A Brief History of Hell
Before we begin our examination of the arguments given against hell, it will be helpful to trace the development of eschatological thinking, from the earliest recorded speculations about the next world to contemporary attitudes. In this historical prelude we will chronicle the interplay of the various motifs--justice, love, punishment, and reformation--which characterize the modern debate. We will discover that both belief in and denial of hell have ancient pedigrees, and that the philosophical motivations for contemporary positions find their genesis in arguments of centuries past.
Hell The Logic Of Damnation
Genuine concern about hell seems to be lost in our past, along with powdered wigs and witch trials. Although the doctrine has held a significant place in most traditional theology, probably no part of the Christian creed has been so widely abandoned, especially by theologians. Recently, however, there has been renewed interest in the doctrine, and theologians have been pressed to deal with it. Jerry L. Walls argues in this book that some traditional views of hell are still defensible and can be believed with intellectual and moral integrity. Focusing on the issues from the standpoint of philosophical theology, Walls explores the doctrine of hell in relation to both the divine nature and human nature. He argues, with respect to the divine nature, that some traditional versions of the doctrine are compatible not only with God's omnipotence and omniscience, but also with a strong account of His perfect goodness. The concept of divine goodness receives special attention since the doctrine of hell is most often rejected on moral grounds. In addition, Walls maintains that the doctrine of hell is intelligible from the standpoint of human freedom, since the idea of a decisive choice of evil is a coherent one. Finally, the book addresses ontological questions: what is the nature of the suffering in hell? Is it only psychological and emotional, or does it also include a physical dimension? Informed by historical theology and Biblical interpretation, as well as philosophical theology, Walls concludes by arguing that the traditional doctrine of hell should not be abandoned unless the case against it is clear and compelling, both scripturally and philosopically. Because it involves claims of such immense importance, he continues, regardless of whether it is reclaimed of discarded, it cannot be responsibly ignored.
An Essay on the Nature and Significance of the Normative Nature of Economics
It is conventional in economics to distinguish between the normative and the positive. The normative has to do with goodness and badness, and with what ought and ought not to be done;1 and the positive has to do with objective description and/or explanation, with what is and with what is necessary given some normative end. The normative has to do with desirability; the positive has to do with truth (in the sense of either descriptive accuracy or serviceability of a means to a given end).2