Jonathan Edwards & Hell
Overview
There are many who find the doctrine of Hell disturbing and uncomfortable. It sits uneasily with many Christians, and is a doctrine that for many preachers, gathers dust, filed away somewhere quiet. For those who find Hell a problem, a far more comfortable option has been redeveloped, and has gathered support in recent years. It is annihilationism, an idea that proposes that rather than the lost suffering an endless punishment in Hell they are destroyed. It is not a new idea.
Evangelical authors have penned critiques highlighting the weakness of annihilationism but Chris Morgan goes further, summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of the major protagonists on both sides. He also points to America’s most influential theologian, Jonathan Edwards, as an example of how to best answer annihilationism’s claims.
Edwards used all the weapons he had at his disposal to present a convincing and effective response to those proposing the doctrine in his day, one that those who seek to respond to annihilationists today will benefit from.
- Exegetical studies that provide a refutation to annihilationism
- Synopsis of Jonathan's Edwards fight against annihilationism
- Scripture references link to your original language texts and English translations
Top Highlights
“Annihilationism is the view that after exacting an appropriate punishment on unbelievers, God destroys them. A type of annihilationism often called ‘conditionalism,’ conditional immortality is the belief that God has created all human beings only potentially immortal. Upon being united to Christ, believers participate in the divine nature and receive immortality. Unbelievers never receive this capacity to live forever and will ultimately cease to exist.” (Pages 18–19)
“Fudge concluded that the punishing persists until the process is completed, whereas only the resultant punishment remains forever.” (Page 60)
“Furthermore, mercy ‘presupposes the prerogative to display it or not to display it.’” (Page 123)
“the divinely executed retributive process that operates in the world to come.’” (Page 83)
“Thus, when the heinousness of sin is gauged according to the nature of God rather than the nature of the human being, the sin will be seen as infinitely detestable and requiring endless punishment.” (Page 134)
Chris Morgan is Associate Dean and Professor of Theology at California Baptist University. He has taught at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary and at Golden Gate Theological Seminary and is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Barstow, California.
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Forrest Cole
11/9/2021
Peter O'Handley
10/5/2020
