Hell: A Final Word [Paperback]

Edward W. Fudge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 2012

Today, hell is a front-burner topic, thanks to media attention stirred by megapastors Rob Bell, Francis Chan, and others. But, between the extremes of universal salvation and everlasting torment, there shines a third view, known as annihilationism or conditional immortality, claiming the most biblical support of all.

Now the man whose 500-page book, The Fire That Consumes, helped ignite the scholarly debate thirty years ago brings this exciting alternative viewpoint to the everyday reader in simple form. And--the story behind the book is now the subject of a feature film, ''Hell and Mr. Fudge,'' due to release in theaters in 2012 (and starring Mackenzie Astin and Keri Lynn Pratt; see hellandmrfudge.com).

While relating his own personal journey in understanding the nature of hell, Fudge leads the reader through the whole Bible to see what we have missed, then through church history to understand the origin of the other two views.

Here are the basics: Life is short. Death is sure. Judgment is certain. Hell is real. And when John

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

EDWARD FUDGE is a Bible teacher, preacher, and practicing attorney living in Houston, Texas. His internet publication, gracEmail, regularly encourages thousands of believers around the world. He!has!conducted retreats!and special Bible studies for churches of many denominations in the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand. He is the author of Hebrews: Ancient Encouragement for Believers Today, The Fire That Consumes, and other books. Edward and his wife Sara Faye have been married 44 years and have two grown children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Leafwood Publishers (June 12, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891121498
• ISBN-13: 978-0891121497
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 5.4 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,119 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Approachable, Definitive Book On Hell And Last Things June 3, 2012

By Mr. Smith

The discussion of the afterlife has become a very popular subject. Recent books like Rob Bell's Love Wins followed by Francis Chan's Erasing Hell have brought this topic to the "front burner." Believers and non-believers alike are re-evaluating their understanding of heaven and hell.

"No doubt about it ... HELL is a hot topic" (p. 11). With that opening line, Edward William Fudge joins the conversation with an unparalleled mastery of this subject. In Hell A Final Word: The Surprising Truths I Found in the Bible, Fudge steps onto the stage of this discussion as a maestro--a master director. In fact, if Fudge's scholarly, 500 page work The Fire That Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment was like Beethoven's 5th symphony, his latest project is like "Ode to Joy."

With a hopeful, good-natured, and sometimes playful tone, Fudge articulates the Bible's message. It is this: God offers eternal life to everyone, but those who reject God's offer will be completely destroyed in hell. The Bible does not teach a hell of endless conscious torment, nor a hell of purification where everyone ends up in heaven.

The voice of the author often sounds like he has a gracious smile, and a knowing twinkle in his eye. This especially comes through when he discusses the apostle's message in the book of Acts. Some advocates of the traditional view think that the fear of an endless hell is needed for successful evangelism or missionary work. Fudge shows that the evangelists in Acts focus on the resurrection of Christ, and never mention hell. With that knowing smile, he says: "One begins to suspect that the apostles motivated people with something better than fear" (p. 120).

Thoughout the book, Fudge weaves the events of his personal life between chapters that teach the Scriptures. We see Fudge as a child, struggling with the death of a friend. We move through his early Christian education, his masters in Biblical languages, and two other seminary opportunities. He even humbly reveals how his thinking had changed as he studied, being refined as he embraced the clear message of the Bible. He says: "What a mess I made. But as my friend Jeff Walling says, if there were no mess, we would not need a Mess-iah!" (p. 38).

Fudge's love for the Bible and his devotion to God is evident on every page of this book. His father taught him, "If the Bible says it, it's true, no matter what any person may say" (p. 148). His writing shows that he is faithful to his father's teaching, and is willing to challenge both tradition and popular culture when they fail to align with the plain teaching of Scripture.

I believe this book and the movie _Hell and Mr. Fudge_ have the potential to ignite a new reformation in our day. We are not done being "reformed." We do not have perfect knowledge. We have strayed from the clear teaching of Scripture on this important subject and in the process, are driving people away from the One who died and rose again to save everyone. It's time to return to the Scriptures and ask God for the message He wants us to share with the world today.

I encourage everyone to buy this book and take it to your church, small group, Bible study, or Sunday School, and discuss it together. Bring "an open Bible, and open heart, and an open mind" (p. 11). Let's see what God will do!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A fresh look at hell September 3, 2012

By Lisa notes...

If you're open to looking at all the scriptures on hell in both the Old and New Testaments with fresh eyes, Edward Fudge will guide you through them in this book.

I appreciate how he keeps verses in context, how he explains Hebrew and Greek words, and how he points out the secular influences throughout history that have affected our current interpretations.

I read his longer book, "The Fire that Consumes" several years ago, and found his research to be grounded, so I was glad to read this newer book to consolidate that research for another generation of readers in an even easier-to-read but equally thorough book.

Fudge's conclusions may not match the more popular views you usually hear, but he is in good company with them. Regardless, read and interpret for yourself what the scriptures really say (and don't say) about hell, eternal punishment, judgment, death and Hades, immortality of the soul, and more.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Non-Commercial Free August 14, 2012

By Robert V. Durough Jr.

Some books are written to be exhaustive on a subject, and others are written to be more accessible, perhaps more of an overview. Edward William Fudge writes HELL: A FINAL WORD: THE SURPRISING TRUTHS I FOUND IN THE BIBLE, his "last book on the subject" (17) of hell, conditional immortality, and annihilationism, as the latter. Those requiring more depth are encouraged to see Fudge's book THE FIRE THAT CONSUMES: A BIBLICAL AND HISTORICAL STUDY OF THE DOCTRINE OF FINAL PUNISHMENT, now in its third edition. In light of Rob Bell's controversial reigniting of a Christian universalist perspective in LOVE WINS, it seems appropriate that Fudge throw one last hat into the mix for the annihilationist perspective. Like others, he encourages his reader to ask, "'Is this what the Bible teaches?' How we might feel about hell cannot be the measure of what hell really will be" (32), noting the insistence many have in faithfully clinging to church tradition even when it seems contradictory to Scripture simply because it's what we "have always believed" (98), and therefore must be right.

Fudge provides his reader with a history of the traditionalist view of hell--never ending torment--originating in deuterocanonical texts and Greek philosophy, and effectively demonstrates in an accessible way his reason for believing, "The ultimate punishment common to all the lost will become a reality: they will cease to be. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible repeatedly warns that the wicked will 'die,' 'perish,' or be 'destroyed'" (35). Throughout, he repeats the question as to whether Scripture "[appears] to be more consistent with a fire that torments forever, a fire that purifies, or a fire that consumes" (69), hoping the reader is eventually convinced of the latter. But what makes this book special is the interweaving of his personal journey with this particular doctrine, how and why THE FIRE THAT CONSUMES was researched and written and how he has been treated because of his perspective. It does appear, however, that the true purpose of its penning is to prime the reader for the aforementioned text and plug the recently released movie HELL AND MR. FUDGE. Yet, though beginning and ending with a commercial, there is much good and convincing information in this book...and may make you want to read his larger work, too.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from ACU Press/Leafwood Publishers as part of their ACU Press Bookclub Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."