Barnes in Common

the magazine of Churches Together in Barnes
November/December 2005

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Impossible question time

In our previous issue we published a question by Molly Prendergast. Here is an answer from Roger Hutchings:

Where is Heaven?

Hmm – I'll do my best! – but thank you for the question. The thing is, ‘where’ usually means "Get out the map and show me" or maybe "Give me directions to it." But, as you know I’m sure, there isn't a map like that. As for directions to heaven, well, I could say that Jesus shows us how to get to heaven, but I realise that might not be enough of an answer. The 'kingdom of heaven' or the 'kingdom of God' is what our Christian faith is all about, and we say that it isn't about where or even when, because it's beyond all we mean by 'time' and 'space': we say it's eternal. We’re stuck with time and space ourselves, but God is beyond that, and heaven is 'where' God is. When we 'go to heaven' we leave time and space and return to be with God. But we also get kind-of glimpses of heaven here and now, mainly in our experience of loving and being loved – because that's what we believe God is like. And when we live in love, we help to create a bit of heaven on earth. You might like to have a look at the 'picture' of heaven in John's gospel, chapter 14, verses 1-6.