Episode Details

We trace the evolution of the human construct “Hell” (Sheol; Hades; Gehenna; Dante’s Inferno), then talk about how hell may not be a place of eternal conscious torture by fire (the modern Evangelical version), but a transitional process intended to purify (Purgatory and Universalism).

One of the most disturbing elements of the “Good News” preached by many Evangelicals has to do with an eternal conscious torment in a fiery hell.  This element is often the reason why so many people give up that form of faith, and the reason that so many people seek psychological and pastoral help for the trauma they are experiencing and from which they are trying to recover.  Nonetheless, it’s a point that so many Evangelicals double-down upon and get so very animated about.  Think about the reaction that Rob Bell evoked when he published his book Love Wins!   Netflix still carries a great movie — Come Sunday — which centers around the deeply polarizing response that an up-and-coming Evangelical preacher experiences … from family, from members of his church, and from his denominational leaders … when he begins to question everything about eternal conscious torment in a fiery hell.

In this episode, we talk to an Exvangelical pastor (Derek Kubilus) about his book (Holy Hell: a case against eternal damnation) in which he describes discovering a deep hell-shaped well of trauma in his congregants when they asked him to teach a class on heaven and hell, and also discovering a whole new understanding of hell when he actually studied what the Bible had to say (or not say) about hell:

• some Christians seem to need there to be a hell …. they can’t tolerate the idea that there might not be a place of eternal conscious torment for people outside their tribe…. it’s a motivating ingredient in their “Good News” message
• Derek grew up Methodist …. spent time as an Evangelical …. then came back to Methodism …. obtained his Master of Divinity degree and is now vicar at a local United Methodist church in Ohio
• after doing research for the class on hell referred to above, he emerged as a committed universalist
• for thousands of