Sex and Heaven: Catholics in Bed and at Prayer

What does it take to get into heaven? If you're Roman Catholic, Portmann argues, the red-hot issue is sex.

Since the late 1980s, the Vatican has made great efforts to encourage Jews to celebrate their faith, yet continues to reject homosexual Catholics. Portmann, himself a Catholic, finds it striking that the Vatican says Jews can "get to heaven" by being Jewish but strongly implies that even monogamous gay and lesbian Catholics cannot. Portmann concludes that, in the Church's eyes, sexuality now trumps theology.

Focusing on Catholicism, Sex and Heaven also raises compelling questions about heaven in Protestantism, Judaism, and Islam. This original and powerful perspective is sure to startle and amaze.