Comment on the claim that belief in hell is a necessary part of Christian teaching. Justify your answer.

Furthermore, Hell is necessary because it emphasises that God is just. If there were no hell, why would Jesus have had to die? Hell is the just punishment for breaking God’s law, as detailed in the Pentateuch. If God is a good judge then he must both punish and reward. As God is eternal, it is fitting that the punishment for sinning against him is eternal. In the words of apologist Matt Slick, “Since He is infinite, our offense against Him takes on an infinite quality because we have offended an infinitely holy and righteous God.” Besides, the concept of hell and a final judgement will motivate people to live good lives.

On the other hand, more liberal Christians interpret hell as a metaphor. For them the most important aspect of hell is separation from God, rather than a place physical torture. Jesus referred to hell as ‘Gehenna’, which was a smouldering rubbish dump outside of Jerusalem. Perhaps he only used metaphors of fire so that the people would understand his teachings better. Hell, like God himself, cannot be fully understood by humans. There is even a school of theology that believes the Bible supports annihilationism for unrepentant sinners rather than eternal punishment.

Hell also calls the character of God into question. Why would an omni-benevolent God condemn people to eternal torture? It seems to contradict the doctrines of grace and forgiveness that are so central to Christianity. Christian universalists believe that Jesus died to forgive the sins of all – not just the elect. After all, John 3:16 states, “For God s loved the world…” Hell can be a dangerous doctrine that distracts from the gospel. Throughout history the concept of Final Judgement has struck fear and terror within humanity. We see this in the Catholic Church’s sale of indulgences. Hell encourages people to believe in God not out of love, but out of fear. This is not true Christianity.

To conclude, the doctrine of Hell remains as one of Christianity’s most controversial doctrines. Ultimately no-one knows what will happen after death. To quote liberal theologian Allen Clifton, “everyone minds their own business when it comes to their own personal views about what happens to us after we die.”