Are Near-Death Experiences Real? (with NDE expert/author Michael Sabom) M.D.)


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Hello, Socrates Cafe members!
I will be hosting our next Socrates Cafe event ONLINE. One of our members suggested that we devote a discussion to Near Death Experiences (NDEs)--and I readily agreed! Instead of our usual format, I thought I would take the liberty of asking my friend Dr. Michael Sabom--an NDE expert--to join us (see his bio below). As a young medical doctor, he had once been dismissive of NDEs, but the more he spoke to people who had experienced NDEs, he could not deny them any longer. Mike will tell his story, discuss the nature and implications of NDEs, and then field your questions! This will be an exciting session!
Use this link to join our Teams discussion: https://tinyurl.com/ycxwwv8b .
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BIO: Michael Sabom is a retired cardiologist previously in academic medicine and private practice in Atlanta, Georgia. He received a B.A. degree with honors from Colorado College and an M.D. with honors from the University of Texas. Board Certified in both internal medicine and cardiology, Dr. Sabom is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and a Fellow on the Council of Clinical Cardiology of the American Heart Association. He has authored more than twenty cardiology articles published in professional journals and textbooks.
Prior to entering private practice in 1983, he was assistant professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology at Emory University in Atlanta. There, he reported his now classic study of NDEs in Recollections of Death: A Medical Investigation, published by Harper & Row, New York with 12 foreign translations. His second NDE study was reported in Light & Death published by Zondervan, Grand Rapids and remains in print a quarter century later. He has authored a monograph on NDEs in the Christian Research Journal and written several articles in peer-reviewed academic journals which have been read in 53 countries.
Sabom is cofounder of the International Association of Near Death Studies; his biography is in Wikipedia, and his publications have received over 1,100 citations on Google Scholar. NDE leaders have acclaimed his work as being “a benchmark in the field of near-death research,” “the only truly objective study of adult near-death experiences,” and “the most impressive study of the NDE’s paranormal features.” Prominent Christian writers have likewise recognized Sabom’s work as “ground-breaking,” “sober,” “eschewing both religious and science fiction,” and deserving “special attention.” He has recently been inducted into the Scholar Community of Reasons to Believe—an international Christian organization seeking to “bring scientific evidence to the God of the Bible.”
In 2018, he became a major consultant/participant in the NDE documentary After Death. This full-length film was released nationwide in 2,700 studios in October 2023; has currently been distributed in 18 foreign markets; and streams on Amazon and Vudu. According to Movieguide, After Death is the "top grossing faith-based documentary of all time" and has been named by The Daily Caller as "one of the most important documentaries ever made." Sabom has recently appeared on several nationwide programs including a 1-hour video interview by
Prof. Sean McDowell, Ph.D., which has received over a half-million registered views in the past twelve months.
Reviews of After Death on CNN, CBN, Variety, and other major outlets note Sabom to be "featured prominently" as the most "interesting," "compelling," "fascinating," and "pivotal" participant. His demeanor, according to The Epoch Times, is "thoroughly lacking in pretense, spin or hyperbole," and resembles that of a "prosecuting attorney." In Substack’s Library of Leading Researchers of NDEs, Phil Tanny concludes that Sabom’s “willingness to approach near-death experiences with both an open mind and rigorous methodology helped to elevate the study of NDEs from the fringe to a legitimate area of scientific investigation. His legacy as a researcher and author will continue to shape the field of near-death studies for generations to come.”
Dr. Sabom lives in Atlanta, Georgia and is married with one adult child and three grandchildren. A man of strong personal faith, he is a member of non-denominational Mt. Bethel Church.

Are Near-Death Experiences Real? (with NDE expert/author Michael Sabom) M.D.)