Priest explains why there is no hell

[Paulwat]

Pretty much his views are exactly what I believe. This is a nice and interesting video.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Pretty much his views are exactly what I believe. This is a nice and interesting video.

Is this an Orthodox priest? Or a Catholic priest? Or some other kind of priest? The video didn’t seem to specify.

 

[PloverWing]

I recognize the speaker's face. He is the Rt. Rev. John Spong, who served as the Episcopal bishop of Newark (northern New Jersey) from 1979-2000.

CF participants may recognize Bishop Spong's name, even if they don't know his face. He was a very liberal theologian, and many on CF will disagree with much of what he believed. I disagree with many things that he wrote. But he also had some insightful things to say, and he did important work within the Episcopal church that I am grateful for. In his role as bishop, I saw him act with great compassion towards the people in his care.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I recognize the speaker's face. He is the Rt. Rev. John Spong, who served as the Episcopal bishop of Newark (northern New Jersey) from 1979-2000.

CF participants may recognize Bishop Spong's name, even if they don't know his face. He was a very liberal theologian, and many on CF will disagree with much of what he believed. I disagree with many things that he wrote. But he also had some insightful things to say, and he did important work within the Episcopal church that I am grateful for. In his role as bishop, I saw him act with great compassion towards the people in his care.

Thank you for identifying this person.

 

[Servus]

Pretty much his views are exactly what I believe. This is a nice and interesting video.

I did a little sleuthing. This video is of an interview retired Episcopal bishop John Shelby Spong did with Keith Morrison of Dateline NBC back in August of 2006.

 

[Lost4words]

There is Hell as the Bible says so!

 

[Clare73]

Pretty much his views are exactly what I believe. This is a nice and interesting video.

So who you gonna' believe. . .this "priest" or the Lord Jesus?

"As for me and my house we will believe the Lord" (Josh 24:15) Jesus in Mk 9:43-48.

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out (where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched). If your foot. . .your eye cause you to sin. . .cut it off. . .pluck it out... it is better to enter life crippled. . .(or) the kingdom of God with one eye. . .than to be thrown into hell where. . .the fire is not quenched."

 

[FreeinChrist]

ADVISOR HAT

This thread was moved from General Theology as this topic belongs here and not there. ​

 

[Servus]

So who you gonna' believe. . .this "priest" or the Lord Jesus?

"As for me and my house we will believe the Lord" (Josh 24:15) Jesus in Mk 9:43-48.

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out (where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched). If your foot. . .your eye cause you to sin. . .cut it off. . .pluck it out... it is better to enter life crippled. . .(or) the kingdom of God with one eye. . .than to be thrown into hell where. . .the fire is not quenched."

Just for clarification Jesus actually said "Gehenna" not "Hell".

 

[Clare73]

Just for clarification Jesus actually said "Gehenna" not "Hell".

But you aren't you saying that Gehenna and Hell do not refer to the same thing, right?

 

[Servus]

But you aren't you saying that Gehenna and Hell do not refer to the same thing, right?

I'll say there are different scholastic schools of thought on that.

 

[eleos1954]

Pretty much his views are exactly what I believe. This is a nice and interesting video.

a "burning hell does not exist" ... hell is the land of of dead (the grave) ... a dormant sleep .... all wait there until they are resurrected .... ALL will be resurrected one day ... the 1st unto everlasting life .... the second to everlasting death (the 2nd death)

 

[chevyontheriver]

Just for clarification Jesus actually said "Gehenna" not "Hell".

Gehenna is far worse than Sheol. The worm doesn't even die. The fire doesn't go out.

 

[Clare73]

Gehenna is far worse than Sheol. The worm doesn't even die. The fire doesn't go out.

Sheol is the location of the dead, where there are two places for humans:

1) Hades - fire of Sheol
2) Pardadise - blessings of Sheol

 

[BobRyan]

Pretty much his views are exactly what I believe. This is a nice and interesting video.

Retired Bishop/Priest of the Episcopal/Anglican church

Makes a great case for the idea that if you ignore enough details in the Bible then there is no limit to the Bible teachings one can reject.

Just ignore the details and you can believe almost any idea that you wish to promote.

 

[timothyu]

There is Hell as the Bible says so!

Hell is the grave, hence death. Jesus defeated it

 

[PloverWing]

The "Weekly" video above is a reasonably good, representative interview of Bishop Spong. The bishop said some things in the interview that I agree with and some things I disagree with. He included a brief biographical story of trying to be a good pastor to the people in his diocese. All quite consistent with my impressions of him, as summarized in my post #3 above.

 

[Matt5]

I'm not sure his explanation is that great. See the AI summary below.

Hell as a place for eternal punishment is only associated with the return of Jesus. Let that sink in.

What would be eternal punishment at the time Jesus returns? Could Isaiah 24 provide the answer? Here, the Lord lays waste to the planet. Billions of people will be in serious pain for days as they lay dying. If your pain level is 10, then every second lasts an eternity.

Grok AI summary of video:

• Denial of Hell's Existence: The priest rejects the concept of hell as a place of eternal punishment, viewing life after death as unrelated to reward or punishment.
• Religion as a Control Mechanism: Religions use guilt, heaven, and hell to control populations, with hell depicted as a fiery torment to instill fear throughout Christian history.
• Hell as a Church Invention: While many religions include reward/punishment ideas, the church amplified hell's imagery for greater control.
• Call for Personal Growth: People don't need to be "born again" as children but to mature, accept responsibility, and grow up, as the church resists controlling independent adults.
• Critique of Exclusivist Theology: The idea that accepting Jesus as personal savior is the sole path to avoid hell is dismissed; every denomination claims ultimate authority, but truth isn't confined to human creeds or books.
• God Beyond Human Religions: God isn't Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc.; religions are human constructs to approach God's mystery, not define it. The priest honors his tradition but sees it as a pointer, not a boundary.
• Humans as Emerging, Not Fallen: Humanity's issue isn't original sin but unrealized potential; people are "emerging" and need to learn full humanness.
• Christ's Role in Empowerment: Jesus empowers individuals to realize deeper human potential, rather than rescuing sinners from damnation.
• Redefining Salvation: Salvation should focus on enhancing humanity, not escaping it.
• God Unfolding Through Consciousness: Life is wondrous; God evolves through human awareness and self-consciousness, not as a distant parental figure.
• Belief in Eternity: Despite rejecting traditional afterlife views, the priest believes in sharing God's timeless eternity due to connection to something beyond time and space.