While there have various arguments against the traditional doctrine of Hell throughout the history of the church, the doctrine is increasingly under fire in the 21st century. While the Enlightenment led to intellectual flourishing in western civilization, it also began to lead to a different perspective on Hell as people began rejecting the position and teaching of the historic church. By the 21st century, celebrities (Kirk Cameron), self-proclaimed evangelical pastors (Rob Bell) and evangelical theologians (John Stott) have publicly come out against the historic doctrine of Hell.

It’s instructive to consider just how often Scripture speaks of Hell and judgement, something that universalists and annihilationists ignore. Jesus spoke far about Hell far more than anyone else.

Matthew 25:46 describes the final destinies of the lost and saved: “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” This final dimension of judgment and hell is anticipated in the Old Testament (Dan. 12:1-2; Isa. 66:24) and taught in every section of the New: the Gospels (Matt. 5:22, 29-30; 7:13, 23; 8:12, 29; 10:28; 13:42, 49-50; 18:6-9; 22:13; 23:33; 24:51; 25:30, 41, 46; 26:24; Mark 1:24; 5:7; 9:43, 45, 47-48; Luke 3:17; 4:34; 12:5; 13:3, 5; 16:23-25, 28; John 3:16-18, 36; 5:28-29; 8:21, 24); Acts (10:42; 17:31; 24:15, 25); the New Testament letters (Rom. 2:5, 8-9, 12; 6:23; 9:3, 22; 1 Cor. 11:32; 2 Cor. 2:15-16; 4:3; Gal. 1:8-9; 6:8; Eph. 5:6; Phil. 1:28; 3:19; Col. 3:6; 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:3, 9; 2 Thess. 1:8-9; 2:10; Heb. 6:2; 9:27; 10:27, 39; James 4:12; 2 Peter 2:1, 3, 4, 9, 12, 17; 3:7; Jude 4, 6, 7, 13); and the Apocalypse (Rev. 2:11; 6:16-17; 11:18; 14:10-11, 19; 16:19; 17:8, 11; 18: 8, 9, 18; 19:3, 15, 20; 20:10, 14-15; 21:8; 22:15).