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{{About|the metaphysical term "Heaven"|the sky as seen from earth|Celestial sphere|other uses|Heaven (disambiguation)}}
[[Image:Paradiso Canto 31.jpg|thumb|upright|right|300px|[[Dante Alighieri|Dante]] and [[Beatrice Portinari|Beatrice]] gaze upon the highest heavens; from [[Gustave Doré]]'s illustrations to the ''[[Divine Comedy]]''.]]

'''Heaven''', the '''Heavens''' or [[Seven Heavens]], is a common [[Religious cosmology|religious, cosmological]] or [[transcendence (philosophy)|transcendent]] place from which heavenly beings (such as a [[God]], [[angel]]s, the [[jinn]], and [[list of sky deities|sky deities]] like [[King of Heavens|King]] or [[Queen of heaven (antiquity)|Queen of Heaven]], [[Heavenly Father]], [[Heavenly Mother]], Son of Heaven, heavenly [[saint]]s or [[Veneration of the dead|venerated ancestors]]) originate, are [[Throne of God|enthroned]] or inhabit. It is commonly believed that heavenly beings can descend to earth or [[Incarnation|incarnate]] and that earthly beings can ascend to Heaven in the [[afterlife]] or, in exceptional cases, [[Entering heaven alive|enter Heaven alive]].

Heaven is often described as a "higher place", the [[Sacred|holiest]] place, a [[Paradise]], in contrast to [[Hell]] or the [[Underworld]] or the "low places", and [[Universal reconciliation|universally]] or conditionally accessible by earthly beings according to various standards of [[divinity]], [[good and evil|goodness]], [[piety]], [[faith]], or other [[virtue]]s or [[orthodoxy|right beliefs]] or simply the [[Will of God]]. Some believe in the possibility of a Heaven on Earth in a [[World to Come]].

Another belief is in an [[Axis mundi]] or [[World tree]] which connects the heavens, the [[World (theology)|world]], and the [[underworld]]. In [[Indian religions]], Heaven is considered as ''[[Svarga|Svarga loka]]'', and soul is again subjected to [[Reincarnation|rebirth]] in different living forms according to its ''[[karma]]''. This cycle can be broken after a soul achieves ''[[Moksha]]'' or ''[[Nirvana]]''.

==Etymology==
The modern English word ''heaven'' is derived from the earlier ([[Middle English]]) ''heven'' (attested 1159); this in turn was developed from the previous [[Old English]] form ''heofon''. By c. 1000, ''heofon'' was being used in reference to the [[Christianization|Christianized]] "place where God dwells", but originally, it had signified "sky, firmament"<ref>The Anglo-Saxons knew the concept of Paradise, which they expressed with words such as ''[[neorxnawang]]''.</ref> (e.g. in ''[[Beowulf]]'', c. 725). The English term has cognates in the other [[Germanic languages]]: [[Old Saxon]] ''heƀan'' "sky, heaven", [[Middle Low German]] ''heven'' "sky", [[Old Norse|Old Icelandic]] ''himinn'' "sky, heaven", [[Gothic language|Gothic]] ''himins''; and those with a variant final ''-l'': [[Old Frisian]] ''himel'', ''himul'' "sky, heaven", Old Saxon/[[Old High German]] ''himil'', [[Dutch language|Dutch]] ''hemel'', and modern [[German language|German]] ''Himmel''. All of these have been derived from a [[Linguistic reconstruction|reconstructed]] [[Proto-Germanic]] form *''Hemina-''.<ref name=BARNHART346>Barnhart (1995:357).</ref> In many languages, the word for "heaven" is the same as the word for "sky".

==Entry into heaven==
{{main|Entering heaven alive|Afterlife}}
[[File:Lucas Cranach d. Ä. 027.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Christians believe that entry into heaven is made possible only through the sacrifice of [[Jesus]]' death.]]
Religions that speak about heaven differ on how (and if) one gets into it, either in the afterlife or while still alive. In many religions, entrance to Heaven is conditional on having lived a "good life" (within the terms of the spiritual system) or "accepting God into your heart". In the "[[sola fide]]" belief of many mainstream Protestant Christians, one does not have to live a perfectly "good life", but one must accept (believe and put faith in) [[Jesus Christ]] as one's saviour, and then Jesus Christ will assume the guilt of one's [[sin]]s; believers are believed to be forgiven regardless of any good or bad "works" they have participated in.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/jesus-paid-it-all.htm|title=Jesus Paid It All – What does this mean?|accessdate=2008-10-05|publisher=AllAboutJesusChrist.org}}</ref> [[Catholic Church|Catholic Christians]] too speak of heaven as unattainable by even heroic human effort and having been "opened" instead by the death and resurrection of Jesus.<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P2M.HTM#2 Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1026]</ref> They see heaven as "God eternal reward for [[good works]] accomplished with the grace of Christ" and giving rise to no strict merit on the part of human beings,<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P66.HTM#ML Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1821] and [http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P70.HTM#4P 2007-2011]</ref> while "the works of the flesh" exclude from heaven.<ref>{{bibleverse||Galatians|5:19-21|ESV}} cited in [http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P6B.HTM#T Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1852]</ref> For the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] too, "free will and our cooperation with God is ''always'' understood to be an act of grace"<ref>[http://orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/frag_salv.aspx Carmen Fragapane, "A Response to ''Credenda / Agenda'' on Orthodoxy’s Teaching of ''Theosis'' and the Doctrine of Salvation]</ref> [[Christian Universalism]], on the other hand, holds that, because of [[Love of God|divine love and mercy]], all will ultimately be [[Universal reconciliation|reconciled to God]], regardless of present faith or good deeds.

[[Dispensationalism|Dispensationalists]] hold that, in an event called the [[Rapture]], Christians will be suddenly removed from earth before or during the [[Great Tribulation]]. They base this belief on {{bibleverse|1|Thessalonians|4:17|ESV}}, which says that, along with "the dead in Christ", "we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the [[Lord#Religion|Lord]] in the air".

===Results of exclusion from heaven===
{{main|World to Come}}
Many religions{{Who|date=June 2010}} state that those who do not go to heaven will go to another place, [[hell]], which is eternal in religions such as Christianity. Some religions uphold the belief that other forms of afterlife exist in addition to heaven and hell, such as [[purgatory]], though many hells, such as [[Naraka]], serve as purgatories themselves. Some belief systems contain [[universalism]], the belief that everyone will go to heaven eventually, no matter what they have done or believed on earth. Some forms of Christianity and other religions believe hell to be the [[Annihilationism|termination of the soul]]. Some [[Christian denominations]] believe in an [[Intermediate state]] between death and the [[Resurrection of the Dead]].

==Ancient Near East religions==
{{See also|Religions of the ancient Near East}}

===Assyria===
{{Main|Mesopotamian religion|Assyro-Babylonian religion}}

===Egypt===
{{Main|Aaru}}
In [[Egyptian mythology|Ancient Egyptian faith]], belief in an afterlife is much more stressed than in ancient Judaism. Heaven was a physical place far above the Earth in a "dark area" of space where there were no stars, basically beyond the Universe. According to the [[Book of the Dead]], departed souls would undergo a literal journey to reach Heaven, along the way to which there could exist hazards and other entities attempting to deny the reaching of Heaven.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}} Their heart would finally be weighed with the feather of truth, and if the sins weighed it down their heart was devoured.

===Canaanite and Phoenician views of heaven===
:{{Main|Canaanite religion}}
Almost nothing is known of [[Bronze Age]] (pre-1200 BC) Canaanite views of heaven, and the archeological findings at [[Ugarit]] (destroyed c. 1200 BC) have not provided information. The 1st century Greek author [[Philo of Byblos]] may preserve elements of [[Iron Age]] [[Phoenicia]]n religion in his ''[[Sanchuniathon]]''.<ref>Attridge, Harold. W., and R. A. Oden, Jr. (1981), ''Philo of Byblos: The Phoenician History: Introduction, Critical Text, Translation, Notes'', CBQMS '''9''' (Washington: D. C.: The Catholic Biblical Association of America).</ref><!--In later [[Phoenician religion|Phoenician]] and to a certain extent Hebrew mythology he was believed to have originally existed as an [[androgyny|androgynous]] being and the first part of the creation was the separation of him from the Earth as the "upper [[firmament]]", in which the space between the two was that which was filled (i.e. the later Gnostic "[[Pleroma]]") by Elohim. As the pre-existing androgynous being he was considered to have been "the God most High" ([[El Elyon]]).-->

===Hurrian and Hittite myths===
In the Middle Hittite myths heaven is the abode of the gods. In the [[Song of Kumarbi]], [[Alalu]] was king in heaven for nine years before giving birth to his son [[Anu]]. Anu was himself overthrown by his son [[Kumarbi]].<ref>Harry A. Hoffner, Gary M. Beckman - 1990</ref>
<!--In Hittite belief El Elyon was known as Alalu. This divinity is believed to have taken as spouse Beruth (Bereshit, = "the Beginning"), and through entering time in this way his nature split. In some ways he is considered to have housed "[[Heavenly host|the Hosts of sky]]", the divine family of El, known as the [[Elohim]]. In other texts he was seen as descending from time to time to the divine mountain which supported the firmament, which is how the Elohim or Gods came to descend to mortal realms. In this way, the creation by the Elohim was seen as filling the heights. Thus in this way Shamayim comprised the "God Beyond God". Not much is known of his character or personality, as he was superseded and displaced from his authority by his son, El, whose personality fused with El Elyon, and in the Phoenician area Ba'al Hadad [[syncretism|syncretised]] with Shamayim to become known as Ba'al Shamayim ("Lord of heights"),--><ref>Sabatino Moscati Face of the Ancient Orient 2001 Page 174 "The first, called 'Kingship in Heaven', tells how this kingship passes from Alalu to Anu, ... was king in heaven, Alalu was seated on the throne and the mighty Anu, first among the gods,"</ref><ref>Moscatti, Sabatino (1968), "The World of the Phoenicians" (Phoenix Giant)</ref><ref>[http://books.google.com.kh/books?id=1EEtmT9Tbj4C&dq=review+sabatino+phoenicians&pg=PP1&ots=BHeE1GP4Tn&sig=kjsuKgySEdc4i06c2tevIv3mV9o&hl=km&prev=http://www.google.com.kh/search?q=review+Sabatino+phoenicians&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&sa=X&oi=print&ct=title&cad=one-book-with-thumbnail Ribichini, Sergio "Beliefs and Religious Life" in Maoscati Sabatino (1997), "The Phoenicians" (Rissoli)]</ref>

===Judaism (Iron Age)===
The term for heavens in the [[Tanakh]] is ''[[shamayim]]'', located above the [[firmament]] (a solid, transparent dome which covered the earth and separated it from the "waters" above). The God of Israel ([[Yahweh]]) lived in Heaven or in the "Heaven of Heavens" (the exact difference between these two, if any, is unclear) in a heavenly palace. His dwelling on earth was [[Solomon's Temple]] in Jerusalem, which was a model of the cosmos and included a section which represented Heaven.

==Bahá'í Faith==
{{Main|Bahá'í Faith}}
The [[Bahá'í Faith]] regards the conventional description of heaven (and hell) as a specific place as symbolic. The [[Bahá'í literature|Bahá'í writings]] describe heaven as a "spiritual condition" where closeness to God is defined as heaven; conversely [[hell]] is seen as a state of remoteness from God. [[Bahá'u'lláh]], the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, has stated that the nature of the life of the soul in the afterlife is beyond comprehension in the physical plane, but has stated that the soul will retain its consciousness and individuality and remember its physical life; the soul will be able to recognize other souls and communicate with them.<ref name="lafd">{{cite book | title = Life After Death: A study of the afterlife in world religions | last = Masumian | first = Farnaz | publisher = Oneworld Publications | location = Oxford | year = 1995 | isbn = 1-85168-074-8}}</ref>

For Bahá'ís, entry into the next life has the potential to bring great joy.<ref name="lafd" /> Bahá'u'lláh likened death to the process of birth. He explains: "The world beyond is as different from this world as this world is different from that of the child while still in the [[womb]] of its mother."<ref name="gwb">{{cite book |author=Bahá'u'lláh |authorlink=Bahá'u'lláh |year=1976 |title=Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh |publisher=Bahá'í Publishing Trust |location=Wilmette, Illinois, USA |isbn=0-87743-187-6 | pages = 157 |url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/GWB/gwb-81.html#pg157}}</ref> The analogy to the womb in many ways summarizes the Bahá'í view of earthly existence: just as the womb constitutes an important place for a person's initial physical development, the physical world provides for the development of the individual [[Soul (spirit)|soul]]. Accordingly, Bahá'ís view life as a preparatory stage, where one can develop and perfect those qualities which will be needed in the next life.<ref name="lafd" /> The key to spiritual progress is to follow the path outlined by the current [[Manifestation of God]], which Bahá'ís believe is currently Bahá'u'lláh. Bahá'u'lláh wrote, "Know thou, of a truth, that if the soul of man hath walked in the ways of God, it will, assuredly return and be gathered to the glory of the Beloved."<ref name="gwb2">{{cite book |author=Bahá'u'lláh |authorlink=Bahá'u'lláh |year=1976 |title=Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh |publisher=Bahá'í Publishing Trust |location=Wilmette, Illinois, USA |isbn=0-87743-187-6 | pages = 162 |url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/GWB/gwb-82.html#gr7}}</ref>

The Bahá'í teachings state that there exists a hierarchy of souls in the [[afterlife]], where the merits of each soul determines their place in the hierarchy, and that souls lower in the hierarchy cannot completely understand the station of those above. Each soul can continue to progress in the afterlife, but the soul's development is not entirely dependent on its own conscious efforts, the nature of which we are not aware, but also augmented by the grace of God, the [[prayer]]s of others, and good deeds performed by others on Earth in the name of that person.<ref name="lafd" />

==Buddhism==
In [[Buddhism]] there are several heavens, all of which are still part of ''[[samsara]]'' (illusionary reality). Those who accumulate good [[karma]] may be reborn<ref>(but no soul actually goes through rebirth; see [[anatta]])</ref> in one of them. However, their stay in the heaven is not eternal—eventually they will use up their good [[karma]] and will undergo a different [[rebirth (Buddhism)|rebirth]] into another realm, as humans, animals or other beings. Because heaven is temporary and part of ''samsara'', Buddhists focus more on escaping the cycle of rebirth and reaching [[Nirvana|enlightenment]] (''Nirvana''). Nirvana is not a heaven but a mental state.

There are several different types of heavens also based on how the human lives a life along career lines. It is declared that a warrior who fights for good, and dies for his or her duties will enter the realm of the "devas of passionate delight", while an actor that makes audiences laugh will enter the realm of the "laughing devas".<ref>P. 93 ''Society at the Time of the Buddha'' By Narendra K. Wagle</ref>

According to [[Buddhist cosmology]] the universe is impermanent and beings transmigrate through a number of existential "planes" in which this human world is only one "realm" or "path".<ref>[http://www.many-lives.com/lives/paradise.html Salvation Versus Liberation, A Buddhist View of the Paradise or Heavenly Worlds.]</ref>

These are traditionally envisioned as a vertical continuum with the heavens existing above the human realm, and the realms of the animals, [[Hungry ghost]]s and hell beings existing beneath it. According to Jan Chozen Bays in her book, ''Jizo: Guardian of Children, Travelers, and Other Voyagers'', the realm of the ''[[asura]]'' is a later refinement of the heavenly realm and was inserted between the human realm and the heavens. One important Buddhist heaven is the ''[[Trāyastriṃśa]]'', which resembles [[Mount Olympus|Olympus]] of Greek mythology.

In the [[Mahayana]] world view, there are also pure lands which lie outside this continuum and are created by the Buddhas upon attaining enlightenment. These should not be confused with the heavens as the pure lands are abodes of Buddhas, which the heavens are not and heavens are looked at "impermanent" places to be reincarnated in, as heavenly beings still have to die and be reincarnated into lower realms. This confusion can be made worse when writers use such words "paradise" to denote such pure lands.

One notable Buddhist pure land is the [[Pure Land]] of [[Amitabha Buddha]]. Rebirth in the pure land of Amitabha is seen as an assurance of Buddhahood for once reborn there, beings do not fall back into cyclical existence unless they [[Bodhisatva|choose to do]] so to save other beings, the goal of Buddhism being the obtainment of enlightenment and freeing oneself and others from the birth–death cycle.

One of the Buddhist [[Sutra]]s states that a hundred years of our existence is equal to one day and one night in the world of the [[thirty-three gods]]. Thirty such days add up to their one month. Twelve such months become their one year, while they live for a thousand such years though existence in the heavens is ultimately finite and the beings who reside there will reappear in other realms based on their karma.

The [[Standard Tibetan|Tibetan]] word ''[[Bardo]]'' means literally "[[intermediate state]]". In [[Sanskrit]] the concept has the name
''antarabhāva''.

===Different heavens===

====According to ''Anguttara Nikaya''====
'''Brahmāloka'''

Here the denizens are Brahmās, and the ruler is Mahābrahmā.

Of all the devas, Brahmās are the wisest of all gods and declared in Buddhism to be the highest but the Buddha and monks having reached the state of Arahant can surpass the Brahmās by status. Brahmās also are asexual and do not desire to procreate.

After developing the four Brahmavihāras, King Makhādeva rebirths here after death. The monk Tissa and Brāhmana Jānussoni were also reborn here.

For a monk, the next best thing to Nirvana is to be reborn in this Brahmāloka.

The lifespan of a Brahmās is not stated but is not eternal.

'''Kāmāvacaraloka'''

The lifespan of a Kāmāvacara is not stated but is not eternal.

'''Cātummaharaja'''

Here some denizens are kings that came from human lives as being kings.

The ''Anguttara Nikaya'' says that on the 15th day, the Cātummaharaja gods look down to earth and see of the humans are still paying reverence to mother, father, samanas and brahmanas.

Bimbisāra (the king of Magadha), and Pāyāsi (the king of Kosāla) were reborn here.

The denizens here have a lifespan of 9,216,000,000 years.

'''Nimmānarati'''

The denizens here have a lifespan of 2,284,000,000 years.

'''Parinimmitavasavatti'''

The denizens here have a lifespan of 9,216,000,000 years.

'''Tāvatimsa'''

The ruler of this heaven is [[Indra]] or Shakra, and the realm is also called Trayatrimia.

Each denizen addresses other denizens as the title "mārisa".

The governing hall of this heaven is called Sudhamma Hall.

This heaven has a garden Nandanavana with damsels, as its most magnificent sight.

Ajita the Licchavi army general was reborn here. Gopika the Sākyan girl was reborn as a male god in this realm.

Any Buddhist reborn in this realm can outshine any of the previously dwelling denizens because of the extra merit acquired for following the Buddha's teachings.

The denizens here have a lifespan of 36,000,000 years.

'''Tusita'''

Anāthapindika, a Kosālan householder and benefactor to the Buddha's order was reborn here.

The denizens here have a lifespan of 576,000,000 years.

'''Yāma'''

The denizens here have a lifespan of 1,444,000,000 years.

====According to Tibetan Buddhism====
There are 5 major types of heavens.

#'''Akanishtha''' or '''Ghanavyiiha''' <BR> This is the most supreme heaven wherein beings that have achieved Nirvana live for eternity.
#'''Heaven of the Jinas'''
#'''Heavens of Formless Spirits''' <BR> These are 4 in number.
#'''Brahmaloka''' <BR> These are 16 in number, and are free from sensuality.
#'''Devaloka''' <BR> These are 6 in number, and contain sensuality.

==Chinese faiths==
[[Image:天-oracle.svg|150px|thumb|right|Chinese [[Zhou Dynasty]] [[Oracle script]] for ''Tian'', the character for Heaven or sky.]]
{{Main|Tian}}
In the native [[China|Chinese]] [[Confucian]] traditions Heaven ([[Tian]]) is an important concept, where the ancestors reside and from which emperors drew their mandate to rule in their dynastic propaganda, for example.

Heaven is a key concept in Chinese mythology, philosophies and religions, and is on one end of the spectrum a synonym of ''[[Shangdi]]'' ("Supreme Deity") and on the other naturalistic end, a synonym for [[nature]] and the sky. The Chinese term for Heaven, ''[[Tian]]'' (天), derives from the name of the supreme deity of the [[Zhou Dynasty]]. After their conquest of the [[Shang Dynasty]] in 1122 BC, the Zhou people considered their supreme deity ''Tian'' to be identical with the [[Shang Dynasty|Shang]] supreme deity ''Shangdi''.<ref>Herrlee Creel "The Origin of the Deity T'ien" (1970:493-506)</ref> The Zhou people attributed Heaven with anthropomorphic attributes, evidenced in the etymology of the Chinese character for Heaven or sky, which originally depicted a person with a large cranium. Heaven is said to see, hear and watch over all men. Heaven is affected by man's doings, and having personality, is happy and angry with them. Heaven blesses those who please it and sends calamities upon those who offend it.<ref name="Joseph Shih pp 99-138">Joseph Shih, "The Notion of God in the Ancient Chinese Religion," Numen, Vol. 16, Fasc. 2, pp 99-138, Brill: 1969</ref> Heaven was also believed to transcend all other spirits and gods, with [[Confucius]] asserting, "He who offends against Heaven has none to whom he can pray."<ref name="Joseph Shih pp 99-138"/>

Other philosophers born around the time of Confucius such as [[Mozi]] took an even more theistic view of Heaven, believing that Heaven is the divine ruler, just as the [[Emperor of China|Son of Heaven]] (the King of Zhou) is the earthly ruler. Mozi believed that spirits and minor gods exist, but their function is merely to carry out the will of Heaven, watching for evil-doers and punishing them. Thus they function
as angels of Heaven and do not detract from its monotheistic government of the world. With such a high monotheism, it is not surprising that [[Mohism]] championed a concept called "universal love" (''jian'ai'', 兼愛), which taught that Heaven loves all people equally and that each person should similarly love all human beings without distinguishing between his own relatives and those of others.<ref>Homer Dubs, "Theism and Naturalism in Ancient Chinese Philosophy," Philosophy of East and West, Vol 9, No 3/4, pp 163-172, University of Hawaii Press: 1960.</ref> In [[Mozi]]'s ''Will of Heaven'' (天志), he writes:

{{quote box |width=90% |align=center
|quote="I know Heaven loves men dearly not without reason. Heaven ordered the sun, the moon, and the stars to enlighten and guide them. Heaven ordained the four seasons, Spring, Autumn, Winter, and Summer, to regulate them. Heaven sent down snow, frost, rain, and dew to grow the five grains and flax and silk that so the people could use and enjoy them. Heaven established the hills and rivers, ravines and valleys, and arranged many things to minister to man's good or bring him evil. He appointed the dukes and lords to reward the virtuous and punish the wicked, and to gather metal and wood, birds and beasts, and to engage in cultivating the five grains and flax and silk to provide for the people's food and clothing. This has been so from antiquity to the present."

Original Chinese: 「且吾所以知天之愛民之厚者有矣，曰以磨為日月星辰，以昭道之；制為四時春秋冬夏，以紀綱之；雷降雪霜雨露，以長遂五穀麻絲，使民得而財利之；列為山川谿谷，播賦百事，以臨司民之善否；為王公侯伯，使之賞賢而罰暴；賊金木鳥獸，從事乎五穀麻絲，以為民衣食之財。自古及今，未嘗不有此也。」
|source=Mozi, ''Will of Heaven'', Chapter 27, Paragraph 6, ca. 5th Century BC
}}

[[Mozi]] criticized the Confucians of his own time for not following the teachings of Confucius. By the time of the later [[Han Dynasty]], however, under the influence of [[Xunzi]], the Chinese concept of Heaven and Confucianism itself had become mostly naturalistic, though some Confucians argued that Heaven was where ancestors reside. Worship of Heaven in China continued with the erection of shrines, the last and greatest being the [[Temple of Heaven]] in Beijing, and the offering of prayers. The ruler of China in every Chinese dynasty would perform annual sacrificial rituals to Heaven, usually by slaughtering two healthy bulls as sacrifice.

==Christianity==
{{main|Heaven (Christianity)}}
[[File:Dosso Dossi 022.jpg||thumb|200px|''The Ascension'', by [[Dosso Dossi]], 16th century. Many ascension scenes have an upper (heavenly) and a lower (earthly) part.<ref name=Earls>http://www.bigli.com/quadro/279/dosso-dossi/ascensione-di-cristo.aspx</ref>]]

[[Christianity]] is based on the biblical belief in heaven as the [[Throne of God]].<ref>[[Philip Edgecumbe Hughes]] ''A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews'' p401 1988 "The theme of [[Session of Christ|Christ's heavenly session]], announced here by the statement he sat down at the [[right hand of God]], .. Hebrews 8:1 "we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven")"</ref> To this is added the belief that [[Grace in Christianity|grace]] enables believers to ascend to heaven, as exemplified by [[Elijah]] and [[Enoch (ancestor of Noah)|Enoch]],<ref name=JPII>[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_21071999_en.html Vatican Audience Talk, 21 July 1999]</ref> and to which all [[the elect]] will be admitted.<ref name = "Ehrman 2006">Ehrman, Bart. Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene: The Followers of Jesus in History and Legend. Oxford University Press, USA. 2006. ISBN 0-19-530013-0</ref>{{pn|date=January 2013}} The [[First Book of Maccabees]] (part of the [[Deuterocanonicals]]) uses "Heaven" as a name for God, but the spatial metaphor does not identify God with heaven, which is incapable of containing God.<ref name=JPII/>

Creedal beliefs about heaven are expressed in the [[Nicene Creed]], such as belief in the [[Ascension of Jesus]] to heaven and the [[Session of Christ]] at the [[Right Hand of God]], and in the belief in the [[Second Coming of Christ]] from heaven to earth. Creedal beliefs about the [[afterlife]] include the statement: "I look forward to the [[resurrection of the dead]], and the life of the [[world to come]]".

[[Catholic]] beliefs about Mary include that she was [[Assumption of Mary|assumed into heaven]] and titled the [[Queen of Heaven]]. In addition it is believed that [[St. Peter]] was given the [[Keys of Heaven]], derived from {{bibleverse||Matthew|16:18-19}}.

The [[Gospel of Matthew]] frequently uses the phrase "kingdom of heaven", where the other [[Synoptic Gospels]] speak of the "[[kingdom of God]]", one of the key elements of the [[Ministry of Jesus|teachings of Jesus]] in the [[New Testament]].<ref name=France101>''The Gospel of Matthew'' by R.T. France (21 Aug 2007) ISBN 080282501X pages 101-103</ref> {{bibleverse||Revelation|12:7-9|ESV}} speaks of a [[war in heaven]] between [[Michael (archangel)|Michael the Archangel]] and his [[angel]]s against the [[Dragon]] and his angels, after which the Dragon and his angels are "thrown down to the earth".

In the 2nd century AD, [[Irenaeus]] of Lyons recorded a belief that, in accordance with {{bibleverse||John|14:2}}, those who in the [[afterlife]] see the [[Salvation in Christianity|Saviour]] are in different mansions, some dwelling in the heavens, others in [[paradise]] and others in "[[New Jerusalem|the city]]".<ref>[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.ix.vii.xxxvii.html Irenaeus, ''Adversus haereses'', book V, chapter XXXVI, 1-2]</ref>

While the word used in all these writings, in particular the New Testament Greek word οὐρανός (''ouranos''), applies primarily to the [[sky]], it is also used metaphorically of the dwelling place of God and the [[Blessing#Christianity|blessed]].<ref>[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dou%29rano%2Fs Liddell and Scott οὐρανός]</ref><ref>[http://studybible.info/strongs/G3772 G3772 οὐρανός - Strong's Greek Lexicon Number]</ref><ref>[http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%CE%BF%E1%BD%90%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%8C%CF%82 Wiktionary]</ref> Similarly, though the English word "heaven" still keeps its original physical meaning when used, for instance, in allusions to the stars as "lights shining through from heaven", and in phrases such as [[heavenly body]] to mean an astronomical object, the heaven or happiness that Christianity looks forward to "is neither an abstraction nor a physical place in the clouds, but a living, personal relationship with the [[Holy Trinity]]. It is our meeting with the [[God the Father|Father]] which takes place in the risen [[Christ]] through the communion of the [[Holy Spirit]]."<ref name="JPII"/>

==Hinduism==
{{Main|Hindu cosmology}}
Attaining heaven is not the final pursuit in Hinduism as heaven itself is ephemeral and related to physical body. Being tied by the bhoot-tatvas, heaven cannot be perfect either and is just another name for pleasurable and mundane material life. According to [[Hindu cosmology]], above the earthly plane, are other planes: (1) Bhuva [[Loka]], (2) [[Swarga]] Loka, meaning Good Kingdom, is the general name for heaven in Hinduism, a heavenly [[paradise]] of pleasure, where most of the Hindu Devatas ([[Deva (Hinduism)|Deva]]) reside along with the king of Devas, Indra, and beatified mortals. Some other planes are Mahar Loka, Jana Loka, Tapa Loka and Satya Loka. Since heavenly abodes are also tied to the cycle of birth and death, any dweller of heaven or hell will again be recycled to a different plane and in a different form as per the karma and "maya" i.e. the illusion of Samsara. This cycle is broken only by self-realization by the Jivatma. This self-realization is Moksha (Turiya, Kaivalya).

The concept of moksha is unique to Hinduism and is unparalleled. Moksha stands for liberation from the cycle of birth and death and final communion with Brahman. With moksha, a liberated soul attains the stature and oneness with Brahman or Pramatma. Different schools such as Vedanta, Mimansa, Sankhya, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, and Yoga offer subtle differences in the concept of Brahman, obvious Universe, its genesis and regular destruction, Jivatma, Nature (Prakriti) and also the right way in attaining perfect bliss or moksha.

In the [[Vaishnava]] traditions the highest heaven is [[Vaikuntha]], which exists above the six heavenly lokas and outside of the mahat-[[tattva]] or mundane world. It's where eternally liberated souls who have attained [[moksha]] reside in eternal sublime beauty with [[Lakshmi]] and [[Narayana]] (a manifestation of [[Vishnu]]).

==Islam==
{{Main|Jannah}}

The [[Qur'an]] contains many references to an afterlife in Eden for those who do good deeds. Regarding the concept of heaven ([[Jannah]]) in the Qu'ran, verse 35 of Surah Al-Ra’d says, "The parable of the Garden which the righteous are promised! Beneath it flow rivers. Perpetual is the fruits thereof and the shade therein. Such is the End of the Righteous; and the end of the unbelievers is the Fire."{{Cite quran|13|35}} Islam rejects the concept of [[original sin]], and Muslims believe that all human beings are born pure. Children automatically go to heaven when they die, regardless of the religion of their parents.

The concept of heaven in [[Islam]] differs in many respects to the concept in [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]]. Heaven is described primarily in physical terms as a place where every wish is immediately fulfilled when asked. Islamic texts describe immortal life in heaven as happy, without negative emotions. Those who dwell in heaven are said to wear costly apparel, partake in exquisite banquets, and recline on couches inlaid with gold or precious stones. Inhabitants will rejoice in the company of their parents, wives, and children. In Islam if one's good deeds weigh out one's sins then one may gain entrance to heaven. Conversely, if one's sins outweigh their good deeds they are sent to hell. The more good deeds one has performed the higher the level of heaven one is directed to. It has been said that the lowest level of heaven is one-hundred times better than the greatest life on earth. The highest level is the seventh heaven. Palaces are built by angels for the occupants using solid gold.

Verses which describe heaven include: {{Cite quran|13|35|style=ns}}, {{Cite quran|18|31|style=ns}}, {{Cite quran|38|49|end=54|style=ns}}, {{Cite quran|35|33|end=35|style=ns}}, {{Cite quran|52|17|end=27|style=ns}}.

Islamic texts refer to several levels of heaven: [[Firdaus]] or [[Paradise]], 'Adn, Na'iim, Ma'wa, Darussalaam, Daarul Muaqaamah, Al-Muqqamul, Amin & Khuldi.

==Jainism==
{{Main|Jainism}}
[[File:Jain Universe.jpg|thumb|300px| Structure of Universe as per the Jain Scriptures.]]

The shape of the Universe as described in Jainism is shown alongside. Unlike the current convention of using North direction as the top of map, this uses South as the top. The shape is similar to a part of human form standing upright.

The ''Deva Loka'' (Heavens) are at the symbolic "chest", where all souls enjoying the positive karmic effects reside. The heavenly beings are referred to as ''devas'' (masculine form) and ''devis'' (feminine form). According to Jainism, there is not one heavenly abode, but several layers to reward appropriately the souls of varying degree of karmit merits. Similarly, beneath the "waist" are the ''Narka Loka'' (Hell). Human, animal, insect, plant and microscopic life forms reside on the middle.

The pure souls (who reached Siddha status) reside at the very south end (top) of the Universe. They are referred to in Tamil literature as தென்புலத்தார் ([[Kural]] 43).

==Judaism==
{{Main|Heaven (Judaism)}}

===Rabbinical Judaism===
{{Main|Olam Haba}}
While the concept of heaven (''malkuth hashamaim'' מלכות השמים, the [[Kingdom of God|Kingdom of Heaven]]) is well-defined within the [[Christianity|Christian]] and [[Islam]]ic religions, the [[Jewish eschatology|Jewish concept of the afterlife]], sometimes known as ''olam haba'', the World-to-come, is not so precise. The [[Torah]] has little to say on the subject of survival after death, but by the time of the rabbis two ideas had made inroads among the Jews: one, which is probably derived from Greek thought,<ref name=deLange/> is that of the [[immortal soul]] which returns to its creator after death; the other, which is thought to be of Persian origin,<ref name=deLange/> is that of [[resurrection of the dead]].

Jewish writings{{Which|date=June 2010}} refer to a "new earth" as the abode of mankind following the resurrection of the dead. Originally, the two ideas of immortality and resurrection were different but in rabbinic thought they are combined: the soul departs from the body at death but is returned to it at the [[Resurrection of the Dead|resurrection]]. This idea is linked to another rabbinic teaching, that men's good and bad actions are rewarded and punished not in this life but after death, whether immediately or at the subsequent resurrection.<ref name=deLange/> Around 1 CE, the [[Pharisees]] are said to have maintained belief in resurrection but the [[Sadducees]] are said to have denied it (Matt. 22:23).

Some scholars{{Who|date=June 2010}} assert that the [[Sheol]] mentioned in [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] 38:18, [[Psalms|Psalm]] 6:5 and [[Book of Job|Job]] 7:7-10 was an earlier concept than Heaven, but this theory is not universally held.

The [[Mishnah]] has many sayings about the [[World to Come]], for example, "Rabbi Yaakov said: This world is like a lobby before the World to Come; prepare yourself in the lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall."<ref>Pirkei Avot, 4:21</ref>

Judaism holds that the [[Righteous gentiles|righteous of all nations]] have a share in the World-to-come.<ref>[http://www.jewfaq.org/olamhaba.htm jewfaq.org/olamhaba.htm]</ref>

According to [[Nicholas de Lange]], [[Judaism]] offers no clear teaching about the destiny which lies in wait for the individual after death and its attitude to life after death has been expressed as follows: "For the future is inscrutable, and the accepted sources of knowledge, whether experience, or reason, or revelation, offer no clear guidance about what is to come. The only certainty is that each man must die - beyond that we can only guess."<ref name=deLange>Nicholas de Lange, ''Judaism'', Oxford University Press, 1986</ref>

According to Tracey R. Rich of the website "Judaism 101", Judaism, unlike other world-religions, is not focused on the quest of getting into heaven but on life and how to live it.<ref>"Some people look at these teachings and deduce that Jews try to "earn our way into Heaven" by performing the mitzvot. This is a gross mischaracterization of our religion. It is important to remember that unlike some religions, Judaism is not focused on the question of how to get into heaven. Judaism is focused on life and how to live it." [http://www.jewfaq.org/olamhaba.htm Olam Ha-Ba: The World to Come] Judaism 101; websource 02-11-2010.</ref>

===Kabbalah Jewish mysticism===
In order from lowest to highest, the [[Heaven in Judaism|Seven Heavens, Shamayim (שמים)]], according to the [[Talmud]], are listed alongside the [[angel]]s who govern them:<ref>The Seven Heavens in the Talmud.(see Ps. lxviii. 5).</ref><ref>http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=1521&letter=A#4364</ref>

# '''Vilon''' (וילון) also called '''"Araphel"''': The first Heaven, governed by [[Archangel]] [[Gabriel]], is the closest of heavenly realms to the Earth; it is also considered the abode of [[Adam (Bible)|Adam]] and [[Eve]].
# '''Raqi'a''' (רקיע): The second Heaven is dually controlled by [[Zachariel]] and [[Raphael (archangel)|Raphael]]. It was in this Heaven that [[Moses]], during his visit to Paradise, encountered the angel [[Nuriel]] who stood "300 [[parasang]]s high, with a retinue of 50 myriads of angels all fashioned out of water and fire". Also, Raquia is considered the realm where the fallen angels are imprisoned and the planets fastened.<ref>''The Legends of the Jews'' I, 131, and II, 306.</ref>
# [[Shehaqim]] (שחקים): The third Heaven, under the leadership of Anahel, serves as the home of the [[Garden of Eden]] and the [[Tree of Life (Judeo-Christian)|Tree of Life]]; it is also the realm where [[manna]], the holy food of angels, is produced.<ref>''The Legends of the Jews'' V, 374.</ref> The ''[[Second Book of Enoch]]'', meanwhile, states that both Paradise and Hell are accommodated in Shehaqim with Hell being located simply "on the northern side".
# '''Ma'on''' (מעון): The fourth Heaven is ruled by the Archangel [[Michael (archangel)|Michael]], and according to [[Talmud]] Hagiga 12, it contains the heavenly [[Jerusalem]], the Temple, and the Altar.
# '''Makhon''' (מכון): The fifth Heaven is under the administration of [[Samael]], an angel referred to as evil by some, but who is to others merely a dark servant of God.
# '''Zebul''' (זבול): The sixth Heaven falls under the jurisdiction of [[Sachiel]].
# '''Araboth''' (זבול): The seventh Heaven, under the leadership of [[Cassiel]], is the holiest of the seven Heavens provided the fact that it houses the Throne of Glory attended by the Seven Archangels and serves as the realm in which God dwells; underneath the throne itself lies the [[Guf|abode]] of all unborn human souls. It is also considered the home of the [[Seraphim]], the [[Cherubim]], and the [[Hayyoth]].<ref>Ginzberg, Louis. Henrietta Szold (trans.). ''The Legends of the Jews''. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1909–38. ISBN 0-8018-5890-9.</ref>

==Mesoamerican religions==
{{main|Aztec mythology}}
The [[Nahua people]] such as the [[Aztec mythology|Aztecs]], [[Chichimecs]] and the [[Toltecs]] believed that the heavens were constructed and separated into 13 levels. Each level had from one to many Lords living in and ruling these heavens. Most important of these heavens was Omeyocan (Place of Two). The thirteen heavens were ruled by [[Ometeotl]], the dual Lord, creator of the Dual-Genesis who, as male, takes the name Ometecuhtli (Two Lord), and as female is named Omecihuatl (Two Lady).

==Polynesia==
{{Main|Polynesian mythology}}
In the [[creation myth]]s of [[Polynesian mythology]] are found various concepts of the heavens and the underworld. These differ from one island to another. What they share is the view of the universe as an egg or coconut that is divided between the world of humans (earth), the upper world of heavenly gods, and the underworld. Each of these is subdivided in a manner reminiscent of [[Dante]]'s [[Divine Comedy]], but the number of divisions and their names differs from one Polynesian culture to another.<ref>Craig, Robert D. ''Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology''. Greenwood Press: New York, 1989. ISBN 0-313-25890-2. Page 57.</ref>

===Māori===
In [[Māori mythology]], the heavens are divided into a number of realms. Different tribes number the heaven differently, with as few as two and as many as fourteen levels. One of the more common versions divides heaven thus:
# [[Kiko-rangi]], presided over by the god [[Toumau]]
# [[Waka-maru]], the heaven of sunshine and rain
# [[Nga-roto]], the heaven of lakes where the god [[Maru (mythology)|Maru]] rules
# [[Hauora|Hau-ora]], where the spirits of newborn children originate
# [[Nga-Tauira]], home of the servant gods
# [[Nga-atua]], which is ruled over by the hero [[Kaha'i|Tawhaki]]
# [[Autoia]], where human souls are created
# [[Aukumea]], where spirits live
# [[Wairua]], where spirit gods live while waiting on those in
# [[Naherangi]] or Tuwarea, where the great gods live presided over by [[Rehua]]

The Māori believe these heavens are supported by pillars. Other Polynesian peoples see them being supported by gods (as in [[Hawai'i]]). In one [[Tahiti]]an legend, heaven is supported by an [[octopus]].

===Paumotu, Tuamotus===
[[Image:Paumotuheavens.gif|thumb|right|An 1869 illustration by a [[Tuamotus|Tuomatuan chief]] portraying nine heavens.]]
The Polynesian conception of the universe and its division is nicely illustrated by a famous drawing made by a [[Tuamotus|Tuomotuan]] chief in 1869. Here, the nine heavens are further divided into left and right, and each stage is associated with a stage in the evolution of the earth that is portrayed below. The lowest division represents a period when the heavens hung low over the earth, which was inhabited by animals that were not known to the islanders. In the third division is shown the first murder, the first burials, and the first canoes, built by [[Laka|Rata]]. In the fourth division, the first coconut tree and other significant plants are born.<ref>Young, J.L. "The Paumotu Conception of the Heavens and of Creation", ''Journal of the Polynesian Society'', 28 (1919), 209–211.</ref>

==Theosophy==
{{Main|Theosophy}}
It is believed in [[Theosophy]] of [[Helena Blavatsky]] that each religion (including Theosophy) has its own individual Heaven in various regions of the upper [[astral plane]] that fits the description of that Heaven that is given in each religion, which a [[Soul (spirit)|soul]] that has been [[good and evil|good]] in their previous life on Earth will go to. The area of the upper astral plane of Earth in the upper atmosphere where the various Heavens are located is called [[The Summerland|''Summerland'']] (Theosophists believe [[Hell]] is located in the lower astral plane of Earth which extends downward from the surface of the earth down to its [[Center of the earth|center]]). However, Theosophists believe that the soul is recalled back to Earth after an average of about 1400 years by the ''[[Sanat Kumara#Sanat Kumara's cosmic bureaucracy|Lords of Karma]]'' to incarnate again. The final Heaven that souls go to billions of years in the future after they finish their [[reincarnation|cycle of incarnations]] is called ''Devachan''.<ref>[[C.W. Leadbeater|Leadbeater, C.W.]] ''Outline of Theosophy'' Wheaton, Illinois, USA:1915 Theosophical Publishing House</ref>


==Criticism of the belief in Heaven==
Most [[Marxism|Marxists]] regard heaven, like religion generally, as a tool employed by authorities to bribe their subjects into a certain way of life by promising a reward after death.<ref>[http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/articles/col-afcp.htm Animal Farm Character Profiles] at Charles' George Orwell Links.</ref>

The [[anarchist]] [[Emma Goldman]] expressed this view when she wrote, "Consciously or unconsciously, most atheists see in gods and devils, heaven and hell; reward and punishment, a whip to lash the people into obedience, meekness and contentment."<ref>Goldman, Emma. [http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_archives/goldman/philosophyatheism.html "The Philosophy of Atheism"]. ''Mother Earth'', February 1916.</ref>

Many people consider [[George Orwell]]'s use of [[Sugarcandy Mountain]] in his novel ''[[Animal Farm]]'' to be a literary expression of this view. In the book, the animals were told that after their miserable lives were over they would go to a place in which "it was Sunday seven days a week, clover was in season all the year round, and lump sugar and linseed cake grew on the hedges".<ref>[http://www.k-1.com/Orwell/site/$country=us$/opinion/essays/rhodi.html Opinions: Essays: Orwell's Political Messages] by Rhodri Williams.</ref><ref>[http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/articles/animal-farm-background-info.htm Background information for George Orwell's Animal Farm] at Charles' George Orwell Links.</ref> However, [[George Orwell]] himself was a practicing, communicant member of the [[Church of England]]. Fantasy author [[Philip Pullman]] echoes this idea in the fantasy series [[His Dark Materials]], in which the characters finally come to the conclusion that people should make life better on Earth rather than wait for heaven (this idea is known as the [[Republic of Heaven]]).

Some atheists have argued that a belief in a reward after death is poor motivation for moral behavior while alive.<ref>[http://daphne.palomar.edu/mlane/ATHEIST/atheist_philosophy.htm The Atheist Philosophy]</ref><ref>[http://www.quotedb.com/quotes/204 Quote by Albert Einstein] at Quote DB.</ref> [[Sam Harris (author)|Sam Harris]] wrote, "It is rather more noble to help people purely out of concern for their suffering than it is to help them because you think the Creator of the Universe wants you to do it, or will reward you for doing it, or will punish you for not doing it. [The] problem with this linkage between religion and morality is that it gives people bad reasons to help other human beings when good reasons are available."<ref>[[Sam Harris (author)|Sam Harris]] at the 2006 [[Beyond Belief: Science, Religion, Reason and Survival|Beyond Belief]] conference ([http://beyondbelief2006.org/watch/watch.php?Video=Session%209 watch here]).</ref>

== Neuroscience ==

[[Image:Francesco Botticini - The Assumption of the Virgin.jpg|thumb|300px|The [[Assumption of the Virgin (Botticini)|Assumption of the Virgin]] by [[Francesco Botticini]] at the National Gallery London, shows three hierarchies and nine orders of angels, each with different characteristics.]]

In [[Inside_the_Neolithic_Mind]], Lewis-Williams and Pearce argue that a tiered structure of heaven, along with similarly structured [[circles of hell]], is neurally perceived by members of many cultures around the world and through history. The reports are so similar across time and space that Lewis-Williams and Pearce argue for a neuroscientific explanation, accepting the percepts as real neural activations and subjective percepts during particular [[altered states of consciousness]].

Many people who come close to death and have [[near death experience]]s report meeting relatives or entering "the Light" in an otherworldly dimension, which share similarities with the religious concept of Heaven. Even though there are also reports of distressing experiences and negative life-reviews, which share some similarities with the concept of Hell, the positive experiences of meeting or entering "the Light" is reported as an immensely intense feeling state of love, peace and joy beyond human comprehension. Together with this intensely positive feeling state, people who have near death experiences also report that consciousness or a heightened state of awareness seems as if it is at the heart of experiencing a taste of "Heaven".<ref>Jorgensen, Rene. ''Awakening After Life'' BookSurge, 2007 ISBN 1-4196-6347-X</ref>



==Postmodern views==
* [[Omega Point (Tipler)]]

==Representations in arts==

===Literature===
* Works of [[fiction]] have included numerous different conceptions of Heaven and Hell. The two most famous descriptions of Heaven are given in [[Dante Alighieri]]'s ''[[Paradiso (Dante)|Paradiso]]'' (of the ''[[Divine Comedy]]'') and [[John Milton]]'s ''[[Paradise Lost]]''.
* ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia]]'', a series by [[C. S. Lewis]] offers a description of Heaven at the end of the sequence in the 'Last Battle', depicted as a lush green land surrounded by mountains under the rule of a lion [[Aslan]].
* ''[[Elric]]'' and ''[[Eternal Champion]]'', two series by [[Michael Moorcock]], is one of many who offer Chaos-Evil(-Hell) and Uniformity-Good(-Heaven) as equally unacceptable extremes which must be held in balance.
* In ''[[The Discovery of Heaven]]'', a 1992 novel by [[Harry Mulisch]], heaven is located "at the end of the [[Big Bang]] in [[negative space]]".
*In Mary K. Baxter's book The Divine Revelation of Heaven, Mary describes a time in which she claims she was taken into heaven for 10 days with [[Jesus Christ]].

===Film===
Several works of written and filmed [[science fiction]] have plots in which Heaven can be reached by the living through technological means. An example is [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] film ''[[The Black Hole]]'', in which a manned spacecraft found both Heaven (or another dimension) and [[Hell]] located at the bottom of a [[black hole]].<ref>[http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/movies/black_hole_retrospective_000602.html Does The Black Hole still suck?] Movie review by Joshua Moss, June 2, 2000.</ref>
* ''[[Made in Heaven (1987 film)|Made in Heaven]]'', a 1987 film which concerns two [[Soul (spirit)|soul]]s who cross paths in Heaven and then attempt to reconnect once they are reborn on [[Earth]].
* ''[[What Dreams May Come (film)|What Dreams May Come]]'', a 1998 movie that won an Academy Award for its depiction of heaven and hell as the subjective creations of the individual, was an essentially mystical interpretation of heaven, hell and reincarnation. It was based on the eponymous [[What Dreams May Come|novel]] by [[Richard Matheson]].
* ''[[Heaven (2002 film)|Heaven]]'', a 2002 film that implies heaven can be reached the higher up one goes (in the film's case, in a helicopter).
* ''[[Field of Dreams]]'', a 1989 film in which heaven is symbolized by a baseball field. Several players ask Ray if they are in heaven, but he assures them that they are just in Iowa. At the end, Ray asks his father if there is a heaven, to which his father replies that it is the place where dreams come true.

===Television===
* In the ''[[South Park]]'' episodes "[[Do the Handicapped Go to Hell?]]" and "[[Probably (South Park)|Probably]]," it is revealed that Mormons go to Heaven while everyone else lives in Hell. Due to a war between Heaven and Hell in "[[Best Friends Forever (South Park)|Best Friends Forever]]," God allows more people in.
* In the ''[[American Dad!]]'' episode "[[The Most Adequate Christmas Ever]]," Heaven is featured. Anyone who has done good in their life are flown from [[Limbo]] to the Gates of Heaven by a large [[griffin]] (which might be [[Ziz]]). There was a reference that [[Jim Henson]] tried to sneak into Heaven only for him and Kermit the Frog to end up in a flat rectangle prison (similar to [[General Zod]] in ''[[Superman II]]'') as Kermit begs for them to be released.
* Heaven is featured in the ''[[Renkin 3-kyū Magical? Pokān]]'' episode "The Spell of Rebirth is a Trip Through Hell." Uma ends up sent to Heaven with a letter to God (portrayed by Keimie) that Uma has been banished from Hell for all eternity. Uma spends time in Heaven until she gets bored and takes God's option to restore Uma to life.

===Documentaries===
* [http://store.aetv.com/html/product/index.jhtml?id=75878 ''Heaven: Beyond the Grave'']. [[A&E Network]]. ([http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0804491/ IMDB])
* [[Mysteries of the Bible]]: "Heaven and Hell". A&E Network.

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
* Smith, Gary Scott, ''Heaven in the American Imagination'' (Oxford University Press; 2011) 339 pages; draws on art, music, folklore, sermons, literature, psychology, and other realms in a study of how Americans since the Puritans have imagined heaven.

==External links==
{{Wiktionary}}
{{Commons category}}{{Wikiquote}}{{Wikiversity|Seven Heavens}}
* {{In Our Time|Heaven|p003k9lf|Heaven}}
* [http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a12.htm Catechism of the Catholic Church ''I believe in Life Everlasting''] Explanation of Catholic teaching about Heaven, Hell & Purgatory
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07170a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: Heaven]
* [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/7440-heaven Jewish Encyclopedia: Heaven]
* [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/heaven-hell/ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on Heaven and Hell]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/30/movies/film-view-in-films-heaven-s-no-paradise.html?pagewanted=all In Films, Heaven’s No Paradise] New York Times, Wed. July 22, 2009
* [http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/faith/heaven-a-fools-paradise-1949399.html Heaven: A fool's paradise], ''The Independent'', April 21, 2010
* [http://www.swedenborgdigitallibrary.org/contets/HH.html Swedenborg, E. ''Heaven and its Wonders and Hell. From Things Heard and Seen''] (Swedenborg Foundation, 1946)

{{Heaven}}
{{Theology}}

[[Category:Concepts of Heaven| ]]
[[Category:Heaven]]
[[Category:Afterlife places]]
[[Category:Religious cosmologies]]
[[Category:Mythology]]

[[he:עולם הבא]]
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