A Christian publisher will stop selling “The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven” now that the young subject paralyzed in a car crash said the story of going to heaven is not true.
Tyndale House told both NPR and The Washington Post that it will withdraw the best-selling 2010 book by Alex Malarkey and his father, Kevin Malarkey.
The publisher made the decision after Alex Malarkey wrote an “open letter” to LifeWay Christian Resources which said, “I did not die. I did not go to heaven.” It was posted on the Pulpit and Pen website Jan. 13.
LifeWay issued a statement Jan. 15 in response to an inquiry from Patheos blogger Warren Throckmorton.
“LifeWay was informed this week that Alex Malarkey has retracted his testimony about visiting heaven as told in the book ‘The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven,’” said director of communications Martin King. “Therefore, we are returning to the publisher the few copies we have in our stores.”
The Malarkey book is one of a spate of best-sellers about and by those who say they have gone to heaven and returned. The best-known is “Heaven is for Real” by Todd Burpo, a No. 1 USA Today best-seller, which was turned into a movie.
“The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven” peaked at No. 46 on USA Today’s list.
According to the publisher’s description of the book, “in 2004, Kevin Malarkey and his 6-year-old son, Alex, suffered a horrific car accident. The impact from the crash paralyzed Alex — and medically speaking, it was unlikely that he could survive. ‘I think Alex has gone to be with Jesus,’ a friend told the stricken dad. But two months later, Alex awoke from a coma with an incredible story to share. Of events at the accident scene and in the hospital while he was unconscious. Of the angels that took him through the gates of heaven itself.”
But in his open letter Alex Malarkey wrote: “I said I went to heaven because I thought it would get me attention. When I made the claims that I did, I had never read the Bible. People have profited from lies and continue to. They should read the Bible, which is enough. The Bible is the only source of truth. Anything written by man cannot be infallible.”
He also said, “Please forgive the brevity (of the letter), but because of my (medical) limitations I have to keep this short.”
(RNS, BNG)
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