Member-only story
Eternal Conscious Torment: What Does The Bible Actually Say?
Toxic authority of a mistranslation
I grew up in the theological landscape where presenting the Gospel amounted to focusing on the warning (threat) of Hell and Eternal Conscious Torment.
The preaching would be defended by saying, “It’s right there in the Bible.”
made this observation about the authority we give our modern Bible translations in his response to “Homosexuality: What Does The Bible Actually Say?”
It’s amazing how we can claim a translation is “authoritative” when it implies something completely opposite, or just plain different, from the original author’s intent.
A Deeper Look
The concept of Hell is one of the most controversial and often misunderstood topics in Christian theology. Many people envision Hell as a fiery pit of eternal punishment where souls are tormented forever.
This imagery has been popularized by art, literature, and even some interpretations of scripture.
However, when we examine the Bible’s original languages and context more closely, the idea of Hell and the doctrine of eternal conscious torment (ECT) may not be as…