The Tree of Life: From Eden to Eternity

No image of eternal life is more powerful or persistent than the tree of life. From the paradisiacal Garden of Eden to the apocalyptic New Jerusalem, the tree of life dominates the landscape, being mentioned explicitly more than two dozen times in the Latter-day Saint scriptural canon and alluded to many other times therein. From the temple to the cross, the symbol of the tree of life invites all to come unto Christ, to become planted by rivers of living water, and to bring forth and enjoy the fruits of God's love that are sweet above all else. This highly informative and beautifully illustrated book contains original essays by leading Latter-day Saint scholars and scholars of other faiths—including Donald W. Parry, Daniel C. Peterson, Andrew C. Skinner, John W. Welch, and Margaret Barker—that focus on the tree of life symbol in the Bible, early Christianity, and the Book of Mormon, as well as in Southeast Asian, Islamic, and Maya temples, cultures, and art.

Contents
List of IllustrationsIntroduction
1. The Cherubim, the Flaming Sword, the Path, and the Tree of Life
   Donald W. Parry
2. The Tree of Life in the Hebrew Bible and Later Jewish Thought
   Andrew C. Skinner
3. The Fragrant Tree
   Margaret Barker
4. The Tree of Life in the New Testament and Christian Tradition
   John W. Welch
5. The Tree of Life in John's Gospel
   C. Wilfred Griggs
6. "I Have Dreamed a Dream": Lehi's Archetypal Vision of the Tree of Life
   Charles Swift
7. The World Tree and Maya Theology
   Allen J. Christenson
8. The Tree of Life in the Catholic Religious and Liturgical Imagination
   Jaime Lara
9. The Qur'anic Tree of Life
   Daniel C. Peterson
10. The Tree of Life in Asian Art, Religion, and Folklore: A Sampling of the Evidence
    John M. Lundquist
11. The Tree of Life: A Cross-Cultural Perspective in Mormon Art
    Richard Oman
12. Selected Bibliography
    Daniel B. McKinlay
Citation Index
Subject Index