The Back Story
I started studying hell a few years ago after a short discussion with a friend of mine having just seen 'Rethinking Hell' on his bookcase. Soon after, I started a theology and leadership course run by the group of churches my church is part of. As part of the course I was to complete assignments, three of which were to be my choice. I decided to write about hell as it was something I couldn't stop talking or reading about and I needed to consolidate what I thought. As you can see by this website, it has only lead to me writing and talking about it all the more!
The paradigm shift in my own understanding of who God is by looking at judgement and punishment cannot be overstated. I wrote 20,000 words in the essay below and it still feels like I've only scratched the surface. Despite this, I feel I can see more of God's holiness and more of the hope that Christians can have. The hope is in a future where evil and the wicked are not kept in some pocket of the new creation to endure some form of living-death but are completely and utterly destroyed. The words of John in Revelation are made so much more powerful:
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, no crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” [1]
If you want to delve into the essay that started this all of, click the link below and read away. I'd love to hear what you have to say, if you think the arguments can be made stronger or if you have rebuttals, feel free to get in touch. I pray that as you study, you will find a greater hope and it will deepen your relationship with God.
A Biblical View of Hell, by Phil Duncalfe.
[1] Revelation 21:3-4 see also Isaiah 25:6-9