Howard Storm (author): Difference between revisions

Howard Storm
Howard Storm
Born	Howard Storm; October 26, 1946 (age 78); Newton, Massachusetts, U.S.
Education	San Francisco Art Institute,(BFA); University of California, Berkeley (MA, MFA); United Theological Seminary,(MDiv)
Church	United Church of Christ
Congregations served	Covington United Church of Christ, Covington, Ohio
Title	Senior Pastor, Covington United Church of Christ
Website	http://www.howardstorm.com/

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For the film, television director and actor, see Howard Storm (director)

Howard Storm (born October 26, 1946) is an American Christian minister, writer, and painter. He is a former professor and chairman of the art department at Northern Kentucky University.^[1] In 2000, he authored My Descent Into Death, which chronicles his near-death experience. Storm's near-death experience has been cited in literature on near-death studies,^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8] and his book has garnered endorsement by gothic fiction writer Anne Rice before it was acquired by Doubleday and republished in 2005. Storm has retold his story on NBC's Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show,^[9]^[10] 48 Hours,^[9] Discovery Channel^[9] and Coast to Coast AM.^[10]

Biography

Early life

Howard Storm was born in Newton, Massachusetts.^[11] He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1969 and continued his studies at the University of California at Berkeley with a Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in 1970.^[12] In 1972, Storm moved to Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Kentucky, becoming an arts professor at a newly created department, rapidly achieving tenure, a position he held for 20 years. During an interview with Unsolved Mysteries in 1997, he reported of his life prior to his near-death experience that he was an atheist and an aggressive person, feared by his wife and children.

Near-death experience

In June 1985, Storm took a group of his students on a field trip to Europe. After returning to his Paris hotel room with his wife around 11:00 a.m. from a morning excursion, he had a sudden onset of severe abdominal pain. He was evaluated at a Paris hospital, Hôpital Cochin, and diagnosed with a duodenal perforation, which required surgery. The earliest a surgeon could perform this procedure was around 9:00 p.m. that day. As he lay waiting for surgery, he truly believed that he was going to die due to the severity of his pain, and he mentally prepared himself for death. After saying goodbye to his wife, he eventually lost consciousness.

Storm reports the following experience: He opened his eyes and found himself standing outside of his body, looking down at the hospital bed with his wife crying beside him. He was without pain, yet hypersensitive to his surroundings. His wife could not see or hear him. He was then drawn by voices calling his name outside the hospital room, and he followed them, believing they were taking him to a doctor. He describes pale humanoid creatures that urged him down the hallway, saying they had been waiting for him. The creatures became increasingly hostile, and when he refused to continue following them, they began to attack him. He then heard a voice saying, “Pray to God,” and so he recited fragments of Bible verses and the Pledge of Allegiance. With the mention of the word “God,” the creatures would retract, and eventually he was alone again. After a period of time, he called out for Jesus to save him and suddenly was rescued by “spiritual beings of light.”

Thereafter, he had a recollection of his entire life, a life review, which highlighted some negative aspects of his life, before the “beings of light” answered his questions. They told him that the United States was a “blessed nation” but one which required a change lest it lose its prosperity. He describes visions of a future plagued by war, natural disasters, and despair, but which could be avoided should there be a major spiritual “shift” in the consciousness of the world. These beings told him that the “correct religion” is that religion which “brings you closest to God.” Howard Storm also asked other questions which he wrote about on his book. Like other near death experiencers, he claims that we are on earth to love one another.

When he awoke, he was being prepped for surgery, which repaired the duodenal perforation. In the following days, he reports that he was visited by a doctor upon whose arrival the room lightened, and upon his exit, it darkened again. The nurse (whose desk was just outside Storm’s room) had seen nothing. Storm also recounts “a Voice” that told him to ignore the advice of doctors and buy return tickets to the U.S. a week after his procedure, which he did. Upon his arrival in Cincinnati, he was admitted in the hospital in critical condition with double pneumonia, collapsed lung, extreme peritonitis, and non-A non-B hepatitis. His recovery took five weeks, and he reported a period of seven months of extreme weakness before he was able to return to work.

Aftermath

Storm stated that over time the experience never faded as memories and dreams do. He became involved with a church, studied for a Master of Divinity from the United Theological Seminary, entered the seminary, and was ordained. He served as pastor of the Zion United Church of Christ in Norwood, Ohio, from 1992 to 2005,^[13] and he was also a former pastor of the United Church of Christ in Covington, Ohio.

References

^ "About the Artist". howardstorm.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2012-02-15.
^ Kenneth Ring and Evelyn Elsaesser Valarino, Lessons from the light, 1998, pp. 291-292, 293.
^ Judith Cressy, The near-death experience: Mysticism or madness, 1994, pp. 19-34.
^ Arvin S. Gibson, Echoes from Eternity: New near-death experiences examined, 1993, pp. 258, 270, 305.
^ Arvin S. Gibson, Journeys beyond life: True accounts of next-world experiences, 1994, pp. 210-229, 258.
^ Arvin S. Gibson, Fingerprints of God: Evidences from near-death studies, scientific research on creation, and Mormon theology, 1999, pp. 101-102, 188-189, 209.
^ P. M. H. Atwater, The big book of near-death experiences, 2007, p. 245.
^ R. G. Mays and S. B. Mays (2008). The phenomenology of the self-conscious mind. Journal of Near-Death Studies, 27(1), 5-45. p. 33.
^ ^a ^b ^c Howard Storm, My descent into death: and the message of love which brought me back, London: Claireview, 2000, front end leaf.
^ ^a ^b Former atheist to tell how near-death changed life: Author, missionary says he was delivered from hell, Dayton Daily News, January 28, 2006.
^ Storm, Howard (2000). My Descent Into Death: And the Message of Love Which Brought Me Back. Clairview. ISBN 978-1-905570-17-1. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
^ "RAiR -1971-72 Howard Storm". The RAiR Foundation.
^ History of Zion Church. Accessed 2015-03-22.

External links

Howard Storm's NDE story published on the NDE website
Howard Storm at Google Video
Excerpt from My Descent into Death on USA Today, February 21, 2005.
Howard Storm on Youtube
Howard Storm Official Website

[1] "About the Artist". howardstorm.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2012-02-15.

[2] Kenneth Ring and Evelyn Elsaesser Valarino, Lessons from the light, 1998, pp. 291-292, 293.

[3] Judith Cressy, The near-death experience: Mysticism or madness, 1994, pp. 19-34.

[4] Arvin S. Gibson, Echoes from Eternity: New near-death experiences examined, 1993, pp. 258, 270, 305.

[5] Arvin S. Gibson, Journeys beyond life: True accounts of next-world experiences, 1994, pp. 210-229, 258.

[6] Arvin S. Gibson, Fingerprints of God: Evidences from near-death studies, scientific research on creation, and Mormon theology, 1999, pp. 101-102, 188-189, 209.

[7] P. M. H. Atwater, The big book of near-death experiences, 2007, p. 245.

[8] R. G. Mays and S. B. Mays (2008). The phenomenology of the self-conscious mind. Journal of Near-Death Studies, 27(1), 5-45. p. 33.

[front-9] Howard Storm, My descent into death: and the message of love which brought me back, London: Claireview, 2000, front end leaf.

[dayton-10] Former atheist to tell how near-death changed life: Author, missionary says he was delivered from hell, Dayton Daily News, January 28, 2006.

[11] Storm, Howard (2000). My Descent Into Death: And the Message of Love Which Brought Me Back. Clairview. ISBN 978-1-905570-17-1. Retrieved 2013-01-14.

[12] "RAiR -1971-72 Howard Storm". The RAiR Foundation.

[13] History of Zion Church. Accessed 2015-03-22.

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+{{Short description|American Christian minister and writer}}
-'''Howard Storm''' (born [[1947]]) is a former art professor and chairman of the art department at the [[Northern Kentucky University]], best known as the author of the book ''My Descent Into Death'' about his [[near-death experience]] (NDE).  The book was originally published in 2000, and after being noticed by author [[Anne Rice]] and supported by her, was acquired by [[Doubleday]] and re-published as a hardback book in 2005.
+''For the film, television director and actor, see [[Howard Storm (director)]]''
+{{original research |date= October 2008}}
+{{Infobox clergy
+|image = [[File:Howard Storm.png|200px]] <!-- Only freely licensed images may be used to depict living people.  See [[WP:NONFREE]].  -->
+|name        = Howard Storm
+|image_size  =
+|caption     =
+|birth_name  = Howard Storm
+|birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1946|10|26}}
+|birth_place = [[Newton, Massachusetts]], U.S.
+|death_date  =
+|death_place =
+|church      = [[United Church of Christ]]
+|other_names =
+|education   = [[San Francisco Art Institute]],([[Bachelor of Fine Arts|BFA]])<br>[[University of California, Berkeley]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]], [[Master of Fine Arts|MFA]])<br>[[United Theological Seminary]],([[Master of Divinity|MDiv]])
+|writings    =
+|congregations = Covington [[United Church of Christ]], [[Covington, Ohio]]
+|offices_held =
+|title       = Senior Pastor, Covington United Church of Christ
+|website     = http://www.howardstorm.com/
+}}
+'''Howard Storm''' (born October 26, 1946) is an American [[Christian minister]], writer, and painter. He is a former professor and chairman of the art department at [[Northern Kentucky University]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.howardstorm.com/Howard_Storm_the_Artist.html|title=About the Artist|work=howardstorm.com|access-date=2012-02-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314194051/http://www.howardstorm.com/Howard_Storm_the_Artist.html|archive-date=2012-03-14|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2000, he authored ''My Descent Into Death'', which chronicles his [[near-death experience]]. Storm's near-death experience has been cited in literature on [[near-death studies]],<ref>[[Kenneth Ring]] and Evelyn Elsaesser Valarino, ''Lessons from the light'', 1998, pp. 291-292, 293.</ref><ref>Judith Cressy, ''The near-death experience: Mysticism or madness'', 1994, pp. 19-34.</ref><ref>Arvin S. Gibson, ''Echoes from Eternity: New near-death experiences examined'', 1993, pp. 258, 270, 305.</ref><ref>Arvin S. Gibson, ''Journeys beyond life: True accounts of next-world experiences'', 1994, pp. 210-229, 258.</ref><ref>Arvin S. Gibson, ''Fingerprints of God: Evidences from near-death studies, scientific research on creation, and Mormon theology'', 1999, pp. 101-102, 188-189, 209.</ref><ref>P. M. H. Atwater, ''The big book of near-death experiences'', 2007, p. 245.</ref><ref>R. G. Mays and S. B. Mays (2008). The phenomenology of the self-conscious mind. ''Journal of Near-Death Studies, 27''(1), 5-45. p. 33.</ref> and his book has garnered endorsement by gothic fiction writer [[Anne Rice]] before it was acquired by [[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]] and republished in 2005. Storm has retold his story on NBC's ''[[Today (NBC program)|Today Show]]'', ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'',<ref name=front>Howard Storm, ''My descent into death: and the message of love which brought me back'', London: Claireview, 2000, front end leaf.</ref><ref name=dayton/> ''[[48 Hours (TV series)|48 Hours]]'',<ref name=front/> ''[[Discovery Channel]]''<ref name=front/> and ''[[Coast to Coast AM]]''.<ref name=dayton>Former atheist to tell how near-death changed life: Author, missionary says he was delivered from hell, ''Dayton Daily News'', January 28, 2006.</ref>
+==Biography==
-In June of [[1985]], Storm took a group of his students on a field trip of [[France|French]] art museums, and one morning at the end of the trip while still in his hotel with his wife, experienced sudden severe abdominal pain that incapacitated him.  He was taken to a Paris hospital, but no surgeons were available, and he suffered for a significant amount of time in deteriorating condition due to the hospital staff not realizing the severity of his medical situation.  He ultimately would be diagnosed with [[peritonitis]].
+===Early life===
-Storm describes that he felt he was dying, and after saying goodbye to his wife, eventually passed out.  He was a life-long atheist and contemptuous of spiritual matters, but found himself outside of his body.  He says he was drawn by voices calling his name and followed them, but eventually realized that he was being led into darkness and the creatures were malevolent.  They turned on him and attacked him savagely, and his NDE became a negative experience, rather than the type of NDE typified by a "being of light" or sensations of peace and calm.  His book chronicles an experience that involved being torn to pieces by the creatures, yet he retained consciousness and experienced severe pain.
+Howard Storm was born in [[Newton, Massachusetts|Newton]], [[Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Storm|first=Howard|year=2000|title=My Descent Into Death: And the Message of Love Which Brought Me Back|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kd4gxtQAeq8C&pg=PR1 |publisher=Clairview|isbn=978-1-905570-17-1|accessdate=2013-01-14}}</ref> He received his [[Bachelor of Fine Arts]] (BFA) from the [[San Francisco Art Institute]] in 1969 and continued his studies at the [[University of California, Berkeley|University of California at Berkeley]] with a [[Master of Arts]] (MA) and [[Master of Fine Arts]] (MFA) in 1970.<ref>{{Cite web|title=RAiR -1971-72 Howard Storm|url=https://www.rair.org/howard-storm|website=The RAiR Foundation}}</ref>  In 1972, Storm moved to [[Northern Kentucky University]] in [[Highland Heights, Kentucky]], becoming an arts professor at a newly created department, rapidly achieving [[Academic tenure|tenure]], a position he held for 20 years. During an interview with ''[[Unsolved Mysteries]]'' in 1997, he reported of his life prior to his near-death experience that he was an atheist and an aggressive person, feared by his wife and children.
+===Near-death experience===
-He says that at one point though he felt a voice within him instruct him to "Pray to God".  He resisted and realized he did not know how to pray, but began to recite fragments of religious material.  Though rote recitals, the effect on the creatures was that it drove them away.  He then describes that he was rescued by a being of light that he believes was [[Jesus]], and was approached by others as well.  He experienced a life review, which highlighted the selfishness of his life, but the beings of light expressed unconditional love throughout it.
+In June 1985, Storm took a group of his students on a field trip to Europe. After returning to his Paris hotel room with his wife around 11:00&nbsp;a.m. from a morning excursion, he had a sudden onset of severe abdominal pain. He was evaluated at a Paris hospital, [[Hôpital Cochin]], and diagnosed with a [[Gastrointestinal perforation|duodenal perforation]], which required surgery. The earliest a surgeon could perform this procedure was around 9:00&nbsp;p.m. that day. As he lay waiting for surgery, he truly believed that he was going to die due to the severity of his pain, and he mentally prepared himself for death. After saying goodbye to his wife, he eventually lost consciousness.
+Storm reports the following experience: He opened his eyes and found himself standing outside of his body, looking down at the hospital bed with his wife crying beside him. He was without pain, yet hypersensitive to his surroundings. His wife could not see or hear him. He was then drawn by voices calling his name outside the hospital room, and he followed them, believing they were taking him to a doctor. He describes pale humanoid creatures that urged him down the hallway, saying they had been waiting for him. The creatures became increasingly hostile, and when he refused to continue following them, they began to attack him. He then heard a voice saying, “Pray to God,” and so he recited fragments of Bible verses and the [[Pledge of Allegiance (United States)|Pledge of Allegiance]]. With the mention of the word “God,” the creatures would retract, and eventually he was alone again. After a period of time, he called out for [[Jesus]] to save him and suddenly was rescued by “spiritual beings of light.”
-His book describes how the experience had a transformative effect on him, and he became devoutly religious and entered the seminary to become a minister of [[Zion United Church Of Christ]].  He has made a number of appearances on television to describe his NDE.
+Thereafter, he had a recollection of his entire life, a [[life review]], which highlighted some negative aspects of his life, before the “beings of light” answered his questions. They told him that the United States was a “blessed nation” but one which required a change lest it lose its prosperity. He describes visions of a future plagued by war, natural disasters, and despair, but which could be avoided should there be a major spiritual “shift” in the consciousness of the world. These beings told him that the “correct religion” is that religion which “brings you closest to God.”
-==See also==
+Howard Storm also asked other questions which he wrote about on his book.
+Like other near death experiencers, he claims that we are on earth to love one another.
+When he awoke, he was being prepped for surgery, which repaired the duodenal perforation. In the following days, he reports that he was visited by a doctor upon whose arrival the room lightened, and upon his exit, it darkened again. The nurse (whose desk was just outside Storm’s room) had seen nothing. Storm also recounts “a Voice” that told him to ignore the advice of doctors and buy return tickets to the U.S. a week after his procedure, which he did. Upon his arrival in [[Cincinnati]], he was admitted in the hospital in critical condition with [[Classification of pneumonia#Double pneumonia (bilateral pneumonia)|double pneumonia]], collapsed lung, extreme [[peritonitis]], and [[non-A non-B hepatitis]]. His recovery took five weeks, and he reported a period of seven months of extreme weakness before he was able to return to work.
-* [[Near-death experience]]
+===Aftermath===
+Storm stated that over time the experience never faded as memories and dreams do. He became involved with a church, studied for a [[Master of Divinity]] from the [[United Theological Seminary]], entered the seminary, and was ordained. He served as pastor of the [[Zion]] [[United Church of Christ]] in [[Norwood, Ohio]], from 1992 to 2005,<ref>[http://www.zionchurchucc.org/history/ History of Zion Church]. Accessed 2015-03-22.</ref> and he was also a former pastor of the United Church of Christ in [[Covington, Ohio]].
+==References==
+{{Reflist}}
 ==External links==
+* [http://thendestories.uk/NDE_story0017.html Howard Storm's NDE story published on the NDE website]
+* [http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=howard+storm&emb=0# Howard Storm at Google Video]
+* [https://www.usatoday.com/life/books/excerpts/2005-02-21-descent-death_x.htm Excerpt from ''My Descent into Death''] on ''USA Today'', February 21, 2005.
+* [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=howard+storm&oq=howard+storm&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=3&gs_upl=1039l3609l0l3875l12l12l0l3l3l0l386l1257l2.6.0.1l9l0 Howard Storm on Youtube]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120314194051/http://www.howardstorm.com/Howard_Storm_the_Artist.html Howard Storm Official Website]
+{{Authority control}}
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Storm, Howard}}
-* [http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2005-02-21-rice-storm_x.htm "Vampire author Rice gives lift to pastor's 'Descent'"] USAToday article from February 21, 2005
+[[Category:1946 births]]
-* [http://www.finalfrontier.org.uk/storm.htm Excerpt of Howard Storm's account of his near-death experience]
+[[Category:Living people]]
-*[http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=3548793326769938702&hl=en Video of Howard Storm's revelation of the future of the world]
+[[Category:American Christian writers]]
-*[http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-39756807433817448&hl=en Video of Howard Storm's revelation about other life in the universe]
+[[Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni]]
-*[http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-4030405386875923221&hl=en Video of Howard Storm's revelation about the nature of Heaven]
+[[Category:Converts to Protestantism from atheism or agnosticism]]
-*[http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=8840665715325010580&hl=en Video of Howard Storm's revelation of the future of the United States]
+[[Category:Near-death experiences]]
-*[http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-7851944711754028347&hl=en Video of Howard Storm's revelation about the nature of Jesus Christ]
+[[Category:Afterlife]]
-*[http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=5841072799109183038&hl=en Video of Howard Storm's Near Death Experience Part 1]
+[[Category:United Church of Christ ministers]]
-*[http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=3559553443568564944&hl=en Video of Howard Storm's Near Death Experience Part 2]
+[[Category:United Theological Seminary alumni]]
-*[http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-922040797139102649&hl=en Video of Howard Storm's Near Death Experience Part 3]
+[[Category:Writers from Newton, Massachusetts]]
-*[http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=4328224145096588902&hl=en Video of Howard Storm's Near Death Experience Part 4]
+[[Category:People from Covington, Ohio]]
-*[http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=4255444736456915098&hl=en Video of Howard Storm's Near Death Experience Part 5]
-*[http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-2783351071360781163&hl=en Video of Howard Storm's Near Death Experience Part 6]
-[[Category:American writers]]
-[[Category:Ex-atheists/agnostics]]
-[[zh:霍華德·斯托姆]]

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