What if heaven were more real than earthand hell only a shadow by comparison?

In The Great Divorce, C. S. Lewis paints a bold, imaginative picture of the afterlifea bus ride from the bleak, joyless grey town of hell or purgatory to the outskirts of heaven. There, the passengersghostly soulsmust choose whether to leave behind their sins and illusions or return to the familiar misery theyve known. Through a series of vivid encounters, Lewis reveals the eternal consequences of our choices, the attachments that hold us back, and the dazzling possibility of heaven.

In Next Stop: The Afterlife, Catholic theology professor Andrew Swaffordauthor of Lunatic, Liar, or Lordbrings C. S. Lewiss classic to life, revealing how it speaks powerfully to our spiritual journey today. Whether or not youve read The Great Divorcean allegorical story about souls who choose their path to eternitythis compelling guide will renew your hope and stir your longing for heaven. With clarity, reverence, and rich theological insight, Swafford invites you to walk alongside the ghosts from the grey townordinary people wrestling with the decision to cling to sin or step into the transforming light of Gods love. Along the way, youll meet unforgettable characters, confront your own spiritual battles, and discover the fierce, patient love of a God who wants to make you free, whole, and more fully alive.

Drawing from years of teaching and a deeply Catholic imagination, Swafford explores

• the vivid insights C. S. Lewis offers into heaven, hell, and the eternal stakes of our everyday decisions;
• joy, intimacy, and beauty in this life as mere glimpses of the glory that awaits;
• the way our deepest desires hint at a longing that only God can fulfill;
• parallels between C. S. Lewiss vision and the wisdom of saints like Augustine and John Paul II;
• the spiritual and moral struggles we faceand how to respond with courage and hope.

Accessible for longtime C. S. Lewis fans and first-time readers alike, Next Stop: The Afterlife is more than a companion to The Great Divorceits a stirring call to live with eternity in view and heaven as our true home.

Step aboard the bus. Let go of what weighs you down. Journey toward the Mountain.

Andrew Swafford