Saturday, December 6, 2014

Hell Debate: Eternal Conscious Torment or Annihilationism?






A very interesting debate (IMO) between a Calvinist (Chris Date) who embraces conditionalism and an Arminian (Dr. Phil Fernandes) who defends the 'traditional' view (i.e. soul is immortal and the wicked suffer eternal torment in hell).

Hope that those who take the time to view/watch the debate will share their reflections in the combox.


Grace and peace,

David

2 comments:

John said...

Hello. I am precatholic and Annihilationist.

My view comes from the prophets, Isaiah who states that the former things are no longer brought into remembrance.

I believe given that God is a necessary being, on which all else is contingent for their very being,

And that this being literally means that we are constantly within God's cognizance,

that when this prophetic event comes to pass that Isaiah described, this literally implies that those who are condemned are blotted out, are no longer within God's cognizance,

and their being is ceased because God no longer continues to sustain them.

I naturally also seize upon various things stated by Jesus and His brother James, variously, "But fear him who has power to destroy both body and soul in hell," James "He that converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death", John "This is the second death," Paul "For the wages of sin is death,"

and after such manner does it continue, without stopping.

I place no sort of restriction on the language issued here, such as the terms "death", "destruction", or "destroy", as I would place upon them in ordinary conversation.

To do so, in my opinion, is not take the Bible at its word.

David Waltz said...

Hi John,

Thanks much for taking the time to comment. The topic of the final state of unsaved humanity has taken up a good deal of my study time and reflections throughout most of my life. When I approach the topic from a strict sola scriptura position I pretty much end up 50/50, recognizing that both positions have strong and weak points. The side which one ends up defending depends on which germane passages are deemed 'clear', and form the basis upon which the less than 'clear' passages are interpreted.

As for the present time, I personally am undecided...


Grace and peace,

David