The Hell There Is: An Exploration of an Often-Rejected Doctrine of the Church

“Of all the theological errors commonly held today, the most popular is surely the denial of the doctrine of hell.” —Msgr. Charles Pope Even self-described Christians question whether God would consign anyone to hell. Msgr. Pope explains this false perception: “If it exists at all, it is largely empty, except perhaps for a few serial killers or genocidal maniacs like Hitler.” People who adopt this belief are ignoring Jesus’s teachings that instruct the exact opposite. In The Hell There Is, Msgr. Pope defends the doctrine of hell against doubters and skeptics. The reader will learn how God has largely been refashioned and trivialized in much of modern thinking. The God of Scripture has been replaced by the “Jesus I know,” who would never impose demands on anyone. As in the past, those nowadays who invent their own god engage in idolatry. By denying the existence of hell, they choose a false god who is indifferent to their spiritual condition over the true God who makes demands on those He desires to save. Msgr. Pope argues persuasively why hell plays a central role in God’s plan of salvation, based on a detailed examination of the scriptural evidence. A thorough explication of the teachings of Jesus on hell provides a convincing refutation of commonly heard claims that He never spoke about eternal punishment. Important questions about hell are answered completely based on sources from both Scripture and Tradition, including theologically sound insights from Dante’s Inferno. Through this edifying book, readers will come to better understand, and renew belief in, the doctrine of hell.