Two thoughts on hell from Bishop Barron

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Yes, it can and should be neglected. For Jesus, to speak so often of something that doesnt happen is a foolish thing to propose. I am indeed jealous of you that evil and the need for a Holy perfect loving justice to be something you can hope against. Alas the vast majority of people are still hurt by the consequence of sin. If it were possible that hell is empty from mankind then the nature of free will and the Word of God itself is a lie.
Also the declaration of canonization would of course be needless, another waste of time by God I guess. I have no idea how a Catholic who has studied history, read the Bible or cracked open the CCC or read the saints who were shown Hell could even entertain the position.
 
Of course. Why would the Church ever need to say someone was in hell. A specific person. What would She gain by doing so. On the flipside She gains much when a declaration if a saint in heaven is made. “Hey, if you want to avoid hell follow this example”

The Church is in the business of helping people achieve heaven and avoid hell. If you think on the history of mankind it is possible that not one person is in hell, well, then we dont share the same faith.
 
Hoosier-Daddy said:
If you think on the history of mankind it is possible that not one person is in hell, well, then we dont share the same faith.
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Again: why?!
All the time you are putting arguments which make sense only when it will be sure that hell is empty, but it is not sure. I personally also think that it may be pretty full. However, God loves all men and want them to be saved, so how can I neglect possibility that he is actually able to do so, even respecting our free will?

In fact I do not like to think about this matter too much. What is important is striving for your own salvation and helping those around who you should help. Rest is in the hands of God.
 
I honestly dont understand your position. Ate you saying that you actually think hell has many in it but yet also believe it to be empty? So confused and honestly frustrated by this concept…
 
I am saying that my personal feeling on this topic is that probably there are people who are damned. However, on theological ground I cannot neglect option that hell is indeed empty (at least concerning people) - so I hope that it is really the case. And certainly we can pray that God lead all to heaven.
 
Didnt our Lord say something like wide is the road to hell and narrow is the path to heaven? Not only do people in general go to hell, but it seems a vast majority of people will be in hell.

I heard someone say our Lord’s agony in the garden was not only His bearing of all sins of the world, but also His contemplation of how many souls will be lost versus saved. Not all Catholics go to heaven, but everyone in heaven is Catholic. Hard truths will change your life.
 
Here’s my thoughts on Hell, and you can take this to the bank. The danger of Hell for each one of us is a real danger. And possibly a real probability. But outside of preaching the Gospel and baptizing others I dont really have an empathy or sadness for those in hell. Why? Because I believe in a loving God. I believe God wants us to be saved and Choose heaven. I believe that God endured not only death but the worst torture of all time to make that possible. And I believe that same God, because of His love has a perfect justice. More perfect than we can imagine. And I believe that perfect God would not lie to us about hell either in His warnings, His words, His prophets, His saints or His Church. So in short those who are in hell, (and there are people there) are there BECAUSE of a perfect system of a perfect God. In short. They deserve Hell…
 
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I’m sorry, I dont mean to be disrespectful of the Bishop, or a theologian like von balthasar. But theologically hoping or thinking hell could be empty is absolutely illogical. And it holds no theological merit to me at all. Would I put myself above the theological chops of the good Bishop, or great theologians like Von b. No! But I sure know something wrong when I hear it. And there seems to be a lot of that going around these days. I blame a modern life of instant soundbites, news articles and tweets.
Niche was wrong. God is not dead. But logic may be…
 
What brings me peace is that if that were the case. It would be right loving and just.
The words of Lazarus to the rich man do not bear out any sort of injustice that he is in hell. “They have the prophets…” and we have the Church. And God has his sovereignty.
 
The fact that Jesus warned repeatedly of Hell has a corollary: he never said anyone was in Hell.
 
If no one is in Hell, then to say that it would result in an unjust heaven is to say Christ is unjust. Perhaps you might want to read von Balthazar’s book - which clearly was not universalism.

There is a great difference between holding that “every person that ever lived repented before death from sin”, and that is it possible (not likely - possible) that everyone repented.

My own personal opinion is that some didn’t; but neither do i disagree with von Balthazar. With God, all things are possible. Possible, not probable. It has been said that God is just; it has also been said that mercy trumps justice.

And I do not choose to tempt fate.
 
One more questions: If we are to hope that all souls may go to heaven, what about people who knew the truth and rejected it? Wouldn’t it be illogical to hold out that hope for them?
 
But things that are irrational wouldn’t be worth your time, I should think.
 
Theological virtues transcend reason. They nourish reason, but are not bound by it.
If we limited God to a rational evaluation of our own selves, we are in trouble.

None of us can attain heaven without the gift of grace. None of us. Hope goes beyond rationality and fulfills it. If we hope in a theological way, with God, we should hope for all people to be saved.
 
CapitalistCatholic said:
what about people who knew the truth and rejected it?
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God is the final end of man—he has nothing else to bring him beatitude. Neither men nor angels can create/engineer their own beatitude. We can only rest in Him. And that final state is what rational creatures are made for. They aren’t made for any other final end. So yes, in the liturgy, the church sometimes prays for all, in the rosary, the church prays for all, to include (maybe especially!) those “in most need of [His] mercy.”

Everyone needs love and everyone needs mercy. The reasons why folks rebel can be multifaceted, but that doesn’t change the basic human need to finally rest in God.
 
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There are some in this world who believe that life on earth is hell. That we are challenged to perfect ourselves so that when we die here we can go to heaven. That those who are not perfected and ready to enter heaven are reborn and live another life on earth. They keep doing this until they get it right.
 
I’m a big Bishop Barron fan. I’m hoping his words are saying we know people go to hell, we as humans don’t know who’s in hell. That I agree with.
 
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