Flesh & Bones Forever: A History of Immortality

Who wants to live forever?

Learn about how people have sought physical immortality since the beginning of time, what means are employed to escape death, how various religions promise you eternal life, and about the men and women who are said to have already become immortal.

The history of immortality is a tale about salvation and eternal misery, extreme diets and children put in the fire, healing and cannibalism, alchemy and sex with gods.

It is no straightforward story. For what are the parallels between bloodsucking vampires, the sleeping King Arthur, and the resurrected Jesus? Who were the many that achieved eternal life in ancient Greek, Mesopotamian and Jewish tradition? How are we to gain immortality according to religious beliefs if our bodies have been annihilated? And in what way is all this related to people who vanish mysteriously, to decapitated saints who do not die, and to holy corpses that remain incorruptible forever?

The alternative to death may appear as easy as unachievable. As we steadily have enhanced our human nature through science and medicine, we may soon, however, for the very first time, be able to achieve immortality outside the realm of myths and religion. As we face this ultimate possibility, the question remains whether eternity is what we really want.

Dag istein Endsj is Professor in the Study of Religion at the University of Oslo, an acknowledged expert in various religious themes, the author of several books, and published in 13 languages.