
“Lord, give unto me power over death,that I may live and bring souls unto thee.”—Doctrine & Convents 7:2
Christianity, like other world religions, acknowledges the existence of multiple human messianic figures. In this comparative work, philosopher Jad Hatem examines the Book of Mormon’s Three Nephites, Buddhism’s Bodhisattva, and Islam’s Mahdi—all distinctive messianic figures who postpone Heaven, sacrificially prolonging their lives for the benefit of humankind.Jonathon Penny’s translation of the French original includes two additional papers in which Jad Hatem deals with various aspects of Latter-day Saint belief. It also includes an interview between Hatem and Latter-day Saint philosopher James E. Faulconer.Postponing Heaven: The Three Nephites, the Bodhisattva, and the Mahdi
Advance Praise
“Jad Hatem has a detailed knowledge of Mormon doctrine—from the Book of Mormon to the Pearl of Great Price to Bruce R. McConkie and Orson Scott Card. Beyond this, he brings in-depth knowledge of Islam and Buddhism. Remarkable. Postponing Heaven’s purpose is not to be motivational or even to necessarily promote belief in any of these teachings, which is not to say those who see the connections won’t be inspired by what they learn. This is definitely a high-octane read.”—Charles Inouye, professor of Japanese literature and visual culture, specialist in comparative religion, Tufts University
About the Author
Jad Hatem
About the Translator
Dr. Jonathon Penny is a published poet and scholar of letters, whose work examines the intersection of theology and literature in surprising ways and places. He has taught at universities in the United States, Canada, and the Middle East.