Various individuals, encompassing believers and nonbelievers, have recounted encounters during near-death experiences wherein they briefly disembodied and perceived otherworldly elements. Though many scientific experts interpret these experiences as the result of particular neural activity under specific duress, religious adherents generally regard them as objective encounters occurring in both space and time. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints exhibit a particular fascination with these experiences, perceiving them as supportive of their teachings regarding the afterlife. They have eagerly acquired numerous publications on the subject, including the renowned 1992 bestseller, “Embraced by the Light” by Betty Eadie, and more lately, “Visions of Glory: One Man’s Astonishing Account of the Last Days” by John Pontius. While Eadie’s work resonated with the New Age Mormonism prevalent in the 1980s and 1990s, “Visions of Glory” — along with the writings of Chad Daybell, a Latter-day Saint author from Idaho who has faced murder charges — draws upon apocalyptic and political conjectures. In a recent podcast, Dr. Matthew Bowman, Director of Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University and author of “The Abduction of Betty and Barney Hill: Alien Encounters, Civil Rights, and the New Age in America,” examines this literary genre and its ramifications within Latter-day Saint culture.
Near-Death Experiences in Mormon Culture: History and Implications
