Hell as Dehumanization

A Video of N. T. Wright

As the Public Square at Patheos hosts a conversation on the afterlife, we at the Evangelical Portal thought this presented an opportunity to reassess the doctrine of Hell.  Hell is rarely discussed in evangelical circles today, at least partly because it is a matter of some theological embarrassment.  Yet it is worth asking whether theological renewal in the evangelical churches can or should include a reassessment of the theology of Hell.  Is the doctrine of Hell something better left to the Middle Ages?  Is it a distinctly pre-modern, mythical concept that cannot stand scrutiny today?  Or is it an important part of the Christian message in the world?  If Hell is not the elaborate landscape that Dante envisioned, is there nonetheless some kernel beneath the husk that we would be wise to retain as a part of the deposit of our faith and our witness?

As it happens, Out of Ur, a blog of ChristianityToday, has begun a new series on the doctrine of Hell.  The first entry in the series features N. T. Wright, Bishop of Durham in England, one of the world's foremost New Testament scholars, and the author of such works as The Resurrection of the Son of God, Simply Christian, and Surprised by Hope. It is worth listening to.

Click here to see where the video originally appeared.

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