Tag Archives: hell

Despairing into Gehenna: Manis, Kierkegaard, and the Choice Model

Posted on 21 July 2019 by

For over fifteen hundred years, the dominant Christian understanding of hell has been one of everlasting punishment. Zachary Manis summarizes the traditional position (particu­larly as taught in the Western Church): “The purpose of hell is retribution: one’s consign­ment to hell … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Eschatology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

Book Review: ‘Sinners in the Presence of a Loving God’

Posted on 14 July 2019 by

Hell will always be a compelling topic for Christian preachers, theologians, philoso­phers, and believers everywhere. Preachers love it, because it dramatically raises the homiletical stakes—congregants are guaranteed to sit up and take notice. Theologians love it, because it provides a … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Eschatology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Hell of Self and the Redemption of the Outer Darkness

Posted on 9 April 2019 by

In his unspoken sermons George MacDonald takes up the task of redefining our inherited notions of justice and punishment. The principle of retribution, he avers, is an unfit vehicle for the proclamation of the gospel. The lex talionis must be jettisoned. … Continue reading →

Posted in Eschatology, Inklings & Company | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

The True Grit of God’s Justice

Posted on 8 April 2019 by

Is God bound to punish sin? George MacDonald’s answer is no. If the answer were yes, then forgiveness would be impossible. Justice and mercy would find themselves opposed to each other, generating a schism within the Godhead. But we know that … Continue reading →

Posted in Eschatology, Inklings & Company | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

What is Orthodox Hell?

Posted on 20 February 2019 by

What is the Orthodox doctrine of hell? I honestly do not know. I do know what many Orthodox have taught about hell during the past hundred years or so, and I know some­thing about what the Church Fathers taught about … Continue reading →

Posted in Eschatology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 44 Comments

Heavenly Amnesia: How Sweet to Forget the Damned

Posted on 19 January 2019 by

Through Christ and in Christ, by the Spirit, the Father will perfect in love all who come to him in repentance and faith. In Christ the blessed will love as the Father loves, and their love will comprehend all. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Eschatology | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Hell and the Solidarity of Love

Posted on 14 January 2019 by

Can you imagine yourself enjoying perfect happiness and bliss in heaven if you knew that a beloved spouse, child, or friend was suffering everlasting torment in hell? In his wonderful parable The Great Divorce, C. S. Lewis presents an interaction … Continue reading →

Posted in Eschatology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments