A THEOLOGICAL CRITIQUE FOUR VIEWS ON HELL BY WILLIAM CROCKET
FOUR VIEWS ON HELL
The first is the orthodox view, which follows the scriptural approach and defines hell as something where the sinners and the nonbelievers are thrown in and the suffering is everlasting. It strictly agrees to hell being a forever punishment for the sin-bound, defining peoples attitude towards reaching the place. The Bible clearly says that Jesus is the way, truth and the life, without Him there is death. And regarding those who know the truth and refuse to believe and act ignorant, have a predilection in going hell. The Bible even reveals how hell would be like and how miserable and painful the condition of an individual would be when he goes there it describes hell to be some place where the pain is so dreadful that no one has ever experienced before. As opposed to how heaven is, as none has ever experienced such beauty before. The literal view follows the punishment of the wicked being everlasting and there is no redemption.
The second being the metaphorical view, which is less specific and non literal but has many people following it. This view however agrees to no redemption to the wicked and that they wouldnt be allowed to the place of eternity, it is vague and uncertain.
The third is the purgatorial view, the ones of the Roman Catholic views, where it talks about an intermediary place called the purgatory, where the wicked are cleansed and washed from their sins and are redeemed to go to heaven. It however suggests that everyone have to face the purgation and will be judged for their un-confessed sins and are inflicted. And says that purgation precedes the place of grace
The fourth and last view is the conditional or the temporary, which suggests hell being temporary and the suffering only for a period, the wicked are redeemed and eventually everyone is saved. It lessens the severity of the everlasting punishment.
CRITICAL INTERACTION WITH THE AUTHORS WORK
The author in the book shows different ideas of Hell taking the world, the intellectuals and parables from the Bible, an individuals approach and the Scripture as a whole, into consideration. The book to some extent might be vague in its conclusion but to conclude wasnt the authors objective.If you have ever wondered about the doctrine of hell, and what the Bible really teaches about it, thenFour Views on Hell edited by William Crockett might be just what you need to read.The author had put down the possible ways in describing duration of suffering in hell. Many people including some of the Christians wouldnt agree on the concept of hell being forever even though it is in the Bible. They would prefer following either the purgatorial or conditional view for the fact that no living creature would want to know the extent of suffering be forever.
If the doctrine of eternal punishment was clearly and unmistakably taught in every leaf of the Bible, and on every leaf of all the Bibles in the world, I could not believe a word of it. I should appeal from these misconceptions of even the seers and the great men to the finite and eternal Good, who only God is and who only on such terms could be worshipped.
So there is a tendency on agreeing to non-literal views and raising a hope that the given life is not the final test for eternity. Four views on hell, was mainly made to create an awareness of the perception of hell, and the author seems to have made the point. The book doesnt show his pick but gives out the various possibilities of how life after this life can be. The book also talks about many theologians who believe in eternal punishment and who do not. Variations in understanding the duration and extent of everlasting punishment have occupied Christian theologians for century, including the Jewish and Christian theologians before the time of Christ. Some like R. H. Savage are even willing to deny the scriptures.
As the Old Testament describes as the life after life as sheol, uncertainty of which lead to an extensive debate between William G.T. Shell and Charles Hodge. Charles Hodge, a contemporary of William G.T. Shedd, did not find the two-compartments theory of Sheol in the Old Testament incompatible with the Scriptures. He wrote Sheol is represented as general receptacle or abode of departed spirits, who were there in the sate of unconsciousness some in the state of misery and others in the state of happiness. In all these ideas the pagan idea of hades corresponds to the scriptural idea of sheol.
But the fact is, truth doesnt change, it remains the same irrespective of human beliefs. God is fair and just, if His love to His believers is so abundant and pure so would also His anger be extreme and unbearable. The Bible says no one can bear Gods anger, it is that crucial. Yet God with His abundant grace is willing to forgive His people for their sins when asked for forgiveness during the course of life that He has given. It is as clear as crystal that the fire and the suffering in hell is for ever. In Matthew 2541, Mark 941 the fire is described as eternal. Jesus spoke describing His followers and the non believers, they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. It is to our understanding that the Bible lets us know only the things that are important and the ones not revealed or not much concentrated on are the ones to be comprehended as those that one can be lived without knowing. So its up to ones own discernment. The Bible clearly says that it is the matter of choice, if one chooses to follow Jesus and has decided to give hisher life to Him, then one chose the eternal life. And its a free will, there is no force involved, it is your life and how you choose to live, but one is let known of the consequences priorly. Human mind has developed itself in a way that what ever suits best is considered to be real for an individual and we keep to living with that. Belief is something that comes by faith and is not conditional, it involves believing wholly. But the world is always after picking up the suitable ones, those that fit in, and leaving the unfit. If it is not apt, then discard, thats how it goes. When you believe there is a God above, existing, and that He has revealed things, things we are supposed to know, then why back off with few. Many say that we believe in God and that Hes word is revealed through the Bible but they say that it is only a part of the Bible that we believe in. The scripture as whole is not what we want to be believe, we only want we believe what we want to. So here goes, the views on hell.
An apologist, given a chance, would rather want to make a good use of the book by spreading the truth, but since the author has written it in terms of the peoples perception, the book has come out to his expectations. It is informative suggesting a varied opinion of people. But one cant find what hell is all about by reading it since there is no description of hell. Four views on hell is not one of the offending type to non believers an atheist as such wouldnt mind reading it, as it doesnt concentrate in letting people know of their ignorance it rather just focuses on disclosing the speculations and views of many people yet in a non confusing way. The meaning of the book can be taken in various aspects but ultimately its the individual belief which comes to play. One can either understand the truth, accept and it and willingly try to follow it or can one just hear it from one ear and let it out from the other. But the book does make one think about how unclear things can get because of the skepticism. That again depends on how people take the book to be. The reader would always find it appealing in knowing the views one hell, the book having a good reference does make it worth reading.
CONCLUSION
The book as such is informative suggesting the varied opinion people have, it doesnt conclude with a final answer nor does the author share his point of view. The author tries to shows the ignorance of people in various aspects of the book. One can understand that Bible is the only way to go, which provides sufficiently enough knowledge in understanding the eternal suffering yet somehow many refuse to believe in it. Though many of the intellectuals still find it difficult to gain conviction completely towards the Bible but that doesnt mean the truth would change. During the time when Jesus came to earth, it was the Pharisees and the scholars, those having known the Bible, were the ones to doubt in Jesus being the Christ. So it explains that it is not through worldly knowledge one will get to understand the truth, in fact the wise doubt in everything there is and trust almost nothing without the proof. The fisherman and the amateurs were Jesus disciples they trusted Him with all their hearts without any doubts. It goes the same way, we are always after wanting to find out little more or trying to disclose something else but fail to put in that trust. Instead of running around one can always stop to think that heshe can try doing things that could lead them towards the eternal life like having faith in The Word and trusting God with His works. With all these same saying having heard them all before, one can just give it a try and find out the truth and the truth will set free, and then knowing or not knowing things wont matter any more because one would eventually find the purpose to life.
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