A Faithful Sceptic

	Book review on OUT-OF-BODY AND NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES: Brain-State Phenomena or Glimpses of Immortality? by Michael N. Marsh (2010) Reviewed by Elena Ene D-Vasilescu, 2010 published in Network Review No 102
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The issues presented in this book open themselves to various approaches: medical, neurological, surgical, theological, anthropological, eschatological, and epistemological - to name just a few. The author uses them all in the 13 chapters of this informative and wide-ranging work. Michael N. Marsh is a clinical biomedical research physician turned theologian, who is now a Fellow of Oxford Centre for Christianity and Culture at Regent's Park College and a member of Wolfson College, both in the University of Oxford.

Two major 'threads' run throughout: The first is an extensive technical discussion of the neuro-physiological processes both in normal waking and dreaming states, and during OBE (out of body experience) and NDE (near-death experience). It employs terms as CBF (cerebral blood flow), LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), NC (narcolepsy-cataplexy complex), SOP (sleep-onset period), etc. The second thread engages with spirituality and Christian theology, employing terms and views beginning with those of Plato and Aristotle, going through the Bible, and ending with those of John Barton, Paul Fiddes, Paul Tillich and John Zizioulas, for example.

OBEs and NDEs are analysed from the technical point of view on the basis on a multitude of examples taken from literature, and in this context the works of Peter and Elizabeth Fenwick, Paul Badham, and Kenneth Ring are mentioned extensively. An interesting opinion of the latter scholar is that since, after going through such experiences a person's attitude is transformed in a positive way, OBE and NDE events are a device which nature employs in order to create more advanced persons from the perspective of human consciousness.

The spiritual dimension of these phenomena is discussed, for instance, in the light of the view that death marks the incompleteness of the personal project (John Macquarrie's interpretation), or by questioning, with Barton, if Jesus' resurrection matters, and if it does, to whom. The answer to this, at least for Christians, is that even though it is a special and unique eschatological case, it still underpins faith in personal resurrection. 

The subject of immortality is also debated: is it an immediate occurrence? Ring, Grey and Fenwick think so in the sense that it is 'only momentarily sampled, envisioned as an escape of mind and soul from the body and onwards into the heavenly realm.' Is it a 'function of the soul'? In this debate Macquarrie opines that immortality is an advancement into the process of becoming, i.e. of fulfilling further potentialities of humans on the basis of love.

The conclusions of the 'technical' research are sceptical with regard to the matters central to the book. The author prefers naturalistic explanations in which these experiences are non-veridical. For example, Marsh provides a detailed critique of what he calls 'The Exemplary Case of Pam Reynolds', a patient who experienced both OBE and NDE during her operation, supposedly in the period when the EEG and ECG readings were flat.  His conclusion is that she in fact had these experiences while returning to consciousness after the operation.

Regarding the spiritual benefits of such extraordinary experiences, Marsh is more optimistic: 'It is my view that post-event phenomena for the subject, as a person continuing to live on earth, are of far greater importance than the disproportionate attention given to 'other-worldly' experiential concerns.' Whatever positive results come from such experiences: a feeling of closeness to God, and the discovery of new qualities, talents and capabilities that can be deployed in the further development of personhood and flourishing of society.

More study is necessary not only to assess to even a larger extent the impact of OBE and NDE occurrences on people's attitudes and lives, but also on the possibilities of using their consequences for good, especially in improving social relationships.

The two threads of this book result from the two distinct facets of Professor Marsh's academic background. Whether OBEs and NDEs are 'Brain-State Phenomena' or 'Glimpses of Immortality' - he comes down firmly on the former side - Professor Marsh has managed to shed light on the diverse data with grace and professionalism. Researchers wishing to maintain that such experiences are veridical will need to address the detailed sceptical arguments presented in this book.

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