Perhaps no modern church dogma has been more destructive to the mission of Jesus, created more atheists, or generated more religious trauma than that of eternal conscious torment (ECT) for the non-believer.
The present volume brings together experts in their fields to take the reader on a historical, philosophical, and theological journey to deconstruct this harmful doctrine.
Along the way, the reader will be not only offered compelling pathways to reconstruct a biblical perspective of 'final punishment,' but ways to heal and move beyond the dire impact of ECT indoctrination.
What are people saying about Deconstructing Hell?
“I first learned about hell in Catholic school when I was in third grade. The nun was surprisingly graphic. For the next several years, I was terrified of God and had reoccurring nightmares of being sent to hell. I could not understand how we could say “God is love” if God is capable of inflicting never-ending pain on people! I now consider the teaching that hell involves eternal conscious suffering (ECS) to be a monstrous assault on God’s good character and an affliction on the psyche to all who come to believe it, which is why I am excited to recommend Deconstructing Hell. Each of the remarkable essays in this impressively diverse collection deconstructs ECS from a different perspective in a compelling way. The sooner this nightmarish teaching is laid to rest, the better!”
—Gregory Boyd, God of the Possible, Is God to Blame, Cross Vision
“Deconstructing Hell insightfully shows that the common idea of hell as eternal conscious torment is unbiblical, makes God immoral, and causes trauma in people. This work examines the biblical material, the theology behind hell, the range of alternative views, and, importantly, the serious damage belief in hell has had on people. It shines a bright light on this hideous teaching and will help people move away from a dark, fear-based religion towards the true God who deeply cares for everyone.”
—John Sanders, The Openness of God, The God Who Risks
“In Deconstructing Hell, each author has made a valuable contribution to the discussion of a “hot topic” that has divided many. Thankfully, these voices bring more light than heat to the matter. Maybe because it’s hard to argue with orthodoxy and Scripture.”
—Steve McVey, The Secret of Grace, Gracewalk
Deconstructing Hell is a “hell of a book!” Like a prism, it presents and challenges images of eternal torment from a variety of perspectives—theological, historical, psychological, spiritual, and autobiographical—and from a variety of voices—scholarly, lay, ministerial, female, and male. It asks hard questions and does not give ready-made answers. This is a book for questioners and seekers, for persons from whom the doctrine of eternal torment is an insult to the vision of a loving God and a source of terror and alienation. This book challenges the belief that God needs hell to be just, and that God’s love is compatible with torture. Beyond doctrines of the divine abuser so dear to certain strains of conservative Christianity is the open and relational God to whom all hearts are open, and all desires known, the one whose love companions us in life and death and beyond, and whose love never ends for each and all of us.
—Bruce Epperly, The Elephant is Running, Messy Incarnation
