Craig Blomberg: Hell

Craig Blomberg, a conservative evangelical New Testament theologian, has given his two cents concerning the current hot topic of hell on his blog today.  First he quotes 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10a:

“He [Jesus] will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed.”

In defining “Hell” he says:

“One certainly doesn’t have to believe that the biblical imagery of outer darkness and unquenchable fire are literal descriptions of the afterlife for those who have rejected Christ; after all they’d cancel each other out if they were, as many throughout church history have pointed out.  2 Thessalonians 1:8-10a, quoted above, is an awful enough, more literal depiction—separation from God and all things good.”

Also, he appears to make room for the possibility of taking positions of Inclusivism, Annihilationism, and a certain type of Universalism (see quote below) as valid Christian positions and possible interpretations of biblical teaching.  Although, he himself does not hold to these theories (However, I can’t tell his views on inclusivism from his blog alone).

Since, the Rob Bell controversy is up and running (Love Wins), I thought I’d particularly quote Blomberg on how he addresses universalism:

“Some see hell more like the Roman Catholic notion of purgatory, in which unbelievers suffer for a period of time, perhaps commensurate with the amount and severity of their sin on earth, but ultimately are permitted to leave and go to heaven.  Others simply see God acquitting everyone on Judgment Day.  The second of these options faces insurmountable biblical texts to the contrary; the former might just barely be exegetically possible but it seems highly unlikely.”

And, here’s his answer to the question, “Does a person have to believe in hell to be saved?”

“Without wanting to be dogmatic, I think my answer would be no.  Suppose I am shopping in a used car lot and am told by an eager salesman that no matter which car I buy, I will be able to drive cross-country without anything breaking down.  Every car will get me to my desired destination.  As it turns out, only one car in the whole lot is in good enough condition for that to be a true statement but I don’t know that.  Fortunately, I purchase that one good car and my cross-country drive is successful.  I think the analogy holds in the spiritual realm as well.  I may believe someone who tells me that all roads lead to heaven, and therefore that there is no hell.  Even if only one road actually does so—following Jesus—as long as that is the road I pursue I will arrive at my desired destination, even if those in other cars or on other roads wind up in hell.

Of course, if I seriously believe that all paths in life will take me to heaven, I may have substantially reduced reason for choosing the Christian road.  I may opt for it simply because it’s what I was raised in or know best.  But it will still work, so long as I really have followed it, and continue to do so, when the going gets tough and I might be tempted to opt out for something more comfortable.”