Thinking Through the Problem of Hell: The Divine Presence Model

by R. Zachary Manis

Overview

The Christian tradition teaches that some people will suffer eternally in hell. But why? Doesn't an all-powerful God have the ability to prevent this from happening to anyone? Wouldn't a perfectly good and loving God want to prevent it? And doesn't the traditional teaching about hell function as a threat, coercing those who truly believe it? These questions convey the problem of hell, the most disturbing of all theological problems and one of the most difficult to solve. Thinking Through the Problem of Hell is a rigorous yet accessible treatment of the issue. The solution that it develops, called the divine presence model, is that heaven and hell are the various ways that the righteous and the wicked experience the presence of God after the final judgment. In its fully developed form, the divine presence model addresses a whole host of theological issues: the purpose of suffering, the meaning of salvation, the nature of free will and self-deception, and the reason that God remains partially hidden in this life, even to those who earnestly seek Him. This is a book for those who refuse pat, simplistic answers to the hardest questions of the Christian faith.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781666771459
Publisher:	Cascade Books
Publication date:	08/27/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	238
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

R. Zachary Manis is director of character formation and humanities teacher at Gravitas: A Global Extension of the Stony Brook School. He is the author of Sinners in the Presence of a Loving God: An Essay on the Problem of Hell (2019).

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“The Christian doctrine of hell is a problem for many—both believers and non-believers. Thinking Through the Problem of Hell provides a clear and persuasive case that the doctrine can be understood in a way that does justice to God’s love. R. Zachary Manis connects the problem of hell to the more general problem of why God allows evil as well as the problem of divine hiddenness. His solution draws together biblical teachings and church tradition to solve a number of pressing philosophical and theological problems.”

—C. Stephen Evans, university professor emeritus of philosophy, Baylor University



“R. Zachary Manis’s earlier book, Sinners in the Presence of a Loving God, is the most interesting and important defense of eternal hell that has appeared in some time. Unfortunately, its length discouraged the attention it deserved. This volume presents the heart of his case in a more accessible volume that deserves a wide readership.”

—Jerry L. Walls, professor of philosophy, Houston Christian University

Editorial Reviews

The Christian doctrine of hell is a problem for many—both believers and non-believers. Thinking Through the Problem of Hell provides a clear and persuasive case that the doctrine can be understood in a way that does justice to God’s love. R. Zachary Manis connects the problem of hell to the more general problem of why God allows evil as well as the problem of divine hiddenness. His solution draws together biblical teachings and church tradition to solve a number of pressing philosophical and theological problems.”

—C. Stephen Evans, university professor emeritus of philosophy, Baylor University



“R. Zachary Manis’s earlier book, Sinners in the Presence of a Loving God, is the most interesting and important defense of eternal hell that has appeared in some time. Unfortunately, its length discouraged the attention it deserved. This volume presents the heart of his case in a more accessible volume that deserves a wide readership.”

—Jerry L. Walls, professor of philosophy, Houston Christian University

From the Publisher