Roman Catholicism Christian views on hell

1 roman catholicism

1.1 nature of hell
1.2 hell place or state
1.3 nature of suffering in hell
1.4 visions concerning hell

roman catholicism

medieval image of hell in hortus deliciarum of herrad of landsberg (c. 1180)


nature of hell

the catechism of catholic church which, when published in 1992, pope john paul ii declared sure norm teaching faith , defines hell eternal fiery punishment refusing love god:

we cannot united god unless freely choose love him. cannot love god if sin gravely against him, against our neighbor or against ourselves: not love remains in death. hates brother murderer, , know no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. our lord warns shall separated him if fail meet serious needs of poor , little ones brethren. die in mortal sin without repenting , accepting god s merciful love means remaining separated him ever our own free choice. state of definitive self-exclusion communion god , blessed called hell. jesus speaks of gehenna of unquenchable fire reserved end of lives refuse believe , converted, both soul , body can lost. jesus solemnly proclaims send angels, , gather... evil doers, , throw them furnace of fire, , pronounce condemnation: depart me, cursed, eternal fire! teaching of church affirms existence of hell , eternity. after death souls of die in state of mortal sin descend hell, described (in quotes) eternal fire.

hell place or state

writing in 1910 catholic encyclopedia, joseph hontheim said theologians accept opinion hell within earth. church has decided nothing on subject; hence may hell definite place; is, not know. cited view of saint augustine of hippo hell under earth , of saint gregory great hell either on earth or under it. on other hand, catholic theologian hans urs von balthasar (1905–1988) said must see hell not object full or empty of human individuals, possibility not created god in case free individuals choose . catholic faith handbook youth, imprimatur of 2007, says more accurately heaven , hell not places states. capuchin theologian berard a. marthaler says hell not place .

many have in past considered hell place. have rejected metaphorical interpretations of biblical descriptions of hell, , have attributed hell location within earth, while others uphold opinion hell definite place, instead location unknown.

other catholics neither affirm nor deny hell place, , speak of place or state . ludwig ott s work fundamentals of catholic dogma said: hell place or state of eternal punishment inhabited rejected god . robert j. fox wrote: hell place or state of eternal punishment inhabited rejected god because such souls have rejected god s saving grace. evangelicals norman l. geisler , ralph e. mackenzie interpret official roman catholic teaching as: hell place or state of eternal punishment inhabited rejected god.

the catechism published pope pius x in 1908 defined hell using word state alone: hell state wicked condemned, , in deprived of sight of god eternity, , in dreadful torments.

pope john paul ii stated on 28 july 1999, that, in speaking of hell place, bible uses symbolic language , must correctly interpreted … rather place, hell indicates state of freely , definitively separate god, source of life , joy. have interpreted these words denial hell can considered place, or @ least providing alternative picture of hell. others have explicitly disagreed interpretation of pope said actual denial hell can considered place , have said pope directing attention away secondary real essence of hell.

in homily gave on 25 march 2007, pope benedict xvi stated: jesus came tell wants in heaven , hell, of little said in our time, exists , eternal close hearts love. journalist richard owen s interpretation of remark declaring hell actual place reported in many media. in catechism of catholic church (1035), on production benedict presided when prefect of congregation doctrine of faith, read: chief punishment of hell eternal separation god .

nature of suffering in hell

it agreed hell place of suffering.

the catechism of catholic church states:

jesus speaks of gehenna of unquenchable fire reserved end of lives refuse believe , converted, both soul , body can lost. jesus solemnly proclaims send angels, , gather. . . evil doers, , throw them furnace of fire , , pronounce condemnation: depart me, cursed, eternal fire!

the teaching of church affirms existence of hell , eternity. after death souls of die in state of mortal sin descend hell, suffer punishments of hell, eternal fire . chief punishment of hell eternal separation god, in whom alone man can possess life , happiness created , longs.

although catechism explicitly speaks of punishments of hell in plural, calling them eternal fire , , speaks of eternal separation god chief of punishments, 1 commentator claims non-committal on existence of forms of punishment other of separation of god: after all, god, being above merciful , loving entity, takes no pleasure in death of living, , not or predestine go there (the catholic stance god not suffering, , entities known in hell beyond doubt satan , evil angels, , suffering in hell not fire or torture, freely-chosen, irrevocable , unescapable eternal separation god , freely given love, , righteous, in heaven; church , popes have placed emphasis on potential irreversibility of mortally sinful life goes un-absolved before 1 s death, , dogma , reality of place or state of hell). interpretation catechism no means denies other forms of suffering, stresses pain of loss central catholic understanding of hell.

saint augustine of hippo said suffering of hell compounded because god continues love sinner not able return love. according church, whatever nature of sufferings, not imposed vindictive judge

concerning detailed specific nature of hell ... catholic church has defined nothing. ... useless speculate true nature, , more sensible confess our ignorance in question evidently exceeds human understanding.

in book, inventing hell, catholic writer , historian jon m. sweeney critical of ways christians have appropriated dante s vision , images of hell. in review, publishers weekly called book persuasively argued. article on same subject sweeney published on huffington post s religion page liked more 19,000 people, including anne rice.

visions concerning hell

a number of catholic mystics , saints have claimed have received visions of hell or other revelations concerning hell. during various marian apparitions, such @ fatima or @ kibeho, visionaries claimed virgin mary during course of visions showed them view of hell sinners suffering.

in bible, john of patmos in book of revelations writes seeing lake of fire beast , marked number placed.

columba of iona alleged have on several occasions been able name particular individuals said going end life in hellfire sins , accurately predicted way die before event had happened.

a story recorded cluniac monks in middle ages claimed st benedict appeared monk on 1 occasion , told monk there had been (at point in time) monk had fled monastic life go world, , ex-monk died , went hell.