BL535.H43 2013

202.3dc23 2012048027

ISBN: 978-1-4408-0183-9
EISBN: 978-1-4408-0184-6

17 16 15 14 13 1 2 3 4 5

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These three volumes are dedicated with fond affection to the cherished memory, gentle friendship, and genteel collegiality we all experienced in our dear departed friend
Alan F. Segal
Professor of Religion and the Ingeborg Rennert Professor of Jewish Studies, Barnard College, Columbia University

I N C OMMEMORATION OF S TANLEY E LLENS D ECEMBER 6, 1933J ULY 8, 2012

J. Harold Ellens

My virtual twin brother, Stanley Ellens, died in the week of my submission of this work to the publisher. Thus I wish to honor his memory with this celebrative commemoration. His life epitomized the quest that the company of scholars explores in these three volumes.

Stanley died as he lived: decisive, courageous, and full of grace. A man of passion and compassion, he was honest and humane, and genuinely godly. He suffered much in his final years but he was completely incapable of feeling sorry for himself. He faced life straight on and straight up all his days. He lived it with honor, dignity, humility, and piety. He seasoned well through his 78 years. In the end he looked with positive anticipation for release to his heavenly abode where he expected confidently to see and celebrate his long-lost grandson.

Stanley was unbounded in his devotion to his family and went to extraordinary lengths in his last months to ensure that Joanne, his wife of 58 years, was at home in a place convenient for her and that, insofar as possible, all burdens and obstacles were removed from her for the rest of her life. He was utterly realistic about what his illness was doing to him, how short his potential tenure really was, and how he needed to prepare his affairs for the final moment. He also devoted much attention in his last years to that tender love his children needed for the blessed memories that he carefully designed to leave them.

My memories of Stan start when we were very little children playing together in the fine clean sand under the corncrib on the old farm. We were the same size throughout our childhood and adolescence. We wore each others clothes and were usually taken for twins. Once when I came home from college apparently looking threadbare and boorish in clothes I had unwittingly outgrown, he took off his brand-new tweed jacket and gave it to me on the spot. That was classic Stanley. From the time I was about five and he was three and a half until we both went away to military service we were very close. I was small and slight for my age and he was robust and energetic. I tended to be worried about life, he found it hilarious. Stanleys humor was irrepressible. He was a robust, rambunctious, and sometimes rapscallion child. While Dad and Mother often found that exasperating, they always found it humorous as well. Stanley always knew exactly how much he could get away with.

He did life right in that and most every other regard. He raised enough hob in adolescence to last him a lifetime. He never seemed to need to revert to that thereafter. As an adult he was a principled and responsible young man, as a soldier a vigorous and loyal noncommissioned officer, and his mature years were marked by his assertive and open-faced authenticity as a leader, an esteemed churchman, and a genuine believer.

Our oldest brother had been in World War II. Stanley and I served during and after the Korean War era. We served simultaneously for four years. Stanley served in the Army Security Agency, doing highly secretive intelligence work as a military spy. He held a NATO Level Security Clearance and was, of course, sworn to secrecy regarding his work. Through all his years he never once breathed a word of it to anyone, even to me. His word was his bond, and now he has taken all that world of secret service with him to heaven.

Stanley seemed always in charge of life. His wisdom, courage, and valor served him well in that regard. You never had to wonder where he stood. If he was right he pressed the cause with good-natured firmness. If he proved to be wrong it was easy for him to apologize. Not long ago he said to me, I was wrong with you and Daniel on such and such a matter five years ago. I was stubborn then on that point. You were right and I was wrong. I will correct it. He proceeded immediately to do so.

For him such a moment was just a matter of fact in lifes unfolding. He was correct about that. He was wisely decisive. He let you know quietly and simply where he stood, right or wrong. When the time came for him to leave this world, he decided to have the oxygen mask removed so he could die. That was classic Stanley. It was his decision. He had been in charge of his life. He was decisive about his death. Now he has gained his eternal rest, but I am sure he is busy putting one of Gods recent projects right way around and having a humorful and gratifying time doing it. We will weep much and long for losing Stan, a real brother and dear friend. The beauty of Gods eternal day has dawned upon him. As we weep for our loss of him, we weep toward the dawning of that day for each of us.