In my forthcoming book on hell, I survey the three most common views on hell. Here is what I wrote:
In western Christian theology, there are three common views about hell.
Traditionalism
The first, Traditionalism (sometimes called Eternal Conscious Torment or Infernalism), is the most widely recognized. In this view, the unredeemed dead suffer for all eternity in flames of fire.
The traditional view of hell is usually equated with pictures of people screaming in agony for all eternity as they float around in a lake of fire while being burned alive but never dying.
Such a view is found in many popular books and movies, including Dante’s Inferno, Bill Wiese’s 23 Minutes in Hell, and the 1997 science fiction horror movie “Event Horizon.”
Universalism
The second view, Universalism, is the opposite of Traditionalism. In this view, there is no eternal dwelling place for the unredeemed dead. Instead, all people will end up living with God for eternity.
Though many people reject God in this life, the Universalist believes that when a person stands before God in eternity, they will see the error of their ways and will gladly choose to be with God for eternity. And God, who is defined by love, will accept all people into eternity with Him.
The biblical texts which seem to teach about people living in eternal fire are either outright rejected or are interpreted as referring to some sort of divine discipline in this life or the next before a person enters eternity with God.
Annihilationism
The third common view is Annihilationism (sometimes called Conditional Immortality or Conditionalism). This view holds that all the unregenerate dead will ultimately cease to exist so that only the redeemed will live with God in eternity.
This view tends to be the “middle ground” view between Traditionalism and Universalism. It recognizes, along with Traditionalism, that choices made in this life do have eternal consequences and that some people will continue to rebel against God, even in eternity. Therefore, God cannot force people to spend eternity with Him against their will.
However, the Annihilationist also agrees with the Universalist that it would be monstrous for God to torture people for all eternity. The biblical texts which seem to imply an eternal existence in fire are instead understood as texts that describe an eternal destruction so that those who undergo it simply cease to exist.
Some Annihilationists believe that this destruction occurs immediately after a person dies, while others believe that there is first a period of punishment and suffering for sins, until a person is finally consumed and ceases to exist.
Other Views on Hell
Although these are the three main views on hell, there are various other flavors and degrees of each.
For example, the Catholic teaching of Purgatory is sort of a cross between Traditionalsim and Universalism. Purgatory teaches that while some will suffer in hell for all eternity, others will have a shortened period of suffering to pay for their sins, after which time they will be able to enter heaven and spend eternity with God.
Then there is the view known as Ultimate Reconciliation, which, like Purgatory, is also a cross between Traditionalism and Universalism. However, in this view, rather than some people spending eternity separated from God in hell, Ultimate Reconciliation teaches that eventually, all people will end up reconciled to God in heaven.
So while Purgatory is closer to Traditionalism, Universal Reconciliation is closer to Universalism. But both include a period of time in which a person undergoes suffering for the sins they committed in this life while they were in rebellion against God.
My View on Hell
In the book I am writing about hell, I argue several things about hell. Among them are these:
- The traditional doctrine of hell is drawn more from pagan and mythological sources than from Scripture.
- There is no Greek or Hebrew word in the Bible that is properly translated as “hell.”
- Yet “hell” does exist … but not in the afterlife. Hell is the experience of some people (in varying degrees) during this life.
- The ministry of Jesus and the task of the church is to rescue people from the hell they are living in.
What does this mean about nonbelievers who die? What is their eternal state? The truth is that the Bible says almost nothing about the question of the eternal state of unregenerate people. So I trust in the love, mercy, and goodness of God to work it out.
I do not think that God will annihilate part of His eternal creation, nor do I believe that God will cause the objects of His love to suffer for all eternity. But this doesn’t make me a universalist, for I also believe that God respects the decisions of people to live without Him if they so choose.
Therefore, I believe that God, in His wisdom and sovereignty, will create a way for people to live forever separated from Him, but not in a way that tortures them for eternity.
What do you think of this proposal? Share your views in the comment section below.
This post was part of the August 2018 Synchroblog. Below are the other contributors to the synchroblog. Go check them out!
- What God May Really Be Like – Why Can’t Even God-Followers Get Along?
- Wesley Rostoll – Why did God accept Abel’s offering and not Cain’s?
- Liz Dyer – Religious Freedom is NOT Freedom to Discriminate
- Jordan Hathcock – Let’s Get Dirty
Great Post! I liked several comments but one in particular: “The truth is that the Bible says almost nothing about the question of the eternal state of unregenerate people. So I trust in the love, mercy, and goodness of God to work it out.”
If we could start out as you indicate by not being dogmatic, that would save a lot of grief for God. I haven’t thought of God creating a place for those who don’t wish to live with God for eternity as possibly lasting forever. I figured God will try to convince all of who God truly is but allow the freedom of belief which may result in extinction. But maybe your view allows endless Purgatory – when people are ready if ever – that seems a real possibility of the God I know. Look forward to reading your book!
thanks! I’m reading through your book. Sorry it’s taking so long!
No problem Jeremy. Thanks for reading.
You should connect with Joshua Ryan Butler. The view you describe sounds very similar to the one he describes in his book, The Skeletons in God’s Closet: https://amzn.to/2wnrwOP
I’ve never heard of him, but just ordered his book. Thanks!
“Hell is the experience of some people (in varying degrees) during this life.” … “a way for people to live forever separated from Him, but not in a way that tortures them”
My first thought is that in the afterlife, people being people will either clearly see the revelation of Jesus and learn to love him (heaven?), or, they will become more and more twisted by their fear and hate (ongoing torment). How could there be anything in the middle such as a tolerable existence?
If torment is defined as being “twisted by their fear and hate” then yes, the afterlife is torment. But when most people think of the torment of hell, they think of suffering agony in burning blames. That idea is not biblical.
Great comparison of the major views, and I wholeheartedly agree with your conclusion, which makes the most sense when you take the totality of scripture into account.
The concept of hell beginning on earth is, I believe, an important one. Yet it’s often overlooked or dismissed outright. And the concept of hell being an ongoing condition after death is also frequently dismissed in some circles. Yet there seems to be a decent amount of support for the argument that many people will, for some reason, choose to remain apart from God.
That thought should generate a sense of urgency among followers of Christ to exemplify the kingdom of God and make it an attractive alternative to hell.
Thanks, Norm. Yes, the more I study the concept of hell in Scripture, the more I see how it parallels the concept of heaven, or “the kingdom of heaven.” Just as the experience of the rule and reign of God in our lives can begin now and then carry on into eternity, so also can the rule and reign of “hell.”
So what do you do with Matthew 25:46 “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” and with Matthew 18:8 “… into the eternal fire” and 2 Thessalonians 1:9
“These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power…” and then again Judy 7 “..the punishment of eternal fire.”
Are we missing the meaning of eternal punishment, eternal fire, eternal destruction?
I know for myself, I cannot claim to be a scholar but I fear that we sometime try to make the scripture fit our hope and forget that God is not going to change His decision for those who reject Him because we think it is cruel. Sure we can say that FIRE is not the fire of what most of us say fire is but I don’t see where we can say it will not be eternal. I enjoy reading your articles.
I explain that text in the downloadable resource. To post it here would require too much space.
You are right that we sometimes try to make Scripture fit our hope. For some reason, many people hope that God will punish and torture their enemies, and so they make Scripture fit this hope.
I’m intrigued and look forward to reading our book. I’m writing a similar one but it will include heaven as well, hopefully I can bounce some ideas off of you along the way? Your proposal reminds me of what NT Wright wrote in Surprised by Hope, his view was that the lost will live forever but lose their humanity, the image of Gollum kind of springs to mind. One thing I must say though is that I think what separates CI from all the other views is the idea that eternal life is based on a condition (believing/being in Christ), I think that’s the main stumbling block I have with all of the other views.
Yes! That would be great. I look forward to reading your book as well.
If one uses simple reasoning they would understand that the concept of being literally separated from god is not possible.
God is the only infinite being. He’s eternal, never beginning and never ending. He’s omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. This means that there isn’t a literal place you can be without god being there. David explains this in psalms. Omnipresent means god is every where.
No loving dad would create hell. If one studies the hebrew and Greek language along with ancient cultures and history they’ll learn that man invented the doctrine of hell to fear people into behavior. God specifically is against child sacrifice, child harm, love your enemies, forgive people etc. All of this can be shown in jesus. Yet the same sick minded people believe God will cook them forever because they didnt say a magic sentence before they died. Sick people.
The only separation discussed in the bible is that of your mind being separated from the truth of gods love and how God sees you. The new testament talks about it along with the prophets in the ot.
The hebrew view of death was you died, body went into the grave and the spirit (not a being) went back to god. The spirit was a life force not a ghostly consciousness. Then the hope of life was ressurection where the spirit went back to the body. Heaven and hell were not hebraic concepts. They only came about after babylon.
My belief is everyone will at some point witness gods love for them and accept it each in their own time, but there isn’t punishment by god because you didn’t accept it in a specific time. That would be extortion not perfect love.
Side note: fire always represented fod. Burning bush, furnace, baptise with fire, etc.
Right. Since God is spirit, and since God is omnipresent, then no, one cannot ever be somewhere that God is not.
But since we experience the love of God, it would seem that someone can be separated from this experience, even though God Himself has not stopped loving us.
By the way, I’m not sure what you mean by “fod” at the end there…
Great post Jeremy, I can’t wait to read the book.
Thanks! Nearly done with the first draft …
The problem is that this view (the one you propose) ignores Christ’s parable of the wheat and weeds (Matt. 13:24-30), his admonition against temptation (Mark 9:42-48, Matt 18:6-9) among other teachings of his
It doesn’t ignore it, but is based on exegesis of it. The downloadable resource includes some explanation of the texts you cite, along with many others.
Yes…heaven and hell play out on earth concerning the Kingdom of God.
I have always appreciated C.S. Lewis, who in The Last Battle has the dwarves being only for the dwarves…who make it to Aslan’s land (instead of being taken by Tash), but have no ability to perceive the beauty and glory…they have chosen to be blind and experience it according to their perceptions…which Aslan will not change without their invitation. They have made their own hell, and have brought it to heaven with them.
C. S. Lewis was a genius. I was reading some of his “The Great Divorce” today and amazed at the truths he fit into that little book.
Amen I totally agree with you the bible does talk about he’ll and heaven Jesus told the criminal on the cross today he would be with him and the deciples he talked of the great feast and the prophets before them and how we will judge angels and what about his second coming taking those that belong to him if there is no heaven where are they going the bible lays it out completely
I agree with your views. Life here on Earth is hell for many people living in extreme poverty, but I think a lot of Christians will cringe when I say that I believe in the concept of reincarnation. Romans 11 supports my view. Why would God do that? The OT contains two-fold prophecies – the coming King and the suffering Servant. The two-fold prophecies were to trick/confuse Satan (1 Corinthians 2:7,8).
The suffering Servant prophecy is fulfilled, but the coming King is yet to be fulfilled. If all Israel were saved, then the coming King prophecy would not come to pass, which would make God seem a liar, hence Israel committed to disobedience until the “opportune time”.
I believe that the Jews are reincarnated over again until Christ returns, because I simply refuse to believe that a loving God would have sent countless Jews to hell.
I suspect that the English translations are poor translations, deliberately written for the purpose of fear-mongering and control. Google “The Pure Word translation”. One of the translators, while interviewed, burst into tears at how much was added or removed from the original texts. I had often wondered why the OT does not say anything about hell, yet the NT has several warnings of hell. It simply doesn’t make sense to me.
How do you understand texts like Hebrews 9:27 which say that people will die once, and after that face judgment? This seems to disprove reincarnation.
I don’t understand yet and I want to look further into that. I cannot afford The Pure Word translation yet, and it is not yet available digitally. Lots of translations are based on the KJV, but it had its flaws because King James ordered that it was to match the Bishops (Catholic) bible. To give an idea of what The Pure Word translation is like, comparing John 3:16
King James Version:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
The Pure Word:
“Because, God has Loved in such a manner the satan’s world, so that He Gave His Son, the Only Begotten Risen Christ, in order that whoever is Continuously by his choice Committing for the Result and Purpose of Him, should not perish, but definitely should, by his choice, be Continuously Having Eternal Life.”
I do not know of anyone who has The Pure Word Bible, but I am very interested to know what Heb 9:27 is translated in it.
I have never heard of the Pure Word translation, and it doesn’t actually sound “pure.” It sounds like it contains a lot of additions to the text in an attempt to explain it in a certain way.
I looked up the greek word “Basanizo” in a greek lexicon. I notice it was used in various ways, like in 2 Peter 2:8 where Lot was vexed because of evildoers or in Matthew 14:24 and Mark 6:48 where the sea was tossed by the storm. I also notice that it can be applied to mental torment, not always necessarily physical torment. Not to mention the fact that Christ had a habit of using parables and rabbinic hyperbole. I would hope that no one takes the suggestion to amputate hands, etc. to avoid sin as literally as they take the references to hell as fire. (Matthew 5:29-30).
This is the various definitions listed by the lexicon.
to test (metals) by the touchstone, which is a black siliceous stone used to test the purity of gold or silver by the colour of the streak produced on it by rubbing it with either metal
to question by applying torture
to torture
to vex with grievous pains (of body or mind), to torment
to be harassed, distressed
of those who at sea are struggling with a head wind
https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/basanizo.html
Well done! I mention similar insights in my book on hell that will eventually be published.
Every single non traditional view of Hell that I have ever read is pure emotion rather than exegesis.
John Piper has an excellent sermon rebutting John Stotts denial of eternal conscious tourment. I’ll come back and post the link when I find it
I don’t respect most of what John Piper teaches. He has been too emotionally swayed by extreme forms of Calvinism.
John Piper has probably nothing sound to say about anything.
That said, I’ve held to the traditional view for a long time. Yet with the years of learning proper hermeneutics and exegesis, I’ve started to become less and less confident that the Bible actually teaches eternal conscious torment. I repeat: if it does, I don’t have a problem with it, as I have never had. But I am concerned with what it actually teaches.
Example: if death is the wages of sin, then Jesus paid the wages of sin by dying. This only makes sense if death actually means death and not “eternal life in hell”. If the wages of sin is something other than actual death (by definition lifelessness), then how did Jesus pay for it? To die in the sense of “going to hell for ever” in our place would have meant for Him to spend eternity in hell in our place.
There would be more, but I don’t want to write a paper here. My point is that the same hermeneutics that eventually led me to be a classic dispensationalist, a free gracer, a YEC, etc. demands that death means death, punishment means punishment, and therefore kind of brings me in the annihilationism camp.
One question on hell (and final judgment) — why couldn’t people “repent” or accept Jesus in final judgment?