Eighty percent of Americans say they believe in Heaven—an increase of 10% from a decade ago. Ask them to describe what Heaven is like, however, and you get images of angels floating on clouds, playing harps behind Pearly gates. The desire for life after death is universal, across all faiths and across history.

As part of “Ethereal Thursday,” Lisa Miller tells how our visions of Heaven have changed over time from a communal vision of Heaven to a more individualized vision of Heaven.

In her book, Heaven: Our Enduring Fascination with the Afterlife, Lisa examines visions of Heaven from three major world religions: Christianity, Judiasm and Islam.

Lisa’s personal favorite vision of Heaven comes from a Harvard Professor who told her, “Heaven is a radical act of grace and kindness by God.”

Listen to the entire interview below: