Black Holes are a terrifying reality in spacetime. A Black Hole is an astronomical object with a gravitational pull so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape it. The largest known Black Hole yet detected is “Phoenix A”, a Black Hole so large that it defies description – there is a video here about it.

The Biblical doctrine of Hell has faded into the background in much of the 21st century church which strives to be seeker-sensitive. I noted earlier here that Hell is figuratively under fire as more Christians abandon this doctrine in favor of either annhilationism or universalism.

Gregory Phipps, PhD, explores here intersections between scientific narratives about Black Holes and Martin Heidegger’s philosophy of ontology in Being and Time. He writes,

“Many physicists also explicate black holes by describing hypothetical descents into them, which typically include graphic portrayals of horrible deaths and even sometimes analogies to descents into hell (Susskind, 2008: 36; Impey, 2010: 177) . . . Singularities are best kept hidden behind event horizons. If they weren’t, then, in technical terms, all hell would break lose” (2012:108). Finally, Paul Davies comments that “singularities are so obscene they will always be decently clothed by black holes” (2001: 57). In these examples, the destructive and excessive capacities of singularities work in lockstep with their necessary concealment. Singularities are not merely wounds or tears in spacetime; they are hideous if not obscene reservoirs of destruction, comparable to the deepest pits of hell, which the universe does well to hide from humanity and everything else.”

Michael Fackerell wrestles here with the similarity between Black Holes and the Biblical description of Hell, noting “striking similarities between those mysterious objects of our universe called black holes and the place the Bible calls hell. In fact, the more I think about it the more convinced I am that black holes are a sobering reminder from God to us of the terrible reality of hell.”

Kristine Larsen produced an academic article here entitled “Hell is only a word. The reality is much, much worse”: Black Holes as Fantasy Gateways to Hell.” Black holes are termed a “cosmic prison” and she writes, “It is no wonder, then, that both theological writers and scientists have found black holes to be useful metaphors for Hell, and vice versa.”

Jesus warned in Luke 12:5, “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!” When we abdicate from the historic doctrine of Hell, we deny the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture and cheapen God’s holiness, sin and the Atonement.