Early Christians were preoccupied with death and what comes after. The resurrection of Jesus Christ was affirmed in scripture, which also contains interesting insight into what they could expect. But they were also let to puzzle through many questions, like why did Jesus descend into hell? What was the nature of eternal punishment and how could it be squared with God’s love? What awaited the righteous after death? In this episode, we discuss Kirby’s chapter, “Living In the Afterlife: Heaven, Hell, and Places Between,” from the book Ancient Christians: An Introduction for Latter-day Saints. 

About the Guest

D. Jill Kirby is an associate professor of Religious Studies at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin. She earned her PhD at The Catholic University of America. She specializes in apocalyptic literature and the intersection of science and religion. 

About the Host

Blair Hodges earned a bachelor’s degree in communications (journalism) at the University of Utah and a master’s degree in religious studies at Georgetown University. He hosts Fireside with Blair Hodges and previously hosted the Maxwell Institute Podcast at Brigham Young University.

Cover art by Charlotte Condie

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