Hell in Catholic theology: Difference between revisions
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#REDIRECT [[Hell in Christian beliefs#Roman Catholicism]] |
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[[Image:Hortus Deliciarum - Hell.jpg|thumb|200px|Medieval illustration of Hell in the [[Hortus deliciarum]] manuscript of [[Herrad of Landsberg]] (about 1180)]] |
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Hell is defined by the Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraph 1033): |
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:''We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely against him, against our neighbor or against ourselves: "He who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."610 Our Lord warns us that we shall be separated from him if we fail to meet the serious needs of the poor and the little ones who are his brethren.611 To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God's merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self- exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called "Hell."'' |
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The [[Catechism of Saint Pius X]], an earlier Catechism still used by Traditionalists, is much more literal : |
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''Hell is a state to which the wicked are condemned, and in which they are deprived of the sight of God for all eternity, and are in dreadful torments.'' (Question 1379) <ref>[http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource.php?n=474 LESSON THIRTY-SEVENTH: On the Last Judgment and the Resurrection, Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven]</ref> |
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The Catholic Encyclopedia also states: that "theologians generally accept the opinion that Hell is really within the earth. The Church has decided nothing on [the location]; hence we may say Hell is a definite place; but where it is, we do not know."<ref>[http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:VrEDdc6mFpoJ:www.newadvent.org/cathen/07207a.htm+%22Hence+theologians+generally+accept+the+opinion+that+hell+is+really+within+the+earth.+The+Church+has+decided+nothing+on+this+subject%3B+hence+we+may+say+hell+is+a+definite+place%22&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a]</ref> |
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Presently the Roman Catholic Church teaches that neither Heaven nor Hell is, in the proper sense, a place, created or uncreated, and that each is a question of one's personal relationship with the [[Trinity]].<ref>Heaven "is neither an abstraction not a physical place in the clouds, but a living, personal relationship with the Holy Trinity. It is our meeting with the Father which takes place in the risen Christ through the communion of the Holy Spirit" ([http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_21071999_en.html Pope John Paul II on 21 July 1999]); "Rather than a place, Hell indicates the state of those who freely and definitively separate themselves from God, the source of all life and joy." ([http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_28071999_en.html Pope John Paul II, 28 July 1999]</ref> |
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Roman Catholic teaching asserts that "the 'heaven' or 'happiness' in which we will find ourselves is neither an abstraction nor a physical place in the clouds, but a living, personal relationship with the Holy Trinity. It is our meeting with the Father which takes place in the risen Christ through the communion of the Holy Spirit";<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_21071999_en.html Pope John Paul II, Audience Talk, 21 July 1999;] cf.[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/2010/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20100815_assunzione_en.html Homily by Pope Benedict XVI on 16 August 2010.]</ref> and hell is not a place but a person's condition, "the state of those who freely and definitively separate themselves from God, the source of all life and joy":<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_28071999_en.html Pope John Paul II, Audience Talk, 28 July 1999]</ref> "(the) state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called 'hell'."<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P2O.HTM Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1033]</ref> The Roman Catholic Church thus explicitly denies that heaven is "up in the sky" and hell is "in the earth ... is a place created". |
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==Hell as separation from God== |
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In agreement with those who hold that hell is separation from God, the Roman Catholic Church declares that, while Scripture uses the image of place in relation to eternal damnation, what is really involved is a state of self-exclusion from God.<ref>"The images of hell that Sacred Scripture presents to us must be correctly interpreted. They show the complete frustration and emptiness of life without God. Rather than a place, hell indicates the state of those who freely and definitively separate themselves from God, the source of all life and joy. This is how the Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes the truths of faith on this subject: 'To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God's merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called "hell"' (n. 1033)" ([http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_28071999_en.html Pope John Paul II]).</ref> The Roman Catholic Church too teaches that God does not cut anyone off from himself, and that the non-physical separation from God of those in hell is only a self-exclusion on their own part.<ref>"Hell indicates the state of those who freely and definitively separate themselves from God, the source of all life and joy" ([http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_28071999_en.html Pope John Paul II, 28 July 1999]</ref><ref>"Vatican officials said that the Pope — who is also the Bishop of Rome — had been speaking in 'straightforward' language 'like a parish priest'. He had wanted to reinforce the new Catholic catechism, which holds that Hell is a 'state of eternal separation from God', to be understood 'symbolically rather than physically'" ([http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article1572646.ece The Times]).</ref> God's love is for all human beings, including sinners.In the West Hell is described as self-exclusion from communion with that universal love,<ref>"To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God's merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called 'hell'" ([http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P2O.HTM Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1033]).</ref> as cutting oneself off from love. In Western belief, therefore, hell is not "a place"; and whatever torments are suffered, "they are not imposed by a vindictive judge"<ref name=Marthaler>[http://books.google.com/books?id=TY3-aZIo9HEC&pg=PA211&dq=marthaler+augustine+compounded&hl=en&ei=kJxyTIbiPMvGswbDjdm5Bg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=falseBerard L. Marthaler, ''The Creed'' (Twenty-Third Publications 2007 ISBN 978-0-89622-537-4), p. 211]</ref><ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=aqwXZMeuJkoC&pg=PA176&dq=%22vindictive+judge%22+hell+Catholic&hl=en&ei=3pdyTO2kL4WCswaQ6tS5Bg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22vindictive%20judge%22%20hell%20Catholic&f=falseZachary J. Hayes, in ''Four Views on Hell'' Zondervan 1996 ISBN 0-310-21268-5), p. 176]</ref> Saint [[Augustine of Hippo]] said that the suffering of hell is compounded because God continues to love the sinner who is not able to return the love.<ref name=Marthaler/> |
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Pope John Paul II declared that, while Scripture uses the image of place in relation to eternal damnation, what is really involved is a state of self-exclusion from God.<ref>"The images of Hell that Sacred Scripture presents to us must be correctly interpreted. They show the complete frustration and emptiness of life without God. Rather than a place, Hell indicates the state of those who freely and definitively separate themselves from God, the source of all life and joy. This is how the Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes the truths of faith on this subject: 'To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God's merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called "Hell"' (n. 1033)" ([http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_28071999_en.html Pope John Paul II]).</ref> |
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In the words of Pope [[John Paul II]], "The images of Hell that Sacred Scripture presents to us must be correctly interpreted. They show the complete frustration and emptiness of life without God. Rather than a place, Hell indicates the state of those who freely and definitively separate themselves from God, the source of all life and joy".<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_28071999_en.html July 28, 1999 statement of Pope John Paul II concerning the topic of Hell]</ref> [[Pope Benedict XVI]], a theologian, stated that "Hell really exists and is eternal."<ref name="urlThe fires of Hell are real and eternal, Pope warns - Times Online">{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article1572646.ece |title=The fires of Hell are real and eternal, Pope warns - Times Online |format= |work= The Times|accessdate=2009-01-04 | location=London | first=Richard | last=Owen | date=2007-03-27}}</ref><ref name="urlAGENZIA SIR - BENEDICT XVI: MASS IN ROME’S PARISH CHURCH, GOD “WANTS US ALL IN PARADISE” BUT “HELL EXISTS” AND “IS ETERNAL”">{{cite web |url=http://www.agensir.info/pls/sir/V2_S2DOC_B.quotidiano?tema=Quot_english&argomento=dettaglio&sezione=&data_ora=&id_oggetto=130487&id_session=&password=&quantita= |title=AGENZIA SIR - BENEDICT XVI: MASS IN ROME’S PARISH CHURCH, GOD “WANTS US ALL IN PARADISE” BUT “HELL EXISTS” AND “IS ETERNAL” |format= |work= |accessdate=2009-01-04}}</ref> |
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==Purgatory and Limbo== |
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Catholic tradition and catechisms assert the existence of [[purgatory]], a state of existence where the saved are purified after death before entering into the presence of God. In theological terminology, "purgatory" is a separate and distinct term from "Hell." |
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In the Catholic translation of John 3:5, Jesus says "unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." This statement is interpreted to mean that those who are not baptized (which in Roman Catholic tradition removes the stain of [[original sin]]) cannot go to [[Heaven]]. In [[Roman Catholic]] tradition, [[Limbo]] is the afterlife for those who die unbaptized but are not guilty of [[mortal sin]]. Those righteous souls who died before the Crucifixion were thought to have remained in the [[Limbo of the Fathers]] until "He [Jesus] descended into Hell" to take those souls to heaven (as stated in the [[Apostles Creed]]). This teaching is also known as the [[harrowing of Hell]]. |
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Both before and after the [[Second Vatican Council]], the Catholic Church has claimed that it is possible for the non-baptized to go to heaven if the reason for their not having been baptized is "invincible ignorance" (not their own fault) and if they follow the moral law written in their hearts. It is assumed that, had they understood the necessity of baptism, they would have chosen to be baptized. This notion has been called ''[[baptism of desire]]''.{{Citation needed|date=April 2008}} |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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{{Catholicism}} |
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Revision as of 15:59, 17 November 2010
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