Liberal theology on hell

[AChristian4Life]

Do liberal churches believe non believers go to hell if otherwise good people?

 

[dbcsf]

Do liberal churches believe non believers go to hell if otherwise good people?

C.S. Lewis had a view that hell was basically a place where there was no God. It was not especially painful. It was not a place of punishment. It was just a place where you could keep your own company without God. So, how bad is hell anyway?

Christians (liberal or conservative) generally believe that you need grace to go to heaven. Goodness is nice, and may lead people to recognizing a need for grace at some point in their lives. However, most Christians think "being good" will not get you into heaven.

I am a Presbyterian. We believe that only God really knows. So, although you or I may believe that some person is going to hell, we could be wrong. So, if a person is a Muslim, an atheist or a serial killer, who really knows? So, in answer to your question, no, I do not believe it is our call.

It is also true that many of us do not even believe particularly in hell, although many of us do.

So, why do you ask?

 

[AChristian4Life]

It is hard for me to accept the idea that a good person who is a non-believer is not treated the same. I have a hard time accepting the grace argument.

 

[dbcsf]

It is hard for me to accept the idea that a good person who is a non-believer is not treated the same. I have a hard time accepting the grace argument.

I am with you there. I have many friends and relatives who fall into that category. Theologically speaking, grace is needed. But, from a Presbyterian perspective (liberal), only God really knows.

C.S. Lewis (Anglican) again had an example of essentially a pagan (in his Chronicles of Narnia series) who followed some evil demon god.

Aslan (who represented Jesus) welcomed this pagan into the Narnia version of heaven because the pagan was very sincere and essentially followed the spirit of Aslan (while calling Aslan by the name of his demon god).

In other words, he was a good person and a non-believer (at least from outward appearances to other humans).

By extension, if you have a friend who is an atheist, Mormon, Muslim, Hindu, ax murderer, etc. who really knows?

I would qualify my answer to you by emphasizing that you did ask for a liberal viewpoint, which I have. There are obviously differing opinions of which I sense you are already aware of.

 

[AChristian4Life]

I'd be curious to know if there is an official statement from UCC on this?

 

[dbcsf]

I do not know what the UCC is. Sry.

 

[AChristian4Life]

United Church of Christ

 

[dbcsf]

Thank you. No, I have no information on the UCC.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Do liberal churches believe non believers go to hell if otherwise good people?

Define "liberal churches".

"Liberal" or otherwise, it's theology that matters in this regard; and I can't think of any denominations or theological traditions that see heaven and hell as a matter of "being good enough" or the like. It's rather a matter of grace.

Namely, our salvation is about God's grace extended to us through Christ crucified and risen from the dead, God's radical acceptance of us sinners according to the mercy He shows us through His Son, to take us who are a universally broken and disobedient people and reconcile us to Himself and restore us to wholeness in Christ.

Most mainstream churches, "liberal", "conservative" or other don't usually seem willing to make dogmatic pronouncements over things we simply cannot know. For example, we can't say that everyone who has never or is not a Christian goes to hell, that is beyond the pale of what is revealed. What we can say is that Christ is the Way to the Father, is our only source and hope of salvation, and that it is by grace alone that anyone is reconciled to God.

God alone is Judge, that isn't our place. Ours is to preach the Gospel and obey the Lord Jesus Christ.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[AChristian4Life]

I have heard it said that grace and works are not mutually exclusive and that Paul said the "works of law" do not give us grace ie: observing rituals. Perhaps acts of love & charity would help us to receive grace from God? Is there any scripture to show that God is more likely to grant us access to Heaven by being charitable?

 

[AChristian4Life]

It seems to me that we receive grace by believing but also by doing. "Who will render to every man according to his deeds" Romans 2:6

 

[AChristian4Life]

also see
Romans 2:12-16

 

[hedrick]

The problem is that liberal effectively means anything that isn't conservative, so it covers a whole range of views. But I think liberals tend to be skeptical of the view that everyone but Christians will end up in hell. The views described above are pretty common. So is real universalism. Jesus seems to teach some kind of inclusivist view, where what matters is what kind of person you are and what you do. (I don't mean works righteousness, because Jesus expects good work to come from love of God and our neighbor, not an attempt to earn favor.) Paul seems at times to suggest universalism, though he says enough things about judgement that I doubt he really holds that view. It's reasonable to think that his views are similar to Jesus', except that he speaks more of faith and Jesus more of love. (No, I don't think they contradict each other. I think they're both talking about a primary orientation that involves both faith and love of God.)

 

[Basil the Great]

For many years I either did not believe in Hell or believed it was only for the Devil and his fallen angels. However, more and more I am coming to the belief that Hell probably does exist and that some humans will probably go there. However, I do not know if this means most men and women go to Hell or only a few. Personally, I tend to like the Eastern Orthodox belief in a conditional judgement after death that is not final until the Last Judgment. Hence, this might allow for many who receive a conditional sentence of Hell to still have a chance to escape said fate.

 

[stan1953]

Do liberal churches believe non believers go to hell if otherwise good people?

Depends on the denomination I would think. The Bible says they do.

 

[asiyreh]

I was messing about on blue letter bible looking for a verse on this topic when I stumbled across this. Seems like providence so I'll just paste it for you.
I recommend praying on this for an answer.

Do Not Judge
(Luke 6:37–42&#8202
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking
(Luke 11:9–13&#8202
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow Way
(Luke 13:24&#8202
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because [fn1] narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits
(Matt. 12:33; Luke 6:43–45&#8202
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

I Never Knew You
(Luke 6:46; 13:26, 27&#8202
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Build on the Rock
(Luke 6:47–49&#8202
24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

 

[Michaeles]

Do liberal churches believe non believers go to hell if otherwise good people?

Depends on the church and the individuals in the church. Liberal churches have really diverse beliefs. So many views on this issue are held.

I think very often though, yes, liberals tend to believe that salvation is not exclusive; you don't need to be a Christian exactly to be saved. This is an inclusive view.

Some others might be universalists, believing that after long ages (maybe in hell), everyone will eventually be saved and go to heaven.

Sometimes liberals may think that all religions are valid; people of other religions are worshiping the same God. This is religious pluralism.

Some people in liberal churches may not even believe in the afterlife, or are unsure: or they may have very traditional views.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Depends on the church and the individuals in the church. Liberal churches have really diverse beliefs. So many views on this issue are held.

I think very often though, yes, liberals tend to believe that salvation is not exclusive; you don't need to be a Christian exactly to be saved. This is an inclusive view.

Some others might be universalists, believing that after long ages (maybe in hell), everyone will eventually be saved and go to heaven.

Sometimes liberals may think that all religions are valid; people of other religions are worshiping the same God. This is religious pluralism.

Some people in liberal churches may not even believe in the afterlife, or are unsure: or they may have very traditional views.

It would be worth stating that these wouldn't necessarily be unique to "liberal churches", as one could find conservative churches/Christians who believe one of these as well.

As such, "liberal" and "conservative" aren't really helpful when discussing matters of theology such as this.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[SnappleX]

Psalm 139:8 "If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there."
David was referring to Isaiah 14:9 "The grave below" - depths, or Hell as we know it. The idea behind this Psalm was that you cannot escape God rather you get Descended to the Most high World or the Least high world,

Jeremiah 23:24>> Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?
He God extends to everwhere Heaven, Hell and Earth.

As far as I understand Non-Believers are neither going to Heaven or Hell, they will simply perish with the rest.
Heaven is for the believers that did not reject Jesus as their savior and Hell is for those who DID reject Jesus as their savior

KEvery man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it 1Corinthians 3:13 shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
In other words you will be judged based on building the foundation of the Word of God. You will be judged by your works.

The idea of purgatory- a place where people go as a second chance to accept Jesus is not defined in the bible.

-- SnappleX

 

[Albion]

Do liberal churches believe non believers go to hell if otherwise good people?

Usually not. I'd be surprised if the UCC, for instance, thought so. Even Pope John Paul II suggested that those who'd never had a chance to know Jesus but were otherwise ethical and loyal to their cult, etc. could be saved by the sacrifice of Christ. That's not exactly the issue you posed for us, but neither is the Roman Catholic Church thought of as liberal.