Editing Heavenly Discourse (section)

== Content ==

The work is primarily a dialogue between [[Satan]] and [[God]] about contemporary issues. They are presented as friendly adversaries who are often in general agreement.{{sfn|Davidson|1965|p=110}} God represents Wood's own perspective.{{sfn|Robbins|Frank|Ross|1983|p=162}} A variety of other characters also join the conversation, including [[angels]], [[Jesus]], [[Buddha]], the [[Czar of Russia]], [[Billy Sunday]], [[Socrates]], [[John Pierpont Morgan]], [[Teddy Roosevelt]], [[Carrie Nation]], [[Sappho]], [[François Rabelais]],{{sfn|Davidson|1965|p=110}} [[Margaret Sanger]],{{sfn|Robbins|Frank|Ross|1983|p=162}} and [[Mark Twain]].{{sfn|Bingham|1958}}<!--[[Thomas Paine|Tom Paine]], [[Robert G. Ingersoll|Robert Ingersoll]].{{cn}}-->

Politically radical, the essays ridicule war,{{sfn|Eastman|1964|p=37}} [[prudishness]], [[patriotism]], [[bigotry]]{{sfn|Robbins|Frank|Ross|1983|p=162}} and [[Christian theology]].{{sfn|Eastman|1964|p=37}}<!--"Christianity"-->{{sfn|Starr|2002|p=63}} Instead, they promoted [[bohemianism]], [[free love]], [[pacifism]], [[socialism]],{{sfn|Roberts|2007|p=11}} [[birth control]], and [[women's rights]]{{specify|What did this mean then? Is this just voting?|date=January 2018}}.{{sfn|Starr|2002|p=63}} The satire of these essays mocks mainstream society and views it with skepticism.{{sfn|Roberts|2007|p=11}} Titles of some of the discourses include ''Is God a Jew?,'' ''The United States Must Be Pure,'' and ''The Stupid Cannot Enter Heaven.''{{cn|date=January 2018}} Wood wrote ''Heavenly Discourse'' from the [[bourgeois]] radicalism of [[Greenwich Village]] of which he was a part.{{sfn|Starr|2002|p=63}}

In one of the essays, ''Billy Sunday meets God,'' Wood pokes at [[bourgeois morality]] by imagining Billy Sunday in [[Heaven]], surprised and disappointed to find people he condemned there. Jesus responds to his complaints, and points out that he associated with drinkers and prostitutes.{{sfn|Fishbein|1982|p=178}}

Heavenly discourse is one of very few Western texts from this era to mention the angel [[Israfil]] of [[Arab folklore]].{{sfn|Davidson|1967|p=152}}