Two Views of Hell: A Biblical & Theological Dialogue (Spectrum Multiview Book Series) - Softcover

Edward William Fudge; Robert A. Peterson

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0830822550 ISBN 13: 9780830822553

Publisher: IVP Academic, 2000

Synopsis

Hell is real and terrible. It is the fate of those who reject God. Evangelicals agree about this unhappy truth. Yet on some questions about hell disagreements arise. Some evangelicals believe the wicked will experience perpetual, conscious torment after death. Others argue that the wicked will experience a limited period of conscious punishment and then they will cease to exist. In this book you will find an irenic yet frank debate between two evangelical theologians who present strong scriptural and theological evidence for and against each view. Both make a case that their view is more consistent with Scripture and with the holy and just nature of a loving God. Robert Peterson defends the traditional view that those who do not have faith in Christ will suffer eternally in hell. Edward Fudge advocates the conditionalist perspective that after a period of suffering, the unfaithful will experience a complete extinguishing, or annihilation, of existence. In addition, each author presents a rebuttal to the viewpoint of the other. Here is a dialogue that will inform and challenge those on both sides, while impressing on all the need for faithful proclamation of the gospel of deliverance from sin and death.

About this title

About the Author:

Edward Fudge is a theologian and practicing lawyer based in Texas. He is the author of The Fire That Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment.

Robert A. Peterson (Ph.D., Drew University) is professor of systematic theology at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. His books include Getting to Know John's Gospel, Hell on Trial, Calvin's Doctrine of the Atonement, Why I Am Not an Arminian (with Michael D. Williams) and Hell Under Fire (coedited with Chris Morgan.

From Publishers Weekly:

Two distinguished authors convincingly present their opposing views on hell. Introductory remarks on both traditionalism (the belief that the wicked suffer in hell for eternity) and conditionalism (the belief that the wicked are punished by God and then destroyed) set the stage for the authors' in-depth studies. Edward Fudge, a practicing lawyer and theologian (The Fire That Consumes: The Biblical Case for Conditional Immortality) argues on behalf of conditionalism, drawing from a study of Old Testament figures, Jesus' teachings on hell, the writings of Paul and other New Testament verses and explanations. Robert Peterson (professor of theology at Covenant Theological Seminary and editor of the Presbyterian) responds from the traditionalist perspective, as his previous book's title (Hell on Trial: The Case for Eternal Punishment) would suggest. Peterson provides readers with the positions of early Church Fathers and exegeted verses, and offers an overall theological look at why traditionalism is biblically sound. Each section ends with the other author debating the preceding arguments, contributing to the "dialogue" of the book. Throughout the text, both authors do their level best to dismantle the other's arguments. Professionals, seminary students and well-educated laity will find much to mull over here, though the average reader may consider the continual bantering somewhat tedious. (May)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: IVP Academic
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0830822550
• ISBN 13: 9780830822553
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 228