The Strong View of Hell

Abstract Before we move into the substance of this chapter, a few words of explanation about the strong view are in order. First, different pictures of hell are compatible with these theses. For example, some hold that the denizens of hell are actively tormented by fire, whereas others consider separation from certain blessings associated with heaven to be punishment enough.1 In either case, the theory is committed to the list and therefore subscribes to the strong view of hell. Second, although many Christians hold that all persons in hell receive the same punishment, this interpretation is not the only one possible. It is, however, the most demanding version to defend. I begin by considering what I call “the equal punishment version of the strong view,” which involves a commitment to (Hl)-(H4) in such a way that all persons in hell receive the same punishment. We shall investigate varieties of the strong view that do not maintain equality of punishment in hell after discussing this strong view. The third and final preliminary point about the strong view concerns a trivial way to avoid that view, which I propose to ignore here. Many Christians have maintained the doctrine of the harrowing of hell, according to which Christ, between his death and his resurrection, preached to the inhabitants of hell, securing the release of many through their faith in him and his message. This view involves a denial of the No Escape Thesis, although it is quite weak. Such Christians have also held that the harrowing of hell is a unique and unrepeatable event.