Divine or dull? Various churches have differing views of heaven

"Divine dullness: Usual images of heaven don't impress Christians" was a headline in the Intermountain Catholic newspaper earlier this year.

Could heaven really be the dull, boring, quiet place that some envision?

The Bible says little about heaven, hence the mystery that surrounds it.

Father Carlo Buzzetti, an Italian biblicist, was quoted in the Intermountain Catholic article by the Catholic News Service as saying, "The modern church does a lousy job imagining what heaven is like and communicating it to the faithful."

He believes most Catholics envision heaven as "a vague place of eternal survival, where happiness can become monotonous and where the absence of human passions creates an 'anemic' atmosphere."

Father Buzzetti said the Catholic Church needs to find a way to teach that heaven will be built on the positive things from earthly existence.

He mentioned that Pope John Paul II in 1999 said the best way to imagine heaven is to reflect on the happiness one feels from doing good. The pope also said that heaven was not just a place in the clouds, but where there is a living, personal relationship with the Trinity.

Father Buzzetti concluded by stating heaven may be envisioned as a place where the innocent no longer suffer, where there's no gossip or misery, where the strongest no longer win all arguments, and where all the luck in the world no longer drops in the laps of the guilty.

Some Catholics and other Christians believe Christ taught that there are no marriages in heaven. However, a recent sermon by Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, a papal Catholic preacher, left that door open, and the possibility that marriage — like family relations — will be transfigured, not nullified, in heaven.

Terry Long, senior pastor at Calvary Chapel of Salt Lake, said he believes that heaven will be far from boring.

"The joy of being reunited with those that have died before us, seeing God finally face to face (Rev. 21:1-3 ;1 John 3:1-3). His (God's) presence will fill heaven (1 Kings 8:27, Jeremiah 23:24). Angels are there, and we will interact with them (Matthew 18:10, 24:36). Heaven is a place of total happiness (Revelation 7:16, 17). No more pain (Revelation 21:3-5). We receive a new body that will not get old or hurt (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).

"I don't think the word boring will even come to mind, more like, 'Wow, this is very cool,"' he said.