Critically assess the Christian view of hell. 40 marks
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Course
1. Insight b) Death & the Afterlife (H573)
Institution
OCR
Detailed bullet-point essay revision plan discussing the statement 'Critically assess the Christian view of hell'. Written by a student aiming for top grades. Includes a personal thesis statement, as well as scholars such as Barth/Hick/Aquinas/Augustine/Dante/Origen/Gregory of Nyssa.
Intro:
• Jesus was very vague - hints in the Bible through metaphorical language.
> Different interpretations of whether hell is a physical or emotional period in the
afterlife.
> Whether hell is a punishment of purification.
> Whether it is eternal or temporary.
> Election.
• Catholic + Protestant divide.
Thesis:
• From an atheist perspective - idea of temporary purification rather than punishment
seems the most convincing.
> ‘Hell’ comes from internal anguish at being separated from God.
> Agree with Gregory of Nyssa.
> Most compatible with God’s nature.
> We have free will to choose to act in accordance with God’s will or against it.
> Free will = the most loving gift because this allows humans to be genuinely good.
> Temporary purification provides justice to victims who have suffered the actions of
others - without the unnecessary extent of eternal damnation with physical suffering.
> Eternal punishment completely contradicts God’s nature.
> Particularly if sins can be passive - as implied by the Parable of the Sheep + Goats.
Hell as a physical place:
• Dante - ‘Divine Comedy’:
> Envisioned hell to be divided into 9 rings of punishment.
> Lucifer in the centre - a place for people like Judas.
> Beyond the final sphere, God rules in his heavenly court.
• Parable of the Rich Man - demonstrates an impassable chasm/clear distinction
between heaven + hell.
• Augustine - literal lake of fire in which the damned will experience the horror of
everlasting torment.
> Arguably - some Augustinians interpret a metaphorical fire.
• However - Dante’s theory is based on an inaccurate cosmological understanding.
> Believed Earth was the centre of the universe + God ruled beyond it.
• More convincing that hell is only temporary.
> Logical contrast of this lifetime being physical and the afterlife being purely spiritual/
emotional experience.
Hell as a state of mind:
• Gregory of Nyssa.
> Hell = inward sense of guilt at being brought before God.
• Origen.
> Hell = internal anguish at being separated from God.
> Each kindles their own fire.
• Protestant teachings - suggest people will live in their spiritual bodies.
• Gregory of Nyssa’s view - logical sense of guilt when brought before a transcendent
God.
> Humbling experience.
• Origen’s view - if you love God, then it would hell to separate with the thing you love
the most.
> However - contradiction.
> If you loved God in you physical lifetime you surely would have done everything
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