Monday, February 10, 2025

*** This is a rough transcript of today’s show ***

It is the 10th of February 2025. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

A very happy Monday to you. I hope you had a good Super Bowl if you observe. I think I’m going to make nachos but with tots instead of chips… great response to the mailbag show so far- and if you listened you know that I left one of the questions off the mailbag show to give it it’s own Monday slot- a question from long time listener Lindsay in Arab, Alabama. Let me paraphrase her question: How did the idea of satan develop, and why is the idea of hell so touchy? Is there a middle ground?

What’s more fun than tackling this question? A lot. But it’s an important topic, so let me give you some “church history” thoughts. First, yes, the serpent is the cunning accuser in Genesis 3, and in Revelation, the “crafty serpent of old” is referenced, making that connection for us.  

The Old Testament is notoriously shady when it comes to the afterlife, and “the accuser”- “Ha- Satan” in Job is an accuser in the divine counsel! What happens when we die? In the Old Testament (and in the New) we have two places described “outside of Abraham’s bosom”- the place of the damned and the place of the dead.

Our modern notions of satan and the afterlife see two really big things happen: first is the exile and diaspora of Jewish people in the “intertestamental” period when Persian dualism started to trickle down into Jewish and then Christian thought- the old gnostic, and Zoroastrian position of two competing powers: one good and one bad.

The second big part is the teaching of the New Testament, which, while more concrete than the Old Testament seems to teach, pretty clearly:

There will be judgement, those in Christ will be judged IN him and those who are not… well, let’s say the language surrounding the final judgement in the New Testament is metaphorical (the worm doesn’t turn, sheeps and goats and the like)- well, metaphors aren’t used for something that is completely unlike the thing you are trying to describe.

The development of the idea of the accuser as a horned man in red and the afterworld being divided into “his domain” and “Gods domain” has more to do with that Persian dualism than the new Testament which seems to teach that there is an adversary- he is powerful and dangerous, but ultimately he is “God’s Devil” and the big point of the book of Revelation is that he is not some “2nd power” but a subservient one who loses in the end.

And the language of Revelation and the New Testament says, “in Christ we are victorious” and that the choices we make in the present seem to be important. There are versions of what is called “universalism” wherein all of this is brushed away. It can be a very lazy position. Let me give you the three standard positions: the first we might call “traditional,” but I prefer “unconditional immortality”- eternal conscious bliss or punishment (but not torture... but not good!). The second we can call “conditional mortality” sometimes referred to as “annihilationism”- the idea of hell is one of a “consuming fire”- the unsaved will eventually cease to be and then there is the third position called “restorationism” that sees- after punishment and the realities of judgement- everything will be restored. This ties into a popular “hopeful” eschatology- that while we can’t say that “everyone will be saved,” we can hope.

But let me get a little more practical here- because I get this question, and Lindsay acknowledged the “Everything is Going to Be Ok” seems to... well... what does that mean? It does not mean universalism- it does not erase the just judgment of a Holy God. It means- “His ways are better than ours” and “He is a good God” and such- whatever will be, WILL be good- even if it’s a tough nut to crack in the present. If you’re a drowning person, you can wait for another boat to come or jump in the one offered you. and historically the church has been taught as (and designed as, in some cases”) the great Ark of salvation- so, get in the boat and we can discuss the finer points of theology while drying off and getting a hot drink.

Thanks, Lindsay, for letting me think on this and hopefully help clear up a little bit about “the bad place” and its marquee member (who doesn’t “run hell” like in the cartoon- but it put in it to be punished).

  

The last word for today from the daily lectionary- a very good word from Psalm 115:

All you Israelites, trust in the Lord—
    he is their help and shield.

House of Aaron, trust in the Lord—

    he is their help and shield.

You who fear him, trust in the Lord—

    he is their help and shield.

The Lord remembers us and will bless us:

    He will bless his people Israel,

    he will bless the house of Aaron,

he will bless those who fear the Lord—

    small and great alike.

May the Lord cause you to flourish,

    both you and your children.

May you be blessed by the Lord,

    the Maker of heaven and earth.

The highest heavens belong to the Lord,

    but the earth he has given to mankind.

It is not the dead who praise the Lord,

    those who go down to the place of silence;

it is we who extol the Lord,

    both now and forevermore.

 

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 10th of February 2025 brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who knows that “Brimstone” is just an archaic word for “sulfur”- he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who knows sulfur only smells when heated- and then, oooh boy… I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.