The Nature of Hell: A Report by the Evangelical Alliance Commission on Unity and Truth Among Evangelicals ACUTE [Paperback]

David Hilborn (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2000

Evangelicals have traditionally held that unbelievers will be condemned without exception to eternal conscious punishment. However, increasing numbers of evangelical thinkers are declaring sympathy for conditional immortality - a position which emphasizes that God's final punishment for sin is death rather than everlasting torment and that God's promise of a re-created universe cannot be squared with the classical understanding of hell.

This is a form of the more general doctrine of annihilationism, which sees hell as a realm of destruction rather than endless retribution. For some, this shift represents a dangerous dilution of evangelical faith. For others it offers a much needed corrective to a harsh misunderstanding of God's purposes.

These and related issues are tackled in this report that aims to be biblical and pastoral and to be accessible to interested lay people as well as to theological specialists.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This report from the Evangelical Alliance examines new doctrines of annihilationism against traditional evangelical beliefs.

About the Author

David Hilborn (PhD, Nottingham University) is director of studies of the North Thames Ministerial Course, having served as head of theology for the UK Evangelical Alliance since 1997. In that role he was responsible for the publication of a number of significant books and reports on topics where evangelicals differ from each other, including reports on hell, the Toronto Blessing and homosexuality. Formerly a United Reformed Minister, David is now an ordained clergyman of the Church of England. He is married to Mia, a hospital chaplain. They have two children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 162 pages
• Publisher: Paternoster (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0953299228
• ISBN-13: 978-0953299225
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #793,059 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you've wanted to know about Hell . . ., January 27, 2003

By 

Kenneth E. Liu (McLean, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Nature of Hell: A Report by the Evangelical Alliance Commission on Unity and Truth Among Evangelicals ACUTE (Paperback)

. . . but were afraid to ask! This book is an excellent, succinct survey on the spectrum of views on the nature of hell within the Christian community. It gives a fair and objective analysis of the various positions, focusing on the traditional view and the "conditional" view (i.e, the idea that souls in hell are eventually destroyed, not tormented forever), and offers Biblically-based critiques of each position. The book addresses questions such as "What do the Old Testament and New Testaments really say about hell?" "How can a loving God allow people to suffer in hell?" "Is hell really eternal?" Although it is a tad academically-oriented (wonderfully footnoted for those who want to read more), it is still quite accessible to the aveage lay reader. This is a must-read for anyone who has ever wondered what the Bible really teaches about hell.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Biblically based, Crisp, fair to all sides., August 12, 2011

By 

Terrence O'casey (Bend, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Nature of Hell: A Report by the Evangelical Alliance Commission on Unity and Truth Among Evangelicals ACUTE (Paperback)

Having just finished Rob Bell's "Love Wins" and Francis Chan's "Erasing Hell," this quick-to-read, crisp, Biblical work is great for a sermon series, a college class, or for helping oneself understand Hell. The writers present, with fairness, various views on Hell. They also show some outstanding Christians who did not believe the orthodox view and yet were not damned to hell. Finally they conclude the book with pastoral helps.