The Fire That Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment

by Edward William Fudge

Overview

While carefully examining the complete teaching of Scripture on the subject of Final Punishment, Fudge defends the view that the destiny of the unsaved will be final destruction, rather than eternal conscious torment in hell as defended by the traditional view. The 3rd edition of this meticulous and compelling book takes a close look at the traditionalist critics, and brings an overview of developments in the last thirty years.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780718892708
Publisher:	The Lutterworth Press
Publication date:	10/25/2012
Edition description:	3rd ed.
Pages:	420
Product dimensions:	6.80(w) x 9.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Edward William Fudge is a Christian theologian, Bible teacher, author, and, formore than twenty years, a practicing attorney. He maintains an international internet ministry at www.EdwardFudge.com.

Table of Contents

Foreword to Third Edition—Richard Bauckham

Foreword to First Edition—F. F. Bruce

Foreword to Second Edition—John W. Wenham

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Introduction

1. Rethinking Hell: Apostasy or New Reformation?

2. Back to the Bible: The Protestant Principle

3. Souls: Immortal or Otherwise

4. Aionios: Duration, Quality, or Both?

5. Sheol/Hades: Gravedom?

6. Divine Justice: When?

7. Divine Justice: Historical Examples

8. Divine Justice: Messiah and the End

9. Diversity: Apocrypha and Dead Sea Scrolls

10. Diversity: Pseudepigrapha

11. Jesus: Fire (Gehenna)

12. Jesus: Fire (Gehenna Not Named)

13. Jesus: Fire (Parable of the Sheep and the Goats)

14. Jesus: Fire (Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus)

15. Jesus: Non-fire Images

16. Golgotha: Judgment Revealed (1)

17. Golgotha: Judgment Revealed (2)

18. Thessalonians

19. Galatians and Corinthians

20. Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians

21. Hebrews, James, Acts

22. 1–2 Peter, 1–3 John, Jude

23. Revelation

24. Apostolic Fathers and Their Successors

25. The Apologists: A Fire That Torments

26. Apokatastasis: A Fire That Purifies

27. Arnobius to Augustine

28. Augustine’s Case for Unending Torment

29. Middle Ages to Reformation


30. John Calvin: Psychopannychia

31. An Old Tradition Questioned

32. Roots of the Current Recovery

33. The Evangelical Recovery Continues

34. A Kinder and Gentler Traditionalism

35. Refreshing the Memory

36. Afterword

Bibliography

Index of Authors

Index of Scriptures and Other Ancient Documents

Editorial Reviews

"I commend this book warmly. It is likely to remain a standard work to which everyone engaged with this issue will constantly return."Richard Bauckham, Emeritus Professor of New Testament Studies, University of St Andrews"The Fire That Consumes has long been recognized as one of the most thorough and compelling statements available of the view that the destiny of the unsaved will be final destruction rather than eternal torment. In this new edition, Edward Fudge provides extended engagement with traditionalist critics and an overview of developments in the last thirty years ensuring that it will remain a definitive work on the issue for years to come."John R. Franke, Theologian in Residence, First Presbyterian Church of Allentown"The Fire That Consumes covers wide territory and, as such, it will no doubt continue to serve students of theology in a variety of contexts hoping to gain an introduction to this vast topic. Furthermore, Fudge's work is rooted in a plethora of secondary sources such as biblical commentaries, patrological works, and systematic theologies, which will no doubt serve researchers who wish for a place to begin."Jason Radcliff, in The Expository Times, Vol 124, No 9"Fudge's book is an important contribution to Evangelical scholarship because of his detailed outline of the dissonance between the traditional view and the biblical passages which discuss the final punishment of the wicked. Fudge's work would be a welcome addition to any college course which seeks to delve into the biblical and historical data concerning the doctrine of final punishment."Stephen J. Crupi, Cedarville University, in Theological Book Review, Vol 25, No 2"Fudge has left no stone unturned...Fudge engages what seems to be every possible source. These include the entire Christian history, John Calvin and, of course, those scholars who agree with him. He also argues with all those scholars who, in recent years, have disagreed on the fate of the unsaved...This book should be of great interest to evangelical Christians who are concerend about the issue of hell and the fate of those who are not saved. Those who may be less interested for reasons of being universalists or taking the biblical texts less literally will still take pleasure in following Fudge's zealous case."Doreen M. Mc Farlane, Reviews in Religion & Theology, vol 22, issue 1, January 2015

From the Publisher

Fudge has left no stone unturned…Fudge engages what seems to be every possible source. These include the entire Christian history, John Calvin and, of course, those scholars who agree with him. He also argues with all those scholars who, in recent years, have disagreed on the fate of the unsaved...This book should be of great interest to evangelical Christians who are concerend about the issue of hell and the fate of those who are not saved. Those who may be less interested for reasons of being universalists or taking the biblical texts less literally will still take pleasure in following Fudge's zealous case.

Reviews in Religion and Theology, vol 22, issue 1, January 2015 - Doreen M. McFarlane

Fudge's book is an important contribution to Evangelical scholarship because of his detailed outline of the dissonance between the traditional view and the biblical passages which discuss the final punishment of the wicked. Fudge's work would be a welcome addition to any college course which seeks to delve into the biblical and historical data concerning the doctrine of final punishment.

Theological Book Review, Vol. 25, No.2, 2013 - Stephen J. Crupi

'...The Fire That Consumes covers wide territory and, as such, it will no doubt continue to serve students of theology in a variety of contexts hoping to gain an introduction to this vast topic. Furthermore, Fudge's work is rooted in a plethora of secondary sources such as biblical commentaries, patrological works, and systematic theologies, which will no doubt serve researchers who wish for a place to begin...'

The Expository Times, Vol. 124, Number 9, June 2013 - Jason Radcliff