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Perdition redirects here, for the play see Perdition (play).

Hell, in Christian beliefs, is an afterlife in which the soul suffers the consequences of sin. The nature of hell and its punishment is a subject of debate between various denominations. Hell is however generally held to be irrevocable and eternal. Some Christians believe that hell is a physical place. Some believe that, while hell is real, it is a state, rather than a place, of separation from God. Others hold that hell is a metaphor for a self-imposed mental separation from God. Some view hell as a place of punishment by God while others see it more in terms of self-exclusion from God. Some hold that there are physical torments in hell, principally fire. Satan frozen at the center of Cocytus, the ninth circle of Hell in Dantes Inferno. ... Fire and brimstone is a motif in Christian preaching that uses vivid descriptions of hell and damnation to encourage the listeners to fear divine wrath and punishment. ... The Harrowing of Hell is a doctrine in Christian theology referenced in the Apostles Creed and the Athanasian Creed (Quicumque vult), which states that Jesus descended into Hell. ... The problem of Hell is a variant of the problem of evil, applying specifically to religions which hold both that: An omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), and omnibenevolent (all-loving) God exists. ... In Christianity, the outer darkness (often capitalized as Outer Darkness) is a place referred to three times in the Gospel of Matthew (8:12, 22:13, and 25:30) into which a person may be cast out, and where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Generally, the outer darkness... Perdition is a controversial play by Jim Allen. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      A Christian () is a person who... The afterlife, or life after death, is a generic term referring to a continuation of existence, typically spiritual, experiential, or ghost-like, beyond this world (eg. ... The soul, according to many religious and philosophical traditions, is the self-aware essence unique to a particular living being. ... Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. ...

Some believe^{[citation needed]} that Hell is nothing more than a vice that has been created through literature and other non-Biblical sources in order to "win" people to Christianity. And some believe it is a place where people are punished until they have been forgiven. Hell has historically played a large part in post-Constantinian Western culture, especially during the Middle Ages, and continues to significantly influence Western language, custom, usage, literature and iconography. Look up Iconography in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Origins

Hell (on the right) is portrayed in this 16th century painting.

Hell, as it is perceived in the Western population, has its origins in Hellenized Christianity, particularly taken the Judaic belief of Hell from verses such as 2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6; 2 Kings 23:10. Some say the concept comes from the Greek mythological belief at the time. One must keep in mind that these were the people early Christianity was ministering to and some symbols might be taken from their belief to make Christianity easier to understand in their way of thinking. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (761x1117, 171 KB) A painting by Hieronymous Bosch, c. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (761x1117, 171 KB) A painting by Hieronymous Bosch, c. ... For alternative meanings for The West in the United States, see the U.S. West and American West. ... The Temple of Athena, the Parthenon Ancient Butts is a period in Greek history that lasted for around nine hundred years. ... Christianity percentage by country, purple is highest, orange is lowest Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch...

Judaism, at least initially,^[1] believed in Sheol, a shadowy existence to which all were sent indiscriminately. Sheol may have been little more than a poetic metaphor for death, not really an afterlife at all: see for example Sirach and Isaiah 14:3-11. However, by the third to second century B.C. the idea had grown to encompass a far more complex concept. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... In Hebrew, Sheol (שאול, Shol) is the abode of the dead, the underworld, the common grave of mankind or pit.[1] In the Hebrew Bible, it is a comfortless place beneath the earth, beyond gates, where both the bad and the good, slave and king, pious and wicked must go... The Wisdom of Ben Sirach, (or The Wisdom of Joshua Ben Sirach or merely Sirach), called Ecclesiasticus by Christians, is a book written circa 180 BCE in Hebrew. ... Dionysius Exiguus invented Anno Domini years to date Easter. ...

The New Hebrew Sheol was translated in the Septuagint as 'Hades', the name for the underworld in Greek mythology and is still considered to be distinct from "Hell" by Eastern Orthodox Christians. In Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries and Concordances it is transliterated "Sheh-ole". The Lake of Fire and realm of Eternal Punishment in Hellenistic mythology was in fact Tartarus. Hades was not Hell in Hellenistic mythology, but was rather a form of limbo where the dead went to be judged. The New Testament uses this word, but it also uses the word 'Gehenna', from the valley of Hinnom, a valley near Jerusalem originally used as a location in which human sacrifices were offered to an idol called "Molech" (or Moloch). “Hebrew” redirects here. ... The Septuagint: A column of uncial text from 1 Esdras in the Codex Vaticanus, the basis of Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brentons Greek edition and English translation. ... Hades, Greek god of the underworld, enthroned, with his bird-headed staff, on a red-figure Apulian vase made in the 4th century BC. For other uses, see Hades (disambiguation). ... The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... ... Transliteration is the practice of transcribing a word or text written in one writing system into another writing system. ... This article is about the theological concept. ... This article is about the Christian scriptures. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Name of the valley to the south and south-west of Jerusalem (Josh. ... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ... Molech Moloch, Molech or Molekh, representing Hebrew מלך mlk, (translated directly into king) is either the name of a god or the name of a particular kind of sacrifice associated historically with Phoenician and related cultures in north Africa and the Levant. ...

2 Kings 23.10 (on King Josiah's reform): Josiah or Yoshiyahu (יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ supported of the LORD, Standard Hebrew Yošiyyáhu, Tiberian Hebrew Yôšiyyāhû) was king of Judah, and son of Amon and Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. ...

And he defiled the Tophet, which is in the valley of Ben-hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire lmlk.

Jeremiah 32.35:

And they built the high places of the Ba‘al, which are in the valley of Ben-hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire lmlk; which I did not command them, nor did it come into my mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

It was later used as a landfill in order to emphasize the disgusting nature of its original use. Ancient landfills were very unsanitary and unpleasant when compared to modern landfills; these places were filled with rotting garbage and the Hebrews would periodically burn them down. However, by that point they were generally so large that they would burn for weeks or even months. In other words they were fiery mountains of garbage. The early Christian teaching was that the damned would be burnt in the valley just as the garbage was. (It is ironic to note that the valley of Hinnom today is, far from being a garbage dump, a public park.) It is argued by theologians opposed to the concept of hell, but desirous to defend the Bible as a source, that a reference to a place on Earth where rubbish was burnt cannot refer to any conscious after-death state.^{[citation needed]} Albury landfill, Surrey, England A landfill, also known as a dump, is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment. ...

Hell in the New Testament

Gospels frequently portray images destruction and torment in hell. Sometimes this destruction is referred to as annihilation or punishment when God's Kingdom gets established on earth (Matthew 3:10-12, Matthew 25:41-46, Luke 3:9, John 5:28-29). Other times it is said to be the fate of the individual sinner (Matthew 5:22, Matthew 5:29-30, Luke 12:5, John 6:66). While flames and destruction are the most commong depictions, darkness or exclusion are also referred to, (Matthew 6:66, Matthew 22:13, Matthew 25:30, Luke 13:22-28, Luke 16:19-28). and Jesus describes a place of "weeping and gnashing of teeth"; this quotation appears six times in Matthew and once in Luke. The Gospel of Matthew (literally, according to Matthew; Greek, Κατά Μαθθαίον or Κατά Ματθαίον, Kata Maththaion or Kata Matthaion) is a synoptic gospel in the New Testament, one of four canonical gospels. ... The Gospel of Luke (literally, according to Luke; Greek, Κατά Λουκαν, Kata Loukan) is a synoptic Gospel, and the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament. ...

A vivd account of hell is found in Luke 16:19-28 (Lazarus and Dives). In this account, it is said that nobody can pass from the bosom of Abraham to hell or vice versa. Fire and thirst are again described, and it is stated that the souls that are in Hell can see those that are in Heaven and vice versa. Many view this story as a parable, and as such, believe its meaning may not literally define the existence in the afterlife, but instead serve as a metaphor or illustration. Dives and Lazarus or Lazarus and Dives is a parable[1] attributed to Jesus that is reported only in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 16:19-16:31). ... The phrase the Bosom of Abraham is used in the Christian Bible. ...

Common Christian beliefs

Hell is simplified in Christianity as comprising the souls of those who died without accepting Christ, God or repenting sin, although beliefs on these categories differ among Christian denominations. Some consider the fate of righteous people who lived before the time of Christ (thus being non-Christian) a complication, especially for the many righteous Jews of the Old Testament. In some traditions, these people are said to have gone straight to Heaven despite not being Christians because Christ had not yet come and gone. In other traditions, they had to wait in Limbo until the Harrowing of Hell during the three days between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. Christ is the English term for the Greek word (Christós), which literally means The Anointed One. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. ... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh to refer to its canon, which corresponds to the Protestant Old Testament. ... Christ is the English term for the Greek word (Christós), which literally means The Anointed One. ... This article is about the theological concept. ... The Harrowing of Hell is a doctrine in Christian theology referenced in the Apostles Creed and the Athanasian Creed (Quicumque vult), which states that Jesus descended into Hell. ...

Medieval illustration of Hell in the Hortus deliciarum manuscript of Herrad of Landsberg (about 1180)

According to Western Christian beliefs, the Devil and his angels (demons) who reside in hell along with the souls of those who sin, however this doctrine is not part of Eastern Orthodox teachings. Yet, Matthew 25:41 mentions the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (878x1172, 644 KB) Hortus Deliciarum - 12th century Hell (Hölle) Artist: Herrad von Landsberg (about 1180) File links The following pages link to this file: Hell ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (878x1172, 644 KB) Hortus Deliciarum - 12th century Hell (Hölle) Artist: Herrad von Landsberg (about 1180) File links The following pages link to this file: Hell ... Hell, as illustrated in Hortus deliciarum. ... Herrad of Landsberg Selfportrait from Hortus deliciarum, ca. ... The Devil is the name given to a supernatural entity who, in most Western religions, is the central embodiment of evil. ... The Archangel Michael by Guido Reni wears a late Roman military outfit in this 17th century depiction An angel is a supernatural being found in many religions. ... “Fiend” redirects here. ... Eternal can refer to: The British R&B group Eternal Eternals, the Marvel Comics characters created by Jack Kirby The eternity puzzle The concept of eternity The philosophical notion of the incorporeal, or immaterial realm. ...

Concerning the fire, some scholars^{[attribution needed]} speculated that the idea came from the fire consecrated to some Pagan deities like Adramelech, Moloch, etc., to whom children were sacrificed by throwing them into the flames; but other scholars, more recently, speculated that, since Hell is considered an underground place, fire was associated with volcanic eruptions; the idea that volcanoes could be gateways to Hell was present in the mind of the ancient Romans, and later of Icelanders and other European peoples. Some claim that the conditions thought to prevail in Hell are influenced by the generally hot, dry climates found in the cradlelands of Judaism, Christianity and Islam alike; these observers point to the fact that the equivalent of Hell in Norse mythology, known as Niflheim, is pictured as a cold, foggy place (the name itself meaning "home of the fog"). A scholar is either a student or someone who has achieved a mastery of some academic discipline, perhaps receiving financial support through a scholarship. ... Look up pagan, heathen in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This entry incorporates text from the public domain Eastons Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897. ... Molech Moloch, Molech or Molekh, representing Hebrew מלך mlk, (translated directly into king) is either the name of a god or the name of a particular kind of sacrifice associated historically with Phoenician and related cultures in north Africa and the Levant. ... For other uses, see Volcano (disambiguation). ... A gate is a point of entry to a space enclosed by walls, or an opening in a fence. ... The term Roman religion may refer to: Ancient Roman religion Imperial cult (Ancient Rome), Sol Invictus Mithraism Roman Christianity Category: ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Christianity percentage by country, purple is highest, orange is lowest Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Norse or Scandinavian mythology comprises the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people, including those who settled on Iceland, where the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... Niflheim (Land of Mists) is the realm of ice and cold in Norse mythology. ...

Medieval imagination added cauldrons inside which people will be "cooked" forever by demons and Christian demonology acquired a "terrifying" aspect concerning imagery of Hell. Medieval theologians were keen to portray all manner of hideous tortures, designed to inflict horrific pain upon the eternally-damned inhabitants of Hell. Three-legged iron pots being used to cater for a school-leavers party in Botswana. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Torture is defined by the United Nations Convention Against Torture as any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he...

More recently and to some theologians, the idea of an underground Hell gave place to the conception of an abstract spiritual status in an also intangible plane of existence, which is sometimes associated to a site in an unknown point of the universe or also abstract, but tradition continues referring to Hell as "down", meanwhile religion refers to it as the place of eternal punishment and torment, far from God's presence (2 Thessalonians 1:9). For the opening number of Fiddler on the Roof, see Tradition (song). ... Look up Punishment in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Epistles to the Thessalonians, also known as the Letters to the Thessalonians, are two books from the New Testament of the Christian Bible. ...

Terms for hell

Words in the Bible translated as "hell"

The words "sheol" (Hebrew), "hades" (Greek), "gehenna" (Greek, from Hebrew), and "Tartarus" (Greek) are sometimes translated as "hell." In Hebrew, Sheol (שאול, Shol) is the abode of the dead, the underworld, the common grave of mankind or pit.[1] In the Hebrew Bible, it is a comfortless place beneath the earth, beyond gates, where both the bad and the good, slave and king, pious and wicked must go... Hades, Greek god of the underworld, enthroned, with his bird-headed staff, on a red-figure Apulian vase made in the 4th century BC. For other uses, see Hades (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... In classic Greek mythology, below Heaven, Earth, and Pontus is Tartarus, or Tartaros (Greek Τάρταρος, deep place). ...

Greek hades derives from the same Indo-European root as English hell, which in pre-Christian polytheism was the gloomy place of the dead and often of torment. Gehenna is the inferno, a place of eternal destruction. Tartaros is the abyss, the lowest part of hell reserved for fallen angels. // Inferno means a large fire in general or hell in particular; it derives from Latin infernus, meaning hell, underworld ( beneath). ...

The Greek words "Hades" and "Gehenna" are both translated into the word "hell," though the concepts are dissimilar. Martin Luther, for example, translated the word "Hades" five times as the German word for "hell" (Hölle) (for example Matthew 16:18), and twice as "the dead," twice as the "world of the dead," and once as "his kingdom" (all in German). "Gehenna" was translated by Martin Luther eight times as "hell" (for example: Matthew 5:22,29,30; 18:9; Mark 9:43,45; and so on) and four times as "hellish." In Norse mythology the underworld was a cold, monotonous place, which was commanded by the goddess Hel. The place was called Hel, too. Hades, Greek god of the underworld, enthroned, with his bird-headed staff, on a red-figure Apulian vase made in the 4th century BC. For other uses, see Hades (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Hades, Greek god of the underworld, enthroned, with his bird-headed staff, on a red-figure Apulian vase made in the 4th century BC. For other uses, see Hades (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Norse or Scandinavian mythology comprises the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people, including those who settled on Iceland, where the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... In Norse mythology, Hel (sometimes Anglicized or Latinized as Hela) is the queen of Hel, the Norse underworld. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Niflheim. ...

Newer translations of the Bible translate "Hades" or "Sheol" into the words "world of dead," "underworld," "grave," "crypt" or similar, but many still translate the word "Gehenna" into the word "hell." In Hebrew, Sheol (שאול, Shol) is the abode of the dead, the underworld, the common grave of mankind or pit.[1] In the Hebrew Bible, it is a comfortless place beneath the earth, beyond gates, where both the bad and the good, slave and king, pious and wicked must go...

The word "Hades" of the New Testament is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word "Sheol" of the Old Testament (Acts 2:27, Psalms 16:10). What happens in Hades, or rather Sheol, Ecclesiastes tells us: "for in the Sheol, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." (Ecclesiastes 9,10) and "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten." (Ecclesiastes 9:5; see also Psalms 89:49; 139:8; Numbers 16:30). "The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the Sheol and raises up." (1 Samuel 2:6). This article is about the Christian scriptures. ... “Hebrew” redirects here. ... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh to refer to its canon, which corresponds to the Protestant Old Testament. ... Ecclesiastes, Qohelet in Hebrew, is a book of the Hebrew Bible. ... In Hebrew, Sheol (שאול, Shol) is the abode of the dead, the underworld, the common grave of mankind or pit.[1] In the Hebrew Bible, it is a comfortless place beneath the earth, beyond gates, where both the bad and the good, slave and king, pious and wicked must go...

Geenna (or Gehenna) was an earthly place used as a metaphor for the eternal destruction of evil. It comes from Hebrew and means "Gorge of Hinnom (Ge-Hinnom)." This gorge can still be visited today near Jerusalem. In the time of the Old Testament it was a place where children were sacrificed to the Ammonite god Molech (2 Kings 23:10). That cultic practice was, according to the Old Testament, imitated by King Solomon in the 10th Century B.C.E. and under the leadership of king Manasseh in the 7th Century B.C.E. and in times of crisis until the time of exile of the Jews in Babylon (6th Century B.C.E.). The prophet Jeremiah, who condemned that cult strictly, called the valley the "gorge of killing" (Jeremiah 7:31-32; 19:5-9). Gehenna became later a central garbage dump, to stop the practice of child sacrifice. At the turn of the 1st Century C.E. the gorge was used also to burn the dead bodies of criminals after their execution. The image of burning dead bodies probably inspired Jewish, and later Christian theologians to translate that place into the word "hell." This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh to refer to its canon, which corresponds to the Protestant Old Testament. ... Moloch or Molech or Molekh representing Hebrew מלך mlk is either the name of a god or the name of a particular kind of sacrifice associated historically with Phoenician and related cultures in north Africa and the Levant. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The sea of fire after the last tribunal in Revelation 20:14 isn't translated into the word "hell," but sometimes gets the connotations of "hell." In that sea of fire are thrown the beast, the devil, the false prophet, and Hell (Hades) itself, along with evil-doers, according to Revelation 20:12-15.

In 2 Peter 2:4^[2] a deep, dark dungeon reserved for certain fallen angels is referred to as Tartarus and often translated as hell. In classic Greek mythology, below Heaven, Earth, and Pontus is Tartarus, or Tartaros (Greek Τάρταρος, deep place). ...

Other terms

"Perdition" (roughly "loss") can refer to the loss of the soul or to hell itself, where "lost souls" are punished. Those who aren't "saved" by Christ are said to be lost.

"Inferno" (from Latin "lower" or "underground") sometimes means hell but is now used more often to refer to fiery destruction in general than hell in particular.

Eastern Orthodoxy

"A Monster from Hell". A 19th-century Russian hand-drawn lubok.

The Greek tradition has hell in the sense of an underworld where the dead await resurrection, but the damned are thrown into the fire on Judgment Day, not at death. The Eastern Orthodox Church teaches that both the elect and the lost enter into the presence of God after death, and that the elect experience this presence as light and rest, while the lost experience it as darkness and torment.^[3] The Orthodox see this doctrine as supported by Scripture and by the patristic tradition. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 671 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (806 × 720 pixel, file size: 93 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)A Monster from Hell. A 19th-century Russian hand-drawn lubok. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 671 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (806 × 720 pixel, file size: 93 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)A Monster from Hell. A 19th-century Russian hand-drawn lubok. ... In Russian, Lubok (Cyrillic: Лубок) stands for: The bark of tilia, which had a variety of uses in Russia. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Eastern Orthodox Church (including Bulgarian...

The afterlife for the damned is dreadful anticipation of Judgment Day, while the elect happily await the resurrection of the dead. The Eastern Orthodox pray for the dead, and they believe that sometimes a lost soul can be saved after death through the prayers of the living.^{[citation needed]}

Roman Catholic

Existence of Hell

Hell is defined by the Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraph 1033):

'We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely against him, against our neighbor or against ourselves: "He who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."610 Our Lord warns us that we shall be separated from him if we fail to meet the serious needs of the poor and the little ones who are his brethren.611 To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God's merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self- exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called "hell." '

In the words of Pope John Paul II, "The images of hell that Sacred Scripture presents to us must be correctly interpreted. They show the complete frustration and emptiness of life without God. Rather than a place, Hell indicates the state of those who freely and definitively separate themselves from God, the source of all life and joy".^[4] An earlier catechism, however, describes the suffering of those in hell in more traditional terms, as fiery "punishment" rather than as "self-exclusion" from God.^[5] Official papal image of John Paul II. His Holiness Pope John Paul II, né Karol Józef Wojtyła (born May 18, 1920 in Wadowice, Poland), is the current Pope — the Bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church. ...

The idea of hell as a place, in traditional Catholic circles, has been promoted in recent years by the publication of the purported visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima, Portugal in 1917. Mary is supposed to have revealed a vision of hell as a "great sea of fire."^[6] Many Catholics point out that the Magisterium of the Catholic Church does not require Catholics to give credence to any private revelation, though the vision has been declared worthy of belief. It is also suggested that these visions (if true) are using imagery that uneducated people might understand (the seers of Fatima were peasant children). Our Lady redirects here. ... Fatima may refer to: Fatima (name) a female personal name (see that article for a list of other people with the name) Fatima Zahra, daughter of prophet Muhammad, and wife of Ali, the 1st Imam of Shia Islam. ... Magisterium (from the Latin magister, teacher) is a technical ecclesiastical term in Catholicism referring to the teaching ability and authority of the Pope and those Bishops who are in union with him. ... Seers is a short-lived rock band from the early 90s. ...

Hell and Purgatory

Catholicism, unlike other forms of Christianity, asserts the existence of purgatory. In theological terminology, "purgatory" is a separate and distinct term from "hell". It is possible to loosely describe purgatory as "a temporary hell", or as "a temporary period in hell", but these statements would, strictly speaking, be using Catholic terminology incorrectly. Illustration for Dantes Purgatorio (18), by Gustave Doré. Purgatory refers to the Catholic doctrine of the the final purification of the elect which states that, all who die in Gods grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they...

Going to Hell

As the Catholic Church teaches that Christians must believe in the existence of hell, it has been the standard belief of Catholics that certain people go to hell. However, Catholics are not required to believe that anyone will actually be condemned to hell, a point which Cardinal Murphy O'Connor has reiterated in recent years: It is non-standard, but not heretical, for Catholics to believe that all souls ultimately reach heaven (if necessary after purgatory). From this viewpoint, the suffering described in Biblical passages of those condemned for their sins is interpreted as purgatory. His Eminence Cormac Cardinal Murphy-OConnor, (born August 24, 1932) is an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, currently serving as Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales. ... Heresy, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a theological or religious opinion or doctrine maintained in opposition, or held to be contrary, to the ‘catholic’ or orthodox doctrine of the Christian Church, or, by extension, to that of any church, creed, or religious system, considered as orthodox. ... Illustration for Dantes Purgatorio (18), by Gustave Doré. Purgatory refers to the Catholic doctrine of the the final purification of the elect which states that, all who die in Gods grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... Illustration for Dantes Purgatorio (18), by Gustave Doré. Purgatory refers to the Catholic doctrine of the the final purification of the elect which states that, all who die in Gods grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they...

Protestant

Hell as depicted in Hieronymus Bosch's triptych The Garden of Earthly Delights (cca 1504).

In most Protestant traditions, Hell is a place originally designed by God for placement of the Devil (i.e. Lucifer, Beelzebub, or Satan) and fallen angels. Hell is said to be the final dwelling place of every soul that did not obey God before the incarnation of Jesus or after His crucifixion. Hell is described by many different symbols in the Bible: "outer darkness," "abyss," "lake of fire," "eternal fire." Jesus spoke about Hell (usually Gehenna) more than any other person in the Bible, stating that those in Hell will receive God's holy judgment for an eternity based on their earthly deeds (Acts 17:30-31,Rom. 2:1-11, Rev. 20:11-15) and that tt is a place of everlasting punishment and separation from God (2 Thes. 1:8-10, Jude 1:7, Luke 16:24, Matt. 25:30,46). Download high resolution version (502x1274, 184 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (502x1274, 184 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Hieronymus Bosch, (latinized; also Jeroen Bosch or his real name Jeroen van Aken) (c. ... The Raising of the Cross, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp A triptych (from the Greek tri- three + ptychē fold) is a work of art (usually a panel painting) which is divided into three sections, or three carved panels which are hinged together. ... The Garden of Earthly Delights is the center panel of a triptych by Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Satan frozen at the center of Cocytus, the ninth circle of Hell in Dantes Inferno. ... Lucifer, as depicted in Collin de Plancys Dictionnaire Infernal (1863). ... Gustave Dorés depiction of Satan from John Miltons Paradise Lost Satan, from the Hebrew word for adversary (Standard Hebrew: , Satan; Tiberian Hebrew ; Koine Greek: Σατανάς Satanás, Persian: , Satanás; Aramaic: , ; Arabic: , , Geez: , Turkish: Şeytan), is a term that originates from the Abrahamic faiths, being traditionally applied to... The Annunciation - the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Jesus (El Greco, 1575) An angel is an ethereal being found in many religions, whose duties are to assist and serve God. ... The soul, according to many religious and philosophical traditions, is the self-aware essence unique to a particular living being. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Their punishment, though eternal and irrevocable, is said to be proportional for all who are punished according to the deeds of each soul. On judgment day all the dead judged by their deeds(Revelation 20:12-13), and there will be better and worse fates for those who are punished(Matthew 10:15, Matthew 11:24).

The parable of the beaten servants (Luke 12:47-49) refers to different degrees of punishment, but the story doesn't specify whether those being punished are the elect, the damned, or both and whether the punishment takes place after death, on Judgment Day, or both.

While Orthodox and Catholic traditions include punishments in hell of differing degrees as deserved by the damned, Protestants sometimes depict hell as ultimate or infinite and therefore not subject to moderation. An extreme expression of this idea is found in the fire-and-brimstone sermons of Jonathan Edwards, especially Sinners in the hands of an angry God. Fire and brimstone is a motif in Christian preaching that uses vivid descriptions of hell and damnation to encourage the listeners to fear divine wrath and punishment. ... Jonathan Edwards (October 5, 1703 – March 22, 1758) was a colonial American Congregational preacher, theologian, and missionary to Native Americans. ... Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God was one of the most famous of all fire-and-brimstone sermons, first preached by Jonathan Edwards, a prominent Calvinist minister, in Enfield, Connecticut, in 1741. ...

Protestants have sometimes rejected the doctrine of invincible ignorance, agreeing with Augustine that unbelievers with no chance to hear the gospel are damned to hell for original sin. Vincible ignorance is, in Catholic ethics, ignorance in a moral or doctrinal matter that could have been removed by diligence reasonable to the circumstances. ...

Protestants generally reject Luther's doctrine of soul sleep in favor of the majority view, particular judgment, according to which the damned go to hell immediately upon death. Soul sleep is a belief held by some Christians claiming that between death and the resurrection of the dead, the body and soul rest together in unconsciousness. ... In Christian eschatology, particular judgment is the doctrine that immediately after death the eternal destiny of each separated soul is decided by the just judgment of God. ...

Other Christian views of Hell

Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ...

Adventist

Seventh-day Adventists do not believe the wicked suffer for all eternity in hell, but instead accept Luther's soul sleep doctrine in addition to a final punishment by fire for the wicked. By accepting Jesus Christ's death on one's behalf, individuals are reconnected to God and will have eternal life. Those who choose not to be reconnected to God, the Source of Life, have by default chosen death. Adventists believe that depictions in the Bible describing punishment for the wicked by fire describe the final fate of sinners after the second coming of Christ. Soul sleep is a belief held by some Christians claiming that between death and the resurrection of the dead, the body and soul rest together in unconsciousness. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... This article refers to the religious usage of the term. ...

At the second coming, Christ will resurrect the righteous who have died and take them to heaven with the living righteous. God will kill the unrighteous leaving only Satan and his fallen angels on earth. After a millennium, Christ will again return to earth together with the righteous and the "Holy City" (the New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:10). Christ will then resurrect the wicked, who will surround the New Jerusalem along with Satan. At this point God will permanently destroy Satan, his angels, and wicked humanity by fire. The Adventist view of hell is often referred to as annihilationism. Fallen Angels (1991) (ISBN 0743435826) is a Prometheus Award-winning novel by science fiction authors Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, and Michael Flynn. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Revelation This article is about prophecy. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Annihilationism

Adherents of Annihilationism (sometimes referred to as Conditionalism), believe in the existence of hell, but deny the idea of hell continuing to exist for all eternity. Annihilationists/Conditionalists reject the idea of the immortality of the soul, and assert that after undergoing a certain amount of punishment, the souls of the wicked will be annihilated. Others believe there is no conscious Hell at all but the word refers to the decay of Earthly remains in the ground. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Conditional immortality, or conditionalism, is the Christian doctrine that the human soul is naturally mortal, and that immortality is granted by God as a gift. ...

Christian Science

Christian Science defines "Hell" as follows: "Mortal belief; error; lust; remorse; hatred; revenge; sin; sickness; death; suffering and self-destruction; self-imposed agony; effects of sin; that which 'worketh abomination or maketh a lie.'" (Science and Health with Key to the Scripture by Mary Baker Eddy, 588: 1-4.) Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, written by Mary Baker Eddy, is the foundation of the Christian Science movement. ... Mary Baker Eddy Mary Baker Eddy (born Mary Morse Baker July 16, 1821 - December 3, 1910) founded the Church of Christ, Scientist in 1879 and was the author of its fundamental doctrinal textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. ...

Latter-day Saints (Mormons)

Further information: Plan of Salvation

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the word hell is used in scripture in at least two senses. The plan of salvation as taught by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Plan of Salvation is a concept in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - the plan that the Heavenly Father created to save, redeem, and exalt humankind. ... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ... The Standard Works of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) consists of several books that constitute its open, scriptural canon, and include the following: The Holy Bible (King James version)* The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ The Doctrine and Covenants The Pearl...

First, Mormons believe in a concept of hell as a temporary state of punishment. They believe that those who refuse to accept Jesus will suffer in hell for their sins for 1000 years during the millennial reign of Christ. Righteous people, whether Latter-day Saint or not, will be resurrected and live with Christ on earth.^[7] After the 1000 years, the individuals in hell will also be resurrected and receive an immortal physical body.^[8] The LDS Church explains biblical descriptions of hell being "eternal" or "endless" punishment as being descriptive of their infliction by God rather than a unending temporal period; Latter-day Saint scripture quotes God as telling church founder Joseph Smith, Jr.: "I am endless, and the punishment which is given from my hand is endless punishment, for Endless is my name. Wherefore—Eternal punishment is God’s punishment. Endless punishment is God’s punishment."^[9] It is in this sense of the word "hell" that David prayed to the Lord, "thou wilt not leave my soul in hell".^[10] The term Mormon is a colloquial name, most-often used to refer to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). ... Millennialism (or chiliasm), from millennium, which literally means thousand years, is primarily a belief expressed in some Christian denominations, and literature, that there will be a Golden Age or Paradise on Earth where Christ will reign prior to the final judgment and future eternal state, primarily derived from the book... Look up Resurrection in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up Resurrection in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Joseph Smith, Jr. ...

Latter-day Saints also believe in a more permanent concept of hell, commonly referred to as outer darkness. It is said that very few people who have lived on the earth will be consigned to this hell, but Latter-day Saint scripture suggests that at least Cain will be present.^[11] Other mortals who during their lifetime become sons of perdition—those who commit the unpardonable sin—will be consigned to outer darkness.^[12] It is taught that the unpardonable sin is committed by those who "den[y] the Son after the Father has revealed him".^[13] However, the vast majority of residents of outer darkness will be the "devil and his angels ... the third part of the hosts of heaven" who in the pre-existence followed Lucifer and never received a mortal body.^[14] The residents of outer darkness are the only children of God that will not receive one of three kingdoms of glory at the Last Judgment. In Christianity, the outer darkness (often capitalized as Outer Darkness) is a place referred to three times in the Gospel of Matthew (8:12, 22:13, and 25:30) into which a person may be cast out, and where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Generally, the outer darkness... In stories common to the Abrahamic religions, Cain or Káyin (קַיִן / קָיִן spear Standard Hebrew Qáyin, Tiberian Hebrew Qáyin / Qāyin; Arabic قايين QāyÄ«n in the Arabic Bible; قابيل QābÄ«l in Islam) is the eldest son of Adam and Eve, and the first man born in creation... Son of Perdition can be found in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and John 17:12 and is a name commonly associated with the Antichrist and the biblical term of the Devils Advocate mentioned in 1 and 2 John. ... The eternal sin (often called the unforgivable sin or unpardonable sin) is a concept of sin in Christian theology, whereby salvation or eternal life with God becomes impossible. ... In Abrahamic religions, pre-existence is the belief that each individual human soul existed before conception, and at conception (or later, depending on when it is believed that the soul enters the body) God places one of these pre-existent souls in the body. ... Lucifer, as depicted in Collin de Plancys Dictionnaire Infernal (1863). ... In Mormon theology, there are three degrees of glory (alternatively, kingdoms of glory) which are the ultimate, eternal dwelling place for nearly all who lived on earth. ... Last Judgment. ...

It is unclear in the teachings of Mormonism whether the temporary hell during the millennium and outer darkness are physical places or if both are merely descriptions of personal states of suffering and torment. It is also unclear whether those in outer darkness will ultimately be redeemed; of outer darkness and the sons of perdition, Latter-day Saint scripture states that "the end thereof, neither the place thereof, nor their torment, no man knows; Neither was it revealed, neither is, neither will be revealed unto man, except to them who are made partakers thereof".^[15] In Christianity, the outer darkness (often capitalized as Outer Darkness) is a place referred to three times in the Gospel of Matthew (8:12, 22:13, and 25:30) into which a person may be cast out, and where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Generally, the outer darkness...

Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah's Witnesses believe the Bible presents "hell", as translated from "Sheol" and "Hades", to be mankind's common grave for both the good and the bad, whereas "Gehenna" signifies eternal destruction or annihilation, and that the idea of a place of eternal torment is something detestable to God. Scripture describing this include: In Hebrew, Sheol (שאול, Shol) is the abode of the dead, the underworld, the common grave of mankind or pit.[1] In the Hebrew Bible, it is a comfortless place beneath the earth, beyond gates, where both the bad and the good, slave and king, pious and wicked must go... Hades, Greek god of the underworld, enthroned, with his bird-headed staff, on a red-figure Apulian vase made in the 4th century BC. For other uses, see Hades (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

• "O that thou wouldest hide me in the Sheol, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!" (Job 14:3) - Job, a good man, desiring liberation from his suffering, prays to be sent to Sheol, to die. This harmonizes with the classical Jewish perspective on hell.
• "...and death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death." (Revelation 20:14) - The Greek word translated to English as "hell", Hades, is used here to signify its utter destruction since death and Hades itself cannot be tortured for sins.
• "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten...for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." (Ecclesiastes 9:5-9) - Immortality of the soul is scripturally unsound and is a requisite for the hellfire doctrine.

Jehovah's Witnesses reject the traditional concept of "hellfire". They consider particular judgment, the doctrine that one is judged and either punished or rewarded immediately after death, to be an innovation of the early Church. They do not believe the traditional concept of Hell to be supported by the Bible, and they find the Hellfire view of hell to be inconsistent with the love of God. Witnesses also do not believe in the immortality of the soul.^[16] and thus do not believe a soul can suffer eternally. In Christian eschatology, particular judgment is the doctrine that immediately after death the eternal destiny of each separated soul is decided by the just judgment of God. ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ...

Unity

The Unity Church considers the concept of everlasting physical hell to be false doctrine and contradictory to that reported by John the Evangelist. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Unity (also known as... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Names of John. ...

Charles Fillmore (August 22, 1854 – July 5, 1948), born in St. ...

Swedenborgianism

see Swedenborgianism

Universalism

Others believe that after serving their time in Hell all souls are reconciled to God and admitted to heaven, or ways are found at the time of death of drawing all souls to repentance so that Hell is never experienced. See universal salvation and the problem of Hell. This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... In comparative religion, a universalist religion is one that holds itself true for all people; it thus allows all to join, regardless of ethnicity. ... The problem of Hell is a variant of the problem of evil, aimed specifically at religions which hold both that: An omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent (all-loving) God exists. ...

Others

Molokans believe in some sort of hell while Doukhobors are open to believe anything.

Heaven, purgatory, and limbo

The opposite of hell is heaven. Just as hell is traditionally (if not doctrinally) seen as under the ground, heaven is frequently pictured as above the sky ("the heavens"). A number of Christian communities,^{[attribution needed]} notably the Catholic Church and Anglo-Catholic communities believe in the existence of purgatory, a place or state of existence where the saved are purified after death before entering into the presence of God. This concept is very different from the idea of hell. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The name Catholic Church can mean a visible organization that refers to itself as Catholic, or the invisible Christian Church, viz. ... ... Illustration for Dantes Purgatorio (18), by Gustave Doré. Purgatory refers to the Catholic doctrine of the the final purification of the elect which states that, all who die in Gods grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they...

In Roman Catholic tradition (but not doctrine), Limbo is the afterlife for those who cannot be placed in either heaven nor hell, such as unbaptized babies and the righteous who died before Jesus Christ's crucifixion. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... This article is about the theological concept. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... Christ is the English term for the Greek word (Christós), which literally means The Anointed One. ...

Notes and References

1. ^ What the Bible says about Death, Afterlife, and the Future, James Tabor
2. ^ BibleGateway.com footnotes this here. Retrieved on August 26, 2006.
3. ^ Heaven, Hell, and the Afterlife According to the Bible, an Orthodox account
4. ^ July 28, 1999 statement of Pope John Paul II concerning the topic of Hell
5. ^ "Those are punished in hell who die in mortal sin; they are deprived of the vision of God and suffer dreadful torments, especially that of fire, for all eternity...The souls in hell are beyond all help...The souls in hell do not have supernatural faith. They believe, however, the truths revealed by Almighty God, not with divine faith, but because they cannot escape the evidence of God's authority...The punishment of hell is eternal." A Catechism of Christian Doctrine, Revised Edition of the Baltimore Catechism, St. Anthony Guild Press, New Jersey (1949), pp144, 145
6. ^ "Our Lady showed us a great sea of fire which seemed to be under the earth. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves together with great clouds of smoke, now falling back on every side like sparks in a huge fire, without weight or equilibrium, and amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repulsive likeness to frightful and unknown animals, all black and transparent." Lucia Santos: Fatima, In Lucia's Own Words, The Ravengate Press, Still River Massachusetts (1995), p104
7. ^ LDS Church. “Chapter 46: The Last Judgment”, Gospel Principles, 294.
8. ^ Doctrine and Covenants 88:100-101.
9. ^ Doctrine and Covenants 19:10-12.
10. ^ Psalms 16:10.
11. ^ Moses 5:22-26.
12. ^ LDS Church. “Chapter 46: The Last Judgment”, Gospel Principles, 294.
13. ^ LDS Church, Guide to the Scriptures: Hell; see also Doctrine and Covenants 76:43-46.
14. ^ Doctrine and Covenants 29:36-39.
15. ^ Doctrine and Covenants 76:45-46.
16. ^ http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2001/7/15/article_01.htm