Analyzing and Evaluating the Hell Debate

¶ … Hell Debate

The debate over hell is a complex one, not so different than the multi-layered aspects of the matters of the Charismatic Gifts, Christology, Providence or the fate of the non-evangelized, etc. There are different views and facets to the issue, however, what is all the fuss surrounding the concept of Hell? Is it just the possibility of such a place that makes people so uneasy? Are people afraid of ending up in hell or just confused regarding the concept? This paper will focus on a broad and accurate understanding of Hell and its image. Following are the lines of thought the paper will be pursuing while analyzing the concept of hell:

The background of Hell; a look into the history of the concept.

Words and phrases used to describe Hell's reality or as a punishment.

An analysis of the two segregated viewpoints that dictate Protestant Evangelicalism.

Final conclusions based on personal research and opinions regarding the concept of hell.

The Background of Hell

The first and foremost aspect of study is history; it has quite a few things to say about the concept of hell and it would be foolish to ignore history's varying perspectives on Hell[footnoteRef:1]. [1: Luke, W. The Hell Debate: A Reflection. http://learningtheology.blogspot.co.ke/2013/05/the-hell-debate-reflection.html]

An examination of the Scriptures regarding the concept of hell gives us a total of three words describing a similar place, the most frequently used out of which is the word, "geenna"; a Latin word which can be loosely translated as "gehenna Hell" or more precisely, "The Valley of Hinnam." This word appears in the "New Testament" and is used around twelve times in the scripture. The Greek word 'Hades', loosely translated as the "grave," "underworld" or the "place of the dead" appears ten times[footnoteRef:2]. The third word that makes an appearance in the New Testament is another Greek word "tartaroo"; a verb which means to "send to hell" or "hold prisoner in Tartarus"[footnoteRef:3], a Greek derivation of the word 'Tartarus,' which is a dwelling of anguish and torment. A location that is lower than the "Hades" in Greek and Jewish definitions, missing from the New Testament." [footnoteRef:4] There are interesting cultural similarities when the concepts of "geena" and "tartaroo" are studied; both describe a place of eternal damnation lower than even Hades. [footnoteRef:5] [2: Edward W. Goodrick and John R. Kohlenberger III, The Strongest Niv Exhaustive Concordance

(strongest Strong's), Supersaver ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2004), 1537.] [3: Ibid., 1524] [4: Luke, W. The Hell Debate: A Reflection] [5: Elwell, Walter A., ed. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2001), 547-548.]

The New Testament is not the only source of the concept of Hell. The concept is found in the old Hebrew word seol or sheol, loosely translated as "the pit, the hell or the grave"[footnoteRef:6], but this Hebrew term is vague at best. [footnoteRef:7] However, there is no denying that according to the Old Testament, there is a final place of punishment for the evil according to the Hebrew faith. [6: Luke, W. The Hell Debate: A Reflection ] [7: Elwell, Walter A., 931-932]

According to the teachings of Jesus, the concept is perhaps the most explicit through the detailed story of the "Rich man and Lazarus." In this story, one can find very clear details regarding the reality of Hell[footnoteRef:8]. Jesus tells the story not only as one of reward and punishment, but he goes a step further by detailing the tortures of the Rich man in Hell by using terms like "Hell fire," "eternal torment," and "anguish." The experience of hell and heaven are segregated forever by a chasm which cannot be crossed and is everlasting. Some of the most common terms that are used to sketch a picture of Hell in Mathews, Mark and Revelations, are "ravenous fire," "furnace of fire," "external blackness," "undying fire," "lake of fire" and "the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. [footnoteRef:9] Jesus speaks of the finality of Hell when he divides the wicked and the righteous by eternal punishment and eternal life. [footnoteRef:10] With this understanding, a dive into history and the two standing views on the concept of Hell will lift the fog further from the concept of Hell. [8: Luke, W. The Hell Debate: A Reflection] [9: Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology, Rev. and expanded. ed. (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2008), 394] [10: Luke, W. The Hell Debate: A Reflection]

History has seen Christianity give a varying opinion on "hell." This paper will study the two prominent views regarding the nature of Hell according to the "Protestant Evangelical Christianity." The main question that needs to be answered here is not the existence of Hell, but rather if moving forward considering it a reality, what are the parameters of the punishment? Does Hell signify a duration or consequence? [footnoteRef:11] [11: Gregory A. Boyd and Paul R. Eddy, Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in EvangelicalTheology, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009), 281.]

Annihilationist View

Now let us discuss the first view point, which is Annihilation, or "The Wicked Shall Be No More." According to this view point, hell's punishment is a matter of consequence and not duration.[footnoteRef:12]The Evangelicals are not the traditional followers of this theory; it was more popular with groups like Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses. [footnoteRef:13] Today, it is a popular approach among the Evangelical Christians regarding Hell. [12: Hannah, John. Our Legacy: The History of Christian Doctrine. Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress, 2001] [13: Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology, Rev. and expanded. ed. (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2008), 395]

The Annihilationist View came into being mostly out of a "moralistic revulsion "of an all loving God eternally torturing souls rather than a definitive study or support of the scripture. This view greatly relies on the human idea of death as a counterpart for Hell's punishment. Jesus used the Greek word geenna "hell," transliterated as "Gehenna" which means the "Valley of Hinnom"; an actual place in ancient Israel that was linked with filth and evil.[footnoteRef:14] Once the body dies, the Soul does not go on existing, in fact, it faces annihilation; a soul death of sorts. This argument might be considered "humane" but far from the traditional view which is the most supported view from the scriptures regarding Hell. In contrast to the Annihilationist approach, which misinterprets the words of Jesus as a literal destruction of the soul, is in fact directly referring to a place of eternal "captivity" for the evil. When one truly scrutinizes the Scripture, with accurate exegesis, the Annihilationist View is clearly refuted by another understanding; the "classical view." [14: Luke, W. The Hell Debate: A Reflection]

When God speaks of handing over his only son to the world, as proof of how much He loves the world, one of the most popular verses from the Bible, John 3:16 supports annihilationism. According to this verse, God is rewarding the righteous with "eternal" life while the wicked will "perish. The word perish does not imply an understanding of eternal suffering, but of an end that is quite final.

There are other places in the New Testament that speak of annihilation as the final outcome. When Jesus warns his followers to not fear those that can kill the body, but rather the one (God) who can destroy (apollumi) the body and soul in Mathew 10:28, there is no denying the hint towards a more permanent end rather than eternal suffering.).[footnoteRef:15] [15: Ibid]

When we consider the verses, John 3:16 and Mathews 10:28, it is quite clear that the perception for finality to the body AND soul is not an ill-founded one. These verses along with many others give legitimacy to the Annihilation view of hell's punishment.[footnoteRef:16] [16: Ibid]

Classical View

While the first view is popular and seems more humane from an all loving God, the actual facts direct one back towards the Classical view of Hell. This view is more supportive of the biblical conclusions and the more traditional understanding of hell. This point-of-view is known within the Evangelical Christian faith as "The Unending Torment of the Wicked." The classical view is pretty straightforward: wrongdoers and the wicked will be cast in hell to burn and suffer eternally. [footnoteRef:17] Naturally, this view makes the punishment of Hell eternal in duration and not just consequence. This view is harsh and less humane but well supported by multiple references both logically and from the Scripture. This view is very direct and speaks to the reader directly rather than emotionally. The interpretation of the Scripture needs to be done from an unemotional standpoint, not allowing the analysis or study to be guided by a clout of sympathy. [17: J.D. Douglas et al., The New International Dictionary of the Bible, Pictorial ed. (Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A.: Zondervan, 1999), 377378.]

One valid question asked by those in support of the classical view is how the wrongdoers are meant to experience shame and eternal suffering as described repeatedly in many passages if they are destroyed or not conscious of their punishments. Both, God's blessings to the righteous and His punishments for the sinful, are often mentioned in contrast in the scriptures. As a conclusion, this view states that the sinful are intentionally tormented eternally by God. The view is summed up in the statement that, "The state of eternal life is a state of eternal consciousness; hence, the state of punishment can also only be a state of eternal consciousness. According to the annihilationist teaching, hell's eternity is not simply because of consequence."[footnoteRef:18] [18: Gregory A. Boyd and Paul R. Eddy, 281.]

In its defense, the view adds Romans 2:89, stating that according to the nature of the punishment and torment described in the scriptures, it is imperative that one must be conscious to experience them. This then in turn, logically, implies that Hell too is a state of consciousness. Conclusively, with other teachings of Jesus from the scripture, it is known that Hell is a state of eternal punishment.[footnoteRef:19] The opposing view's strongest opposition is that God is incapable of such cruelty, as to subject His people to an eternal torment. This is only an arrogant conclusion made by the humans because they judge God too on their self-proclaimed correct standard of judgment. Man must, along with the Classical View, step back and realize that the mind's capability and understanding cannot fathom the infinite reason and purpose of God's decisions. Even regardless of this, it is still possible for one to realize the logic of the truth that the Classical View represents, only by truly looking for it. Logically, if a criminal ceases to exist consciously before he has paid for his crimes, justice has not been served. Justice can only be brought if the criminal pays for his crimes. Hell is based upon the same theory; any sin committed against God is infinite, as God is infinite, and it can only be atoned for with eternal punishment.[footnoteRef:20] [19: Lutzer, Erwin. The Doctrines That Divide: A Fresh Look at the Historic Doctrines That Separate

Christians. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1998.] [20: Luke, W. The Hell Debate: A Reflection]

Finally, this view proclaims that the images of Hell described in Scripture were never meant to be taken in a literal context, since the descriptions are in contradiction to themselves. To quote an example, Hell, in the scripture, has been described as a place of "outer darkness" as well as being a place of 'eternal scorching fire'. "The purpose of these descriptions is to rather convey that there is nothing worse than falling under God's Judgment and missing out on the eternal joys of heaven."[footnoteRef:21] [21: Ibid]

Alternative View Points

After the analysis of the two main viewpoints, it is wise to consider the following viewpoints of Hell that have been disregarded over time due to a conflict with the Bible and/or by reason of faith;

According to a concept of "universalism" everyone will eventually be saved, it's only a matter of this life or the next. This theory may lay claim to a lot of "support" in the scripture, but no longer stands under the Christian umbrella.[footnoteRef:22] This opinion was part of the teachings of the origin in the early church, the more recent supporters being Karl Barth, C.H. Dodd, and John A.T. Robinson.[footnoteRef:23] [22: Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 1998] [23: Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology, Rev. and expanded. ed. (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2008), 395]

Another disregarded theory is Reincarnation, which speaks of the "rebirth" of every individual on earth and how they will do penance. Each person will pay for his sins by facing trying situations after rebirth. Since this concept directly negates the idea of a "final judgment," it was rejected.