Hell isn't what it use to be . . . at least in its place within society. People seem to be embarrassed to talk about hell, and preachers rarely discuss it or talk about it. When asked about one's belief in hell, many people hesitate and blush. It is an embarrassing question, especially for people who think of themselves as intellectually enlightened.
This painting is from an amazing fresco called "The Triumph of the Name of Jesus," by an artist named Gaulli. This is just the lower corner of the enormous ceiling painting. I saw this fresco in 2006, on my last visit to Rome. This portion of the painting depicts devils and the wicked being cast down to their condemnation.
This painting is from an amazing fresco called "The Triumph of the Name of Jesus," by an artist named Gaulli. This is just the lower corner of the enormous ceiling painting. I saw this fresco in 2006, on my last visit to Rome. This portion of the painting depicts devils and the wicked being cast down to their condemnation.
It seems curious that the topic of hell, once so common in churches and theological discussions, has become an almost forbidden topic. It is hard to talk about hell without people expressing their strong emotions, or energetic objections to the subject. Why is this?
Even Evangelicals' ideas and belief in hell has slipped from what it once was. Where once most of Evangelicals believed in hell, now most are conflicted by the subject. There are some very strong feelings about this subject, and it makes me wonder why there is such a strong reaction . . . and reaction it is.
Not all beliefs in hell are identical. There is the eternal conscious punishment version. There is the nihilistic version of it. There is the idea that hell, and/or Purgatory, can be redemptive rather than entirely punitive. Then there is the view that no such place exists at all.
Of course, a belief in the existence of hell is not a requirement for entry into heaven, or at least I don't see it listed as such anywhere in the Bible, but there are, nonetheless, quite energetic feelings about this subject.
Strangely, the subject of hell is one of those topics that can provide one comfort as well as a sense of dread. If one has suffered injustices, or if one has intractable enemies, it is oddly comforting to think that perhaps your enemies will end up in hell.
There are clever statements in films where someone will tell their enemy, "I'll see you in hell!" and there are those witty retorts when told to go to hell, the response is, "You first." Which is usually followed by someone killing the one who insulted them.
Hell can be a convenient doctrine to bandy about. Infidels always end up in hell. Ask any faithful Muslim. Jews, however, have very different views on the subject. Christians have mixed feelings, and various views, and the general population has reached no consensus on the subject at all -- yet people remain very emotional about the subject.
The notion of hell, however, is not relegated to the three Middle-Eastern religions, other cultures and various religions have their own idea of hell. It could even be said that Buddhistic concept of reincarnation is not a happy idea, but is their idea of hell. One really does not want to come back. One is trying to break the cycle and to get out of the endless repetition of life and death. That to the Buddhist is Nirvana . . . which is more about release into nothingness than it is fulfillment of personalty.
I'd love to do a painting about hell, but it is difficult to conceive of an idea of hell that would be meaningful for this generation. The subject matter, as an artist, fascinates me.
I am interested in people's emotions about this topic almost as much as I am in the subject of hell itself.
Ask almost any Christian these days, regardless of the denom, and you will find a generally uncomfortable response to the question of one's belief in the existence of hell.
Of course, a belief in the existence of hell is not a requirement for entry into heaven, or at least I don't see it listed as such anywhere in the Bible, but there are, nonetheless, quite energetic feelings about this subject.
Strangely, the subject of hell is one of those topics that can provide one comfort as well as a sense of dread. If one has suffered injustices, or if one has intractable enemies, it is oddly comforting to think that perhaps your enemies will end up in hell.
There are clever statements in films where someone will tell their enemy, "I'll see you in hell!" and there are those witty retorts when told to go to hell, the response is, "You first." Which is usually followed by someone killing the one who insulted them.
Hell can be a convenient doctrine to bandy about. Infidels always end up in hell. Ask any faithful Muslim. Jews, however, have very different views on the subject. Christians have mixed feelings, and various views, and the general population has reached no consensus on the subject at all -- yet people remain very emotional about the subject.
The notion of hell, however, is not relegated to the three Middle-Eastern religions, other cultures and various religions have their own idea of hell. It could even be said that Buddhistic concept of reincarnation is not a happy idea, but is their idea of hell. One really does not want to come back. One is trying to break the cycle and to get out of the endless repetition of life and death. That to the Buddhist is Nirvana . . . which is more about release into nothingness than it is fulfillment of personalty.
I'd love to do a painting about hell, but it is difficult to conceive of an idea of hell that would be meaningful for this generation. The subject matter, as an artist, fascinates me.
I am interested in people's emotions about this topic almost as much as I am in the subject of hell itself.
Why do you think people get so worked up about the idea of hell?
What is it that lies beneath the emotions that provokes such strong responses?
Does the subject bother you?
Have you ever argued one side or the other? If so, why?
What is to be gained by such discussions on the existence of hell?
Why do you think we all feel that this subject is an important subject?
I'd like to know your thoughts on this.
3 comments:
W's always jokes his idea of hell is sitting in a Mexican restaurant, forced to wear a sombrero while the waitstaff sings Happy Birthday.
We've talked about hell quite a lot - and find interesting CS Lewis' quote: something like, sin is its own punishment, unfulfilling, destroying the sinner.
After that living hell though, there is definitely a strong thread of scripture that affirms a place of timeless, exhaustive terror - apartheid from God himself. Which would be darkness, pain, hatred, horror... eternal suffering. The opposite of God's loving, light-filled nature. Apparently, if we don't want to be near God now, our choice to be separated from him continues forever. What that will look like, I'd rather not find out.
You bring up interesting points on the reaction of society to hell (Xtian and otherwise). We don't like to be accountable to anyone. And hell implies that someone will take us seriously for every deed done against him and our neighbour.
I think people hesitate to talk about hell because it has been used as a sort of emotional manipulation in evangelistic doctrines. Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the hands of an angry God" is a good example of this (though I acknowledge it is full of much sound theology). The depiction of an angry God ready to squash us and the exhortation to believe in Christ as salvation from that fate leaves the audience wondering why they would want to be reconciled to such a callous God in the first place. The power of the gospel, in my opinion, is not just that we are forgiven and saved from hell, but that God, in love, has invited us up into a great beauty and adventure which is found only in himself. I find it hard to believe that God would want anyone bullied into believing in him, out of fear of what would happen if they didn't. God's heart is far too kind for that and I think he wants us to choose him freely for his own sake.
I think a proper understanding on hell requires a proper understanding of Satan and of the larger story, the great battle that is being waged for the hearts of humanity. In that context, hell is not centrally about punishment inflicted by God, although that idea is certainly part of it, but more so about the consequence of our actions when aligning ourselves with the kingdom in rebellion against God.
As Lewis said, we are every day, by our own choices, becoming more a creature of heaven or a creature of hell. And as George MacDonald observed, it is difficult for us to tell which direction any individual is heading in, just as two men may meet each other on a hillside, one going up and the other going down, and a passing observer wouldn't know which is which--for all intents it may seem that they are on the same path. But the difference in the long run is, of course, quite great.
Good thoughts Joanna!
I think that churches avoid the topic of hell because it's not really an attractive feature of Christianity. Trial and error has shown us that portraying a loving and forgiving God is more effective than the righteous judge--but is it wrong to do so?
I think many pastors dodge the question of external spiritual forces because there is so much fear associated with the topic (thanks to horror movies) and even sometimes leaves the church looking foolish. Now, there seems to me to be many reasons for that. Perhaps some pastors are just inexperienced and uneducated on the topic, it could be that no one wants to infer than any person in the congregation has a real chance of visiting the great sauna, or maybe it's society's growing disbelief in the subject as a way to deal with fear... I don't know.
While hell and Satan's minions may not be an appropriate Sunday school topic for the new believer, an injustice has certainly occured when mature Christians aren't taught about hell and it's inhabitants. This is something I wish Northwest would shed more light on. Everyone is curious and interested in the subject because rumor says it's real but the pulpit never confirms or denies. I've never seen a class so engaged than my Synoptic Gospels class when talking about the temptations of Christ and the miracles of exorcism--two of the lesser mentioned sermons.
An interesting book came out last year called 23 Minutes in Hell. It's one man's real-life account of God taking him to hell while sleeping in the middle of the night. Even if you don't accept his accout as factual, I think it offers an interesting perspective on the subject as well as some pretty thorough scripture research which comprises the second half of the book. Conversly, there is another book called ______ Minutes in Heaven (I can't think of the #)--someone else's account. I haven't read it but it's probably a good read.
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