Catholicism on Hell

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I am sorry if this thread topic has been addressed several times before, or if I am posting it in the wrong place.

I am currently on a journey to find religious truth wherever it is to be found. Along the way I have been drawn to the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches.

However I am having a difficulty in understanding how both traditions arrived at their understandings of hell as I have been studying the Hebrew text of the old testament and Greek text of the new testament. I can see both how one could conclude that there is and one could conclude that there isnt a permanent state of suffering in the afterlife.

So my question is: From where do Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians draw their belief in an eternal hell in (Hebrew and Greek translations of) the bible?
 
Well, none of us have been to hell and back. Therefore, we have to look to the revelation provided by our creator. This revelation is documented at least in part in the bible. Beyond this, we have Tradition that contains accumulated wisdom about this revelation and offers faith sharing as a practice (Mass). On occasion, a question arises that is serious and no clear answer is available. If it is an important question that needs to be answered, the Magisterium of the Church will study the question and provide an answer.

This is a short summary of the three pillars of the Catholic Church. These are:
  1. Divine Revelation
  2. Sacred Tradition
  3. Magisterial Teaching
You can find the topic of hell is well documented in divine revelation and magisterial teaching as a dogma of the faith. This means it is totally solid and will not change.

There was a heresy at one time related to hell being only a temporary place. It is in fact a permanent place for those that are condemned.
 
Just a note on how the Church guides us in interpreting anything in the Bible. When trying to determine the truth about a particular aspect of faith (such as hell) we are to take into account ALL of the texts regarding that topic. So we can’t point to one (or two, or three) texts that may relate, we have to look at them all. This is what the Church herself does when she infallibly interprets scripture (aka dogma).

If you are interested in learning about the Catholic faith then be sure to include a copy of “The Catechism of the Catholic Church” in your reading list. The 2nd edition has a significantly improved index. That way you can look up something like hell and get not only the scriptural basis for the teaching, but also all the long history of the development of our understanding on it (Church councils, writings of Saints, etc.)

Good luck on your journey.
 
truthseeker32 said:
I am sorry if this thread topic has been addressed several times before, or if I am posting it in the wrong place.

I am currently on a journey to find religious truth wherever it is to be found. Along the way I have been drawn to the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches.

However I am having a difficulty in understanding how both traditions arrived at their understandings of hell as I have been studying the Hebrew text of the old testament and Greek text of the new testament. I can see both how one could conclude that there is and one could conclude that there isnt a permanent state of suffering in the afterlife.

So my question is: From where do Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians draw their belief in an eternal hell in (Hebrew and Greek translations of) the bible?
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‘With regard to whatever is in the Septuagint that is not in the Hebrew manuscripts, we can say that the one Spirit wished to speak to them through the writers of the former rather than through the latter in order to show that both the one and the other were inspired.’

St. Augustine

And he opened the bottomless pit: and the smoke of the pit arose, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke of the pit.

Apocalypse 9:2

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice: If any man shall adore the beast and his image, and receive his character in his forehead, or in his hand; He also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mingled with pure wine in the cup of his wrath, and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the sight of the holy angels, and in the sight of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torments shall ascend up for ever and ever: neither have they rest day nor night, who have adored the beast, and his image, and whoever receiveth the character of his name.

Apocalypse 14:9-11

And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet, who wrought signs before him, wherewith he seduced them who received the character of the beast, and who adored his image. These two were cast alive into the pool of fire, burning with brimstone.

Apocalypse 19:20

And there came down fire from God out of heaven, and devoured them; and the devil, who seduced them, was cast into the pool of fire and brimstone, where both the beast And the false prophet shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Apocalypse 20:9-10

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, they shall have their portion in the pool burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

Apocalypse 21:8

And many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth, shall awake: Some unto life everlasting, and others unto reproach, to see it alwaysl

Daniel 12:2

A fire is kindled in my wrath, and shall burn even to the lowest hell. . . I will heap evils upon the transgressors of my law, and will spend my arrows among them;

Deut. 32:22-23

Humble thy spirit very much: for the vengeance on the flesh of the ungody is fire and worms.

Ecclus. 7:19

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, immodesty, luxury, idolatry, witchcrafts, enmities, contentions, emulations, wraths, quarrels, dissensions, sects, envies, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like. Of the which I foretell you, as I have foretold to you, that they who do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21

Who of us can live with the consuming fire? Who of us can live with the everlasting flames?

Isaiah 33:14

Depart from me, come not near me, because thou art unclean: these shall be smoke in my anger, a fire burning all the day;

Isaias 65:5

And they shall go out, and see the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched: and they shall be a loathsome sight to all flesh.

Isaias 66:24

For a fire has been kindled by my wrath that will burn forever.

Jeremiah 17:4

Before I go, and return no more, to a land that is dark and covered with the mist of death: a land of misery and darkness, where the shadow of death, and no order, but everlasting horror dwelleth.

Job 10:21-22

A small selection, from a larger one. This could go on quite a bit. Having an old Douai Bible helps.
 
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