¶ … 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...
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