Rethinking Hell Episode 128: “Is Conscious Torment of the Damned Eternal?”–Chris Date and Tony Costa Debate Hell, Part 2
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Oct 12, 2019 Chris Date debates the nature and duration of hell with traditionalist Tony Costa. They discuss biblical interpretations regarding eternal torment and conditional immortality, challenging beliefs in eternal conscious torment. The debate delves into the fate of the wicked in Revelation, different views on punishment levels in hell, and ancient Hebrew beliefs on the afterlife.
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Conditional Immortality in Matthew 25
- Chris Date argues that Matthew 25:41-46 supports conditional immortality, where the wicked are ultimately destroyed, not eternally tormented.
- He connects "eternal fire" to Gehenna, referencing Jeremiah 7:32-33, where God's enemies are slain, and their bodies consumed.
Eternal Conscious Torment in Revelation 14
- Tony Costa supports eternal conscious torment, citing Revelation 14:9-11, where the wicked are tormented with fire and brimstone, and smoke rises forever.
- He emphasizes the word "aionios," meaning forever, appearing multiple times in Revelation, signifying eternal torment.
Rebuttal: Eternal Fire as Destruction
- Date rebuts Costa's interpretation of eternal fire, citing its use in intertestamental literature like the Qumran Community Rule, where it signifies "shameful extinction."
- He argues that the New Testament authors used language as they understood it from the Old Testament, where eternal fire often meant destruction.