|
Hell, according to traditional Christian doctrine, is a place of eternal torment for those who do not go to heaven. Hell is also populated by Satan and the other fallen angels.
It is interesting to note that the Old Testament does not teach this doctrine of hell: while some translations of the Old Testament render the Hebrew word "Sheol" as "hell" it did not have the same connotations of torment and damnation as the Christian concept. Thus the doctrine of hell is based entirely on passages from the Christian New Testament.
Views differ on what is required for humans to be sent to hell. The traditional evangelical view is that anyone who has not been "saved" goes to hell. Most make exceptions for children who are under the "age of accountability", the point at which a child is capable of making a serious religious commitment. Many also make exceptions for people who live their entire lives without an opportunity to hear the gospel and be saved. Other Christian positions reserve hell only for willfully evil individuals.
There are several Christian denominations and belief systems that reject the traditional doctrine of hell. One such philosophy is Universalism. Christian universalists (not to be confused with Unitarian-Universalists) believe that all human beings will be saved eventually and will go to heaven to be with God. Another position is Annihilationism. This position states that hell is not a place of eternal torment, but that the souls of those who are not saved are simply "annihilated" - destroyed - rather than being tormented for eternity.
|