by Chris Date & Phil Fernandez
What does the bible teach about hell? In hell do the damned experience eternal conscious torment or are they annihilated? Phil Fernandes affirms the “traditional” view of a fiery torture chamber whereas Chris Date defends the proposition that God will destroy people in the fire. Obviously, I have a bias on this subject, having examined the many biblical texts that proclaim the wicked will vanish like smoke, be cut off, be no more, be destroyed, and perish. Even so, how do we deal with the two or three difficult texts that talk of an eternal fire or an eternal punishment? Listen in and hear one of the best conditional immortality apologists present a strong case for annihilationism while ably fielding objections and questions from Fernandes and the audience. For more resources by Chris Date, check out rethinkinghell.com: a site that has a spectacular podcast that I highly recommend.
I my opinion Chris’ defense of the destruction of the unsaved won the day. I was disappointed by Phil’s appeal to the logical fallacy of an appeal to authority, the authority of gentiles who imported pagan concepts into the early church. Immortality is given to those in Christ, and it logically follows that those not in Christ do not receive the gift of eternal life. God’s invites us to reason with Him, not the early church fathers.