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A Kinder, Gentler Hell?
As opinions about hell have changed over the years, so have the
teachings of many churches. But what does the Bible say?
by David Treybig
Syncretism-the combination of differing beliefs and practices-has long been a hallmark of mainstream Christianity. Centuries ago church leaders set aside biblically assigned days of worship in favor of Sunday, Christmas and Easter. Similarly, popular tradition long ago replaced the biblical teaching about hell.
Beliefs about hell are changing again. A recent poll revealed a dramatic shift in opinion among Americans regarding concepts of hell. True to historical form, major religious organizations are adjusting their teachings accordingly. The latest beliefs and teachings concerning the fate of sinners could be called a "kinder, gentler" hell.
According to U.S. News & World Report, in 1997 the majority belief among U.S. citizens was that "hell is a real place where people suffer eternal fiery torments." Now 53 percent believe "hell is an anguished state of existence eternally separated from God" ("Hell Hath No Fury," Jeffrey Sheler, Jan. 31, 2000, p. 47).
This shift in thinking can be attributed to several factors. "Lampooned by modern intellectuals and increasingly sidelined by preachers preferring to dwell on more uplifting themes, the threat of post-mortem punishment of the impenitent in an eternal lake of fire all but disappeared from the religious mainstream by the 1960s. Theological discourse on the subject at the nation's divinity schools almost evaporated. And while polls showed that the majority of Americans professed to believe in hell's existence, almost no one thought he would go there" (ibid.).
The reasoning behind the shift often paints punishment as a childish fear tactic that is no longer valid or needed by mature adults. Others reason that a good God couldn't possibly punish people forever, as that would be against His very nature. "'Once we discovered we could create hell on Earth,' says John Dominic Crossan, professor emeritus at DePaul University in Chicago, 'it became silly to talk about it in a literal sense'" (ibid., p. 50).
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