Tag Archives: retribution

God-damnation or Self-damnation?

Posted on 1 December 2021 by Fr Aidan Kimel

“I am not going to try to prove the doctrine [of hell] tolerable,” writes C. S. Lewis in his book The Problem of Pain. “Let us make no mistake; it is not tolerable. But I think the doctrine can be … Continue reading →

Posted in Eschatology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

St Isaac the Syrian and the Punitive God of the Scriptures

Posted on 9 August 2021 by Fr Aidan Kimel

“Do not call God just,” St Isaac the Syrian scandalously declares, “for His justice is not manifest in the things concerning you.” But surely God punishes the wicked, we quickly retort. Surely there is divine reprisal, an infliction of deserved … Continue reading →

Posted in George MacDonald, Isaac the Syrian | Tagged , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

Divine Retribution, Hell, and the Development of Dogma

Posted on 6 June 2020 by Fr Aidan Kimel

In A.D. 754 Emperor Constantine convened a counsel of bishops in Hieria to condemn the veneration of icons and prohibit the practice in the catholic Church. It identified itself as the “Holy, Great, and Ecumenical Seventh Synod.” Twenty three years … Continue reading →

Posted in Eschatology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 158 Comments

But the Problem of “Infernalism”

Posted on 6 October 2019 by Fr Aidan Kimel

by David W. Opderbeck, Ph.D. As I noted in my first post, David Hart’s moral objection to what he calls “infernalism” is important but raises questions about the nature of epistemic and theological authority. In this post, I’ll highlight what … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, David B. Hart | Tagged , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Divine Presence and the River of Fire

Posted on 28 July 2019 by Fr Aidan Kimel

The title of Zachary Manis’s book Sinners in the Presence of a Loving God succinctly summarizes his constructive proposal. He calls it the divine presence model: “the eternal suffering of hell is not the result of any divine act that … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Eschatology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

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

Posted on 21 July 2019 by Fr Aidan Kimel

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 , , , , , , , , | 108 Comments

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

Posted on 14 July 2019 by Fr Aidan Kimel

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 True Grit of God’s Justice

Posted on 8 April 2019 by Fr Aidan Kimel

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, George MacDonald | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments