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This week I’m joined by Kristofer Gardana, and we’re talking about comments from the pope about Hell. In a recent interview, the head of the Catholic Church claimed that Hell was not “a place,” but was “a state of the heart” and “a posture towards life.” As more people misunderstand this topic, it is important to be reminded of what the Bible teaches about Hell.
STORY – Pope Francis Denies That Hell Is ‘A Place,’ Says It Is ‘A Posture Towards Life’
“In an interview to mark his 10-year anniversary, Pope Francis appeared to deny the existence of Hell, saying that ‘is not a place’ but is instead simply ‘a state of the heart’ and ‘a posture towards life.’
“The pontiff’s comments formed part of a lengthy conversation conducted by Argentinian news site Perfil, one of a number of recent interviews the Pope granted journalists to mark his decade upon the papal throne. Touching on a number of topics he discussed with other reporters, Francis also spoke about his philosophical and theological thought, along with aspects relating to global politics.
“As part of the in-depth discussion, Francis was asked, ‘What is your own interpretation of Hell and paradise, and what happens to people who go to Hell, and what happens to those who go to paradise?’
“Giving a trademark lengthy, convoluted, and somewhat evasive answer, Francis appeared to deny the existence of Hell as an actual place. ‘Hell is not a place,’ he said. ‘If one goes to attend the Last Judgment, and sees the faces of those who go to Hell, one gets scared. If you read Dante, you get scared. But these are media representations.’”
[…]
“Hell is a state, it is a state of the heart, of the soul, of a posture towards life, towards values, towards the family, towards everything. There are people who live in Hell because they seek it, there are others who do not, who are suffering. And who goes to Hell, to that Hell, to that state? They are already living from here.” (LifeSiteNews)
Sculpture from the cathedral of Vézelay depicting Jesus as the Good Shepherd who grabs Judas and puts him on his shoulders (referenced in the article):
Related material:
- Hell (sermon outline)
- Destiny of the Wicked by J. W. McGarvey
- What Happens After Death?
- Answering Basic Questions (Part 12): What Happens When We Die?
- How Could a Loving God Send Anyone to Hell?
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