In my previous post I discussed the Scriptural case for the eternity of Hell. While some question may be open today as to the interpretation of some of these texts, it seems the early church was virtually of one mind on this. While some today might feel free to depart from this tradition, I do not (not to mention my subscription to the Book of Concord which clearly teaches the eternity of hell).
Yes, it’s possible some details might differ, but on the eternity of hell, the early church agreed. Before I could embrace any form of universalism and reject the eternity of hell, I would need to see some impressive arguments that would decisively overturn the interpretation of a whole lot of folks.
Here are a few quotes from a few church fathers:
Ignatius of
Corrupters of families will not inherit the
Second Clement
If we do the will of Christ, we shall obtain rest; but if not, if we neglect his commandments, nothing will rescue us from eternal punishment (Second Clement 5:5 [A.D. 150]).
Justin Martyr
No more is it possible for the evildoer, the avaricious, and the treacherous to hide from God than it is for the virtuous. Every man will receive the eternal punishment or reward which his actions deserve. Indeed, if all men recognized this, no one would choose evil even for a short time, knowing that he would incur the eternal sentence of fire. On the contrary, he would take every means to control himself and to adorn himself in virtue, so that he might obtain the good gifts of God and escape the punishments (First Apology 12 [A.D. 151]).
[Jesus] shall come from the heavens in glory with his angelic host, when he shall raise the bodies of all the men who ever lived. Then he will clothe the worthy in immortality; but the wicked, clothed in eternal sensibility, he will commit to the eternal fire, along with the evil demons (ibid. 52).
Theophilus of
Give studious attention to the prophetic writings [the Bible] and they will lead you on a clearer path to escape the eternal punishments and to obtain the eternal good things of God.... [God] will examine everything and will judge justly, granting recompense to each according to merit. To those who seek immortally by the patient exercise of good works, he will give everlasting life, joy, peace, rest, and all good things. . . , For the unbelievers and for the contemptuous and for those who do not submit to the truth but assent to iniquity, when they have been involved in adulteries, and fornications, and homosexualities, and avarice, and in lawless idolatries, there will be wrath and indignation, tribulation and anguish; and in the end, such men as these will be detained in everlasting fire (To Autolycus 1:14 [A.D. 181]).
Irenaeus
The penalty increases for those who do not believe the Word of God and despise his coming. . . . It is not merely temporal, but eternal. To whomsoever the Lord shall say, "Depart from me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire," they will be damned forever (Against Heresies 4:28:2 [A.D. 189]).
Hippolytus
Standing before [Christ's] judgment, all of them, men, angels, and demons, crying out in one voice, shall say: "Just is your judgment!" And the righteousness of that cry will be apparent in the recompense made to each. To those who have done well, everlasting enjoyment shall be given; while to the lovers of evil shall be given eternal punishment. The unquenchable and unending fire awaits these latter, and a certain fiery worm which does not die and which does not waste the body but continually bursts forth from the body with unceasing pain. No sleep will give them rest; no night will soothe them; no death will deliver them from punishment; no appeal of interceding friends will profit them (Against the Greeks 3 [A.D. 212]).
Cyprian of
An ever-burning Gehenna and the punishment of being devoured by living flames will consume the condemned; nor will there be any way in which the tormented can ever have respite or be at an end. Souls along with their bodies will be preserved for suffering in unlimited agonies. . . . The grief at punishment will then be without the fruit of repentance; weeping will be useless, and prayer ineffectual. Too late will they believe in eternal punishment, who would not believe in eternal life (To Demetrian 24 [A.D. 252]).
Cyril of
We shall be raised therefore, all with our bodies eternal, but not all with bodies alike; For if a man is righteous, he will receive a heavenly body, that he may be able worthily to hold converse with angels; but if a man is a sinner, he shall receive an eternal body, fitted to endure the penalties of sins, that he may burn eternally in fire, nor ever be consumed. And righteously will God assign this portion to either company; for we do nothing without the body. We blaspheme with the mouth, and with the mouth we pray. With the body we commit fornication, and with the body we keep chastity. With the hand we rob, and by the hand we bestow alms; and the rest in like manner. Since then the body has been our minister in all things, it shall also share with us in the future the fruits of the past (Catechetical Lectures 18:19 [A.D. 350]).
6 comments:
By the way, I like the new picture on the right of your blog.
Thanks for your great post. How did you find all of these passages?
The voice of dissent in the earl church was, of course, Origin (~250 AD, right?). He was condemned as a heretic for his universalism--but he, at least, clearly believed the doctrine.
How did I find all the passages? Well, Google is a great tool! (I also have them in books, but I was too lazy to look them up.)
In regards to dissent, there were several fathers who wrote about universalism. I'm not sure, however, if they clearly taught universalism or maintained a hope of universal reconciliation (kind of a hopeful Universalist). Some may say this is splitting hairs, but I think it’s a helpful distinction. It’s one thing to say “Scripture teaches universalism” and another to say “Scripture teaches Jesus forgave the whole world and God wants all people to be saved, but it also teaches some people (unbelievers) will spend eternity in hell. Because I recognize this tension, I maintain the hope of universal reconciliation.” In my mind, this maintains the Scriptural tension, while leaving hope for all people truly to be saved. I’m very skeptical about claims that “the early church taught universalism and only later did the Church change.”
While I maintain Scripture and many of the early fathers as well as Augustine, Aquinas, Luther (as well as the Lutheran Confessions), and Calvin clearly teach/taught the eternality of hell for unbelievers, I must admit to being sympathetic to the hopeful Universalist. I’m willing to leave the possibility open, but I can’t be dogmatic about it because I just don’t see Universalism clearly and explicitly taught in Scripture.
In regards to Origen, he taught the fires of hell had a purifying effect so that those in hell would eventually be purged of their sins and restored to God. Is this possible? I suppose, but Scripture never explicitly teaches it. In fact, Origen admitted that on the surface the Bible teaches eternal punishment in hell. He, however, maintained there were certain “truths which lie behind” the text that were only accessible to spiritual interpreters. So, the words on the page didn’t contain the full truth. That’s a problem in my mind.
For what it's worth, Im sure you know that fire is consistently used to symbolize both the presence of God and purification in scripture. Maybe this is what Origin was thinking? If hell is a place of fire, it makes at least some sense to think of it as a place of God's refining presence.
My position on universalism is (perhaps surprisingly, considering what I've said) fairly close to yours.
The problem, as I see it, is that 1) most Christian traditions have massively overstated the evidence for eternal punishment and against universalism and 2) many Christians I've talked to seem to actually be dismayed by the thought that God would save people who die as unbelievers. It's as if their theology will collapse if God saves "the wrong" people.
The proper position, I think, is that 1) a person is in a very bad position if she dies without faith and 2) beyond that, we can't say much.
A study of universalism should lead us not to dogmatism (either that there is eternal punishment or that there is not), but to agreement with what Paul says in Romans 11:
"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments,and his paths beyond tracing out!"
Well said.
In regards to the problem you posed, I would agree that most Christian traditions have historically overstated the evidence for eternal punishment without acknowledging a case exists for universalism. Having said that, the trend I see today is leaning in the other direction. Ask yourself, when was the last time you heard a pastor preach on the horrors of hell? I may be wrong, but I don’t think it happens too often today.
In regards to the “proper position,” perhaps a nuance: 1) a person who dies without faith is in a very bad position and, according to Scripture, is destined for hell (which appears to be eternal) 2) the reason we don’t declare with certainty a person’s eternal destiny is because we can’t see or judge the genuineness of their faith. We don’t preach a person into heaven or hell. Instead, we proclaim the promises of God in Christ and continually and repeatedly direct people to Jesus.
In regards to studying universalism: As I have studied the case for universalism, I haven’t seen sufficient evidence to overturn what I see as a fairly clear teaching/doctrine of Scripture – hell is eternal and people need to be regularly warned against it. So perhaps I’m a bit more dogmatic than some, but as I see it, I’m standing in pretty good company – Numerous early church fathers, the Reformers, and the Lutheran Confessions.
But as I said before, I’m willing to accept a “Universal hope.” Any more than that is a bit too far for my exegetical, hermeneutical, historical/traditional tastes.
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