Douglas Groothuis

In the following viewpoint, Douglas Groothuis maintains that many accounts of near-death experiences (NDEs) conflict with the Christian vision of the afterlife. According to Groothuis, many near-death survivors describe encounters with a nonjudgmental being of light who affirms that humans can transcend their earthly existence—a scenario that conforms to New Age beliefs. But Christians believe that at death, God will punish the wicked and reward the righteous, he contends. Because many NDE stories contradict Christian teachings about death, he argues, these descriptions of the afterlife should be distrusted. Groothuis, a professor of philosophy and religion at Denver Seminary, is the author of Deceived by the Light and The Soul in Cyberspace.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Groothuis, what did Betty Eadie conclude based on her near-death...