for THREE VIEWS OF HELL
I.O.U. – Before mid-June 2025 this page will be improved by giving it more resources & better organization that makes it more useful for people who want to invest just a little time, or more, with "levels of learning" to optimize learning for different choices-of-time. It contains educational web-resources about the views I think are plausible — Bible-based Ultimate Reconciliation (UR) and Final Annihilation (FA) — and also implausible Eternal Misery (EM).
[[ iou - soon I'll write a paragraph about the practical time-efficient "usefulness for multitasking" of web-resources you can hear: videos & podcasts, mp3's. ]]
Three Views of Hell (in audio, video, print)
The three main views are Eternal Torment (ET), Final Annihilation (FA), and Universal Restoration (UR). {these terms are used in this page, although a variety of different terms are used in the edu-resources}
Below, some of the resources I recommend are read-able (in web-pages or books) and some (with audio or video) are hear-able, maybe starting with...
• Podcast 4 of Rethinking Hell (it's 42:05 but you can make it faster & thus shorter) with Glenn Peoples describing The Case for Annihilationism in three Bible-based principles. Principles 1 & 2 are strong reasons to reject Eternal Misery (EM), and – as he explains at 17:56 – to accept either Final Annihilation (FA) or Universal Restoration (UR), although he (like many other proponents of FA) ignores this for #1. He thinks there is more evidence for FA, as explained briefly at 19:33 and in depth with Principle 3. / a summary: He thinks Principles 1 & 2 are reasons to reject EM and accept FA-or-UR, while Principle 3 is a reason to accept FA instead of UR.
• plus a “three views” talk by Steve Gregg; it's my favorite, is described (along with information about him) below.
Among the Christians who reject Eternal Misery, many believe Final Annihilation (FA) and many believe Universal Restoration (UR). Why is there disagreement? Because the evidence seems ambiguous. In the whole Bible and in specific verses, we see strong support for FA (but UR has counter-arguments) and also strong support for UR (but FA has counter-arguments).
TALKS explaining Multiple Views
Preston Sprinkle has a Part 1 (with strong evidence for each view) and Part 2 (with reasons for his own view, Annihilation). He is a scholar-teacher-writer, who edited the book "Four Views on Hell" that's described below.
Steve Gregg did a guest presentation of “three views” for a church in 2019, with video {1:33} (or mp3 audio) plus additional Q-and-A {1:15}. Steve presents strong cases for the views I'm calling Final Annihilation (FA) and Universal Restoration (UR), but is necessarily weaker for Eternal Misery (EM) because it's difficult – actually impossible, I think – to present strong Bible-based arguments to support EM. Near the end of his bio-page (click the link and search the page for "hell") he says EM "seems to be the weakest of the three views, from the standpoint of biblical exegesis" and (certainly in 2012 & 2019, afaik in 2025) he was "still in the process of deciding between the two alternatives to the traditional view" of EM, because "neither [FA nor UR] provides a thorough refutation of the other." / Steve is not a pastor; he is an excellent Bible teacher (one of the best, I think) with a daily radio show (1 hour of Q&A with callers) and website with a fascinating bio-page plus links for a wide variety of topical lectures plus his 2 comic books (he is author & artist) and 4 books based on his deep knowledge of the Bible. In 2013 he was interviewed by Chris Date for Rethinking Hell. / He also did an earlier 2-part series that also is very good, but overall I think 2019 is better. Here is what I wrote (in 2015) about his earlier talks: You can hear (online or after download) two talks {mp3 - 1:07:05 & 1:03:59} by Steve Gregg about Three Views of Hell – beginning with an overview (in Part 1 until 33:31), followed by details about Eternal Misery, and ending (in Part 2 from 24:12 onward) with descriptions of Final Annihilation and Universal Reconciliation. Steve occasionally discusses these ideas with other Christians in one of his many forums, but “what will happen in hell” isn't a major focus of his ministries. {1:10:29} and in 2019 he did a post-talk discussion with Steve Vaughn of Chocolate Bayou Worship Center.
BOOKS explaining Multiple Views
Here are two excellent books.
[[ iou – before mid-June I'll revise this paragraph. ]] Four Views of Hell – edited by Preston Sprinkle – has one chapter arguing for each view (by Danny Burk, John Stackhouse, Robin Parry, Jerry Walls) followed by responses to criticize each chapter, but no counter-responses; published by Zondervan. [[Gregg's book is excellent, but overall I think this probably is the best book – in "a close call" – when all things are considered. / from Rethinking Hell, respectful-yet-critical interviews (by Chris Date) of the editor & all 4 authors: Sprinkle — Burk-EM — Stackhouse-FA — Parry-UR — Walls-ProtestantPurgatory — plus a written review of the chapter by Robin Parry. / Sprinkle thinks that Robin Parry has a very good summary of UR, re: what it is and isn't, plus evidence for it. ]]
Why Hell? – Three Christian Views of God's Final Solution for the Problem of Sin (by Steve Gregg) is an excellent summary (comprehensive, yet easily readable) of pros-and-cons for the 3 views. You can read reviews, and buy the book, at ChristianBooks & Amazon. As explained above, Steve tries to describe the best biblical evidence that supports each view, and asks "tough questions" about each view, and responds with the best answers that a proponent of each view can offer.* I think the overall result is strong cases for two views (Annihilation, Restoration) but weaker for Etenal Misery because the biblical evidence for EM is weak. (i.e he doesn't have much to work with, for EM. {* For example, regarding an extremely important question – will God give opportunities to repent after death? – Steve describes, on page 260, the absence of clear biblical support either "affirming" or "denying" this possibility.} / note: The title claiming "All You Want to Know..." was chosen by the publisher (for marketing), not by Steve, as he explains in this interview.
ULTIMATE RESTORATION (= purgatorial Ultimate Restoration)
Defenders of Ultimate Restoration (UR) make podcasts & videos – useful for listening while multitasking – and write web-pages:
UR versus PSA: One of my theological pet peeves is illustrated in 3 web-pages about Tim Keller & Hell, written by the founders of GodsLoveWins.com (and
David Artman -- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkeEDeKL0_fGxCyBE8bLMbpBSzKPnSeib
Purgatorial Hell FAQ by Stan Patton, explains purgatorial Universal Reconciliation (pUR).
Keith DeRose (Professor of Philosophy at Yale) explains Universalism and the Bible: The Really Good News.
Experimental Theology has a series of articles by Richard Beck, about universalism (search his homepage for "recon") including A Summary Defense and FAQ and Why I am a Universalist and Why I Rejected Annihilationism.
Reforming Hell by Alex Smith – has his articles plus links to websites of Key Proponents including Dr Robin Parry - interacting with The Bible Project -
Thomas Talbott -
William Barclay (he was Professor of Divinity & Biblical Criticism at Glasgow University) explains why he was A Convinced Universalist. [[also his claims about kolasin]]
God's Love Wins wants to "provide a safe venue for the Body of Christ to explore the hope, desire, and inkling that the redemptive love of God in Christ may be bigger and more powerful than we've been allowed to believe." (about us - what we believe (and the real reason) - many excellent articles including tough questions for EM and Annihilation versus Reconciliation) (sitemap-index of articles) / a “sister site” is Christian Universalism with an Intro to Christian Universalism → Evangelical Views On Hell - What Universalism is NOT - Rejecting A Christless “Universal-ISM” - What about Annihilationism? - and more.
MercyForAll.com
Tentmaker (early, comprehensive)
BIBLE-PASSAGES that support pUR: I've seen many pages with many verses (from both the New Testament and Old Testament) supporting pUR. In early 2021, I'll review these and will select those I think are worth reading or hearing.
Evangelical Universalist is a forum with discussions (live & in archives) and many resources.
VIDEOS – You can find many on youtube. So far my favorites are:
Grace Saves All (by David Artman) – a playlist with 30 videos, total time = 9 hours, 59 minutes. (half that long at 2x speed)
The Orthodox Universalist – with playlists for
Total Victory of Christ (many fairly short videos & including a 5-part series explaining why "aion" (in Greek) doesn't mean "everlasting" (in English) & 29 links to videos by others) and explaining how God could produce UR by using sin-consuming divine fire, plus brimstone, in a Baptism by Fire to purify-from-sin in The Lake of Fire that is The Second Death;
Tommy's Truth Talk – a series of short videos with good summaries, often quoted from others;
Robin Parry (in many talks & interviews, including "Gospel Conversations" in 4 lectures - Introduction Narrative Hermeneutics Practical) where in "xxxx" he explains how God often used a two-part process by telling Israel (thru His prophets) that first He would bring judgement on them, then later He would restore them; Universalism in St Paul (summary of chapter of Thomas Talbott, done by Dr Rob Fitterer, it's long {1:52} and good);
George Sarris (homepages for book & youtube) has many videos – author of Heaven's Doors (website & promo video) – a variety (most short, plus 14:29, 59:48), summary (33:00), conference (A Door Standing Open), interviews (by Eric Metaxas; on "God Talk") on "God Talk" plus (non-UR) dramatic readings of The World's Greatest Stories. debate - The Gospel of Relentless Love (46:03) -
David Bentley Hart ideas, with interviews (hiett, secular,...) & reviews of his book (by greene/jersak,...);
and to a series by Melissa of Love-Covered Life (many great ideas, along with a few questionable claims, re: NDE's and NewAge-ish ideas);
now, before I make more links here, by searching in youtube you can find these (re: David, by Melissa) and others; and later I'll link to other videos I've already found, and will find new ones worth seeing/hearing.
websites for FINAL ANNIHILATION
Rethinking Hell is (I think) the best website to explain-and-defend Annihilationism,* with plenty of valuable high-quality resources (text - audio - video) to explore when you click links. [iou - in late-February 2022, I'll have more description-with-links about them] / * But they call their view Conditional Immortality (or Conditionalism, or evangelical Conditionalism) even though this name is logically incorrect.
also: HELL - Eternal Torment or Complete Annihilation? (web-page & audio) by Jeremy K. Moritz - his article is especially useful for examining the character of God if He would cause Eternal Torment, but (like me) Jeremy doesn't think He will do this: WWJD – What Will Jesus Do?
Hope Beyond Hell - a website by Gerry Beauchemin offers his book for free in the 256-page long version (audio or pdf or kindle) or 48-page short version (pdf) or cheap printed-book (from website or Amazon) with internet-updates and other resources.
Raising Hell - a website by Julie Ferwerda offers her book as a free pdf and (thru Amazon) inexpensive kindle or paperback. (book is mainly-ok, but elsewhere maybe – but i'll be checking it before omitting the "yes" – some questionable theology?)
regarding my links to HBH and RH: In many sections of this "extras" page, I link to specific parts of Gerry's book, Hope Beyond Hell (HBH). For each link the URL takes you to a specific page if your PDF-reader is working properly; if not, Adobe's PDF Reader will do this. For example, pages 21-31 should take you to page 21 of the book. Similarly, for the book by Julie – Raising Hell (RH) – my link to "pages 145-155 of RH" should send you to page 145; if not, you can get there quickly by using "go to".
The Inescapable Love of God (by Thomas Talbott) and
The Evangelical Universalist (by Robin Parry, aka Gregory MacDonald).
Defining Justice: Richard Beck compares two kinds of biblical justice – if God will cause Eternal Torment or Purgatorial Universal Reconciliation. / more from Richard Beck: Justice with Eternal Torment and Universalism & about George Macdonald and Beck's Universalism (in a Summary & FAQ & links and in other parts of his website)
Justice and Righteousness: In the Bible, the same Greek word (dikaios) is used for justice and for a righteousness that is right-useness, that restores things (people, relationships, thinking,...) to the way they should be, the way God wants them to be. The concept of biblical justice — in a process of loving justice — is explored in excellent pages from GodsLoveWins.com (& christianuniversalism.com) — A B C D E — and by other authors — Daniel Hill & Fred Clark & Evangelical Universalist (forum) & Oxford Biblical Studies & others — that {iou} I will search for, and will link to, as part of my wider study of these claims about connections between biblical justice-and-righteousness.
Martin Luther's letter about After-Death Repentance