Entering heaven alive

The concept of humans directly entering heaven without dying is a feature of multiple religions and mythic traditions, including the three main Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Christianity, Islam. Since death is generally considered the normal end to an individual's life on earth, entering heaven without dying first is considered exceptional and usually a sign of God's special recognition of the individual's piety.

Judaism

According to the Jewish Midrash, eight people went to heaven (also referred to as the Garden of Eden and Paradise) alive [ "Derekh Erez Zuta" (post-Talmudic tractate) cited in "Encyclopedia Judaica" New York 1972] . While modern Jewish tradition (including extra-scriptual texts, such as midrash and talmud) contends that a handful of people have ascended into heaven without experiencing death, true Judaism, that is, strict adherence to the Torah (5 books of Moses plus the tanach) and the commandments contained within accepts only one human to ever accomplish such a feat, Elijah. Even though the text in genesis does indicate something extraordinary happened to Enoch, the wording is sufficiently vague enough for Jewish and Christian scholars alike to dismiss it as a post-death ascension. Although if the currently existing copies of the extra-canonical book of Enoch can be trusted, (they are at least partially verified by fragments found at Qumran) Enoch is indeed the second and final person to ascend to heaven without death and will return alive with Elijah in the end times.

:* Elijah the Prophet "went up by a whirlwind into heaven" (Kings II Chapter 2, Verse 11...2 Chronicles 21:12 shows Elijah was alive on earth after 2 Kings2:11 so he didn't go to heaven. ):* Serach, the daughter of Asher - one of the sons of Jacob (Midrash Yalkut Shimoni (Yechezkel 367)):* Enoch went to heaven alive (Genesis 5:22-24) [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=383&letter=E JewishEncyclopedia.com - ENOCH ] ] :* Eliezer, the servant of Abraham:* Hiram, king of Tyre:* Ebed Melech, the Ethiopian:* Jaabez, the son of Rabbi Yehudah ha-Nagid:* Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=1106&letter=B JewishEncyclopedia.com - BITHIAH ] ]

Christianity

Since the adoption of the Nicene Creed in 325, the Ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven, as related in the New Testament has been a doctrine of all orthodox Christian churches and is celebrated on Ascension Thursday. In Anglican Church and Roman Catholic Church the Ascension of the Lord is a Holy Day of Obligation. In the Eastern Orthodox Church the Ascension is one of twelve Great Feasts. Unlike the other people mentioned here, Jesus did die before he was resurrected and ascended into heaven.

In the Reformed churches' tradition of Calvinism, belief in the ascension of Christ is included in the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Second Helvetic Confession (for more information, see Ascension)."Quotations as cited by Redman, Gary, article/Web page titled [http://debate.org.uk/topics/theo/states_christ_03.html "A Comparison of the Biblical and Islamic Views of the States of Christ] / Part 2: The State of Exaltation", at "The Muslim-Christian Debate Website", accessed March 29, 2007]

In Catholicism and Anglicanism

The Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church distinguish between "The Ascension", in which Christ rose to heaven by his own power, and "The Assumption" in which Mary, mother of Jesus, was raised to heaven by God's power. [ [http://www.catholic.net/RCC/Periodicals/Dossier/0506-96/Article6.html] Brumley, Mark, "Mary's Assumption: Irrelevant or Irreverant?", article at Catholic.net Web site, accessed March 29, 2007] (Enoch and Elijah are said to have been "assumed" [experienced assumption] into heaven.) However, in the Anglican Church, the matter of Mary's assumption is considered pious legend, and is an optional feastday.

On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII, acting ex cathedra, issued "Munificentissimus Deus", an authoritiative satement of official doctrine of Roman Catholicism. In Section 44 the pope stated: [ [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-xii_apc_19501101_munificentissimus-deus_en.html] Web page titled "Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII / Munificentissimus Deus / Defining the Dogma of the Assumption" at the official Web site of the Vatican, accessed March 30, 2007]

:By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.

The doctrine is based on Sacred Tradition that Mary, mother of Jesus, was bodily assumed into heaven (for more information, see Assumption of Mary). For centuries before that, the assumption was celebrated in art (see Assumption of the Virgin Mary). The proclamation leaves open whether or not Mary died and was then resurrected before assumption into heaven. [ [http://www.catholic.net/RCC/Periodicals/Dossier/0506-96/Article6.html] Brumley, Mark, "Mary's Assumption: Irrelevant or Irreverant?", article at Catholic.net Web site, accessed March 29, 2007: "Some theologians have argued (rightly or wrongly) that Mary didn't die, but the dogma itself doesn't say this."]

Eastern Christianity

The Eastern Orthodox Church teaches that three other persons were taken bodily into heaven: Enoch, Elias and the Theotokos (Virgin Mary). Similar to the Western "Assumption" of Mary, the Orthodox celebrate the Dormition of the Theotokos on August 15. Unlike Western uncertainty about Mary's physical death, the Orthodox teach that Mary died a natural death like any other human beign, that she was buried by the Apostles (except for Thomas, who was late), and three days later (after Thomas had arrived) was found to be missing from her tomb. The church teaches that the Apostles received a revelation during which the Theotokos appeared to them and told them she had been resurrected by Jesus and taken body and soul into heaven. The Orthodox teach that Mary already enjoys the fullness of heavenly bliss that the other saints will experience only after the Last Judgment.

There is a teaching among the Orthodox that the "Two Witnesses" referred to in the Book of Revelation are Enoch and Elias, who will be sent back to earth to preach the Gospel in the time of apostacy, and will be the last Christian martyrs before the Second Coming. According to Revelation, they will be resurrected and ascend again to heaven.

In Mormonism

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) believe that Jesus Christ died, was resurrected, and ascended into heaven as a resurrected being. [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/gs/r/17 "Guide to the Scriptures: Resurrection"] ] The church teaches that all persons who ever live and die will one day be resurrected, although not all will be resurrected to the same glory and not all will be admitted into heaven. [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/gs/r/17 "Guide to the Scriptures: Resurrection"] ] It is also believed that not all will be resurrected at the same time; although Jesus was the first person to be resurrected, since his resurrection some righteous people have been resurrected and have presumably ascended into heaven. [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/gs/r/17 "Guide to the Scriptures: Resurrection"] ] (For example, church founder Joseph Smith, Jr. reported that Moroni was sent to him from heaven as a resurrected being to reveal the Book of Mormon to him. [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/gs/m/48 "Guide to the Scriptures: Moroni, son of Mormon"] ] ) Latter-day Saints thus believe that "all" persons who go to heaven will eventually ascend there with a living, physical body.

Latter-day Saints also believe that a select number of individuals have ascended into heaven "without having tasted death". Often, these persons are referred to as "translated beings"; they are said to be "changed so that they do not experience pain or death until their resurrection to immortality." [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/gs/t/36 "Guide to the Scriptures: Translated Beings"] ] These individuals may be admitted into heaven to await their formal resurrection or they may be permitted to remain upon the earth until that time. The following are a list of persons that Latter-day Saints believe were translated; the individuals in bold script are the ones that have presumably been admitted into heaven as a translated being:

:* Enoch [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/gen/5/24#24 Genesis 5:24] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/heb/11/5#5 Hebrews 11:5] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/107/48-49#48 Doctrine and Covenants 107:48-49] .] :* People of Enoch's City of Zion [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moses/7/21,31,69#21 Moses 7:21, 31, 69] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/38/4#4 Doctrine and Covenants 38:4] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/45/12#12 Doctrine and Covenants 45:12] .] :* Moses [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/deut/34/5-6#5 Deuteronomy 34:5-6] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/17/3#3 Matthew 17:3] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/gs/t/34 Guide to the Scriptures: Transfiguration] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/84/25#25 Doctrine and Covenants 84:25] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/45/19#19 Alma 45:19] . Latter-day Saints do not believe that Moses "died", as is reported in Deuteronomy; see other references for clarification.] :* Elijah [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_kgs/2/11#11 2 Kings 2:11] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/17/3#3 Matthew 17:3] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/110/13#13 Doctrine and Covenants 110:13] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/gs/t/34 Guide to the Scriptures: Transfiguration] .] :* John the Apostle [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/21/20-24#20 John 21:20-24] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/16/28#28 Matthew 16:28] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/7/1-8 Doctrine and Covenants 7:1-8] . John the Apostle was not taken to heaven alive, but was given power over death that he might live until the Second Coming of Christ, when he will be resurrected.] :* Three Unnamed Nephites [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/3_ne/28/4-9#4 3 Nephi 28:4-9] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/3_ne/28/36-40#36 3 Nephi 28:36-40] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/4_ne/1/14#14 4 Nephi 1:14] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/morm/8/10-11#10 Mormon 8:10-11] . Like John the Apostle, the Three Nephites were given power over death that they might live until the Second Coming of Christ, when they will be resurrected.] :* Alma, son of Alma [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/45/18-19#18 Alma 45:18-19] ]

Many Latter-day Saints believe that there are also other persons who have been taken into heaven alive; there is some LDS scriptural support for this belief. [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/49/8#8 Doctrine and Covenants 49:8] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/heb/13/2#2 Hebrews 13:2] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/3_ne/1/2-3#2 3 Nephi 1:2-3] .]

Islam

Muhammad is believed by many Muslims to have ascended into heaven at the site of the Dome of the Rock. (See Kitab al-Miraj).

Most Muslims believe that Jesus is alive in heaven, [This statement, taken from the Wikipedia article Islamic view of Jesus ("Second Coming" section) is only part of a paragraph which ends with the following citations, and without going back to the sources, it is impossible to say whether they are citations for this particular statement. These are the sources cited: Geoffrey Parrinder, "Jesus in the Quran", p.121, Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 1996. ISBN 1-85168-094-2; Javed Ahmed Ghamidi, " [http://www.al-mawrid.org/Content/ViewReaderQuestion.aspx?questionId=318 Qur'anic Verse regarding Second Coming of Jesus] "; Islahi, Amin, "Tadabbur-i-Qur’an" publisher: Faran Foundation, Lahore 1st edition, vol.2, p.423. OCLC|60341215] but that view is not universal. Tariq Hashmi writes in the Islamic journal, "Renaissance": " [W] e see that the Holy Qur’an clearly negates that Jesus (sws) was raised to heavens alive (3:55)." [Hashmi, Tariq, [http://www.renaissance.com.pk/Septresp2y4.html "The second coming of Jesus"] "Renaissance: A Monthly Islamic Journal" (published in Pakistan) September 2004 issue, Vol. 14 No. 9, accessed March 29, 2007] Yet Dr. Ahmad Shafaat writes elsewhere that the Qur'an in fact states that "God raised him to himself". [Shafaat, Dr. Ahmad, [http://www.islamicperspectives.com/ReturnOfJesus.htm Islamic View of the Coming/Return of Jesus"] article dated May 2003, at the "Islamic Perspectives" Web site: "In 4:159, after denying that the Jews killed or crucified Jesus and after stating that God raised him to himself, the Qur`an says ..."; accessed March 29, 2007]

Some Muslims believe the Mahdi was taken into heaven.

Other religions and traditions

* Apollonius of Tyana is said to have been assumed into heaven. [Lendering, Jona. [http://www.livius.org/ap-ark/apollonius/apollonius06.html Apollonius of Tyana] , accessed March 28, 2007]

* Francis Bacon is believed to have undergone a physical "Ascension" (without experiencing death) by members of various "Ascended Master Activities" ["I AM Ascended Master Dictation List" Saint Germain Press Inc., 1995, Listing of those who are claimed to be Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity] [Schroeder, Werner "Ascended Masters and Their Retreats" Ascended Master Teaching Foundation 2004, Listing of those who are believed to be Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity and The Bridge to Freedom] [Luk, A.D.K.. "Law of Life - Book II". Pueblo, Colorado: A.D.K. Luk Publications 1989, Listing of those who are claimed to be Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity and The Bridge to Freedom] [Booth, Annice "The Masters and Their Retreats " Summit Lighthouse Library June 2003, Listing of those who are believed to be Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity, The Bridge to Freedom, and The Summit Lighthouse] [Shearer, Monroe & Carolyn "I AM Adorations, Affirmations & Rhythmic Decrees" Acropolis Sophia Books and Works 1998, Listing of those who are claimed to be Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity, The Bridge to Freedom, The Summit Lighthouse, and The Temple of The Presence]

* Yudhishthira of the Mahabharata is believed to be the only human to cross the plane between mortals and heaven in his mortal body.

Notes

References

* "Encyclopedia of Religion" s.v. Ascension; Eliade, Mircea, ed. in chief. New York, Macmillan 1987