Rebirth

Christian Century, June 12, 2007

REBIRTH: Bruce Greyson, a psychiatrist at the University of Virginia Health System's Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS), studies near-death experiences (NDEs) and out-of-body experiences (OBEs). People who have had an NDE report seeing visions of a bright light in a tunnel and of being welcomed by deceased ancestors or spiritual figures like Jesus.

What amazes Dr. Greyson is the transformative nature of these NDEs and OBEs: "Basically, they come back believing that the golden rule is the way the universe works, just like gravity," he says. He's followed some people for up to 20 years after their NDE, and the changes have for the most part persisted (Discover, June).