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"What we await are new heavens and a new earth. . . " 2 Peter 3:13-15a

The thought of heaven holds little appeal for the modern Christian. Deacon Michael Callea asks why? In his paper, "The Happiness of Heaven and the Resurrection of the Body" he revisits traditional views of heaven, particularly those of Thomas Aquinas. He finds that the emphasis on the human being as rational results in a somewhat individualistic notion of ultimate happiness, which does not pay sufficient attention to human communion in the resurrected state. Callea sees the relational anthropology of John Paul II as restoring human communion as an intrinsic dimension of ultimate happiness.

The original paper can be viewed in the student section of Professsor Mary Shivanandan's home page. Please click here


Version: 10th February 2002

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