Eschata i ekumenia. Wokół problemu literalnej interpretacji Biblii

Abstract

The dualistic doctrine on judgment and eternal punishment of hell has had a privileged place in theology and church teaching. In the consciousness of many Christians it has overshadowed the Good News about God and Jesus Christ. It is easy then to forget that Christ is the Good Shepherd who goes after the ones who are lost, „until he finds them” (cf. Lc 15:4). This situation has had its disastrous consequences for the unity of the Church. Many who believe in a fiery eternal hell view Scripture as material that must be taken literally. They feel that believing this is an ingredient of obedience to God, who sanctions belief in that kind of interpretation of the Bible. The author shows how the tradition of a literal interpretation of the Bible has supported the doctrine of eternal hell and contributed to the divisions within the Church. He admits that the passages on hell are important warnings which must be taken seriously, but not literalistically. The metaphors of fire, darkness, voracious worms, gnashing teeth, and endless anguish are indeed shocking, but the Bible itself does not teach us to believe that all of its contents are to be taken literaiistically. Believers in eternal hell fail to appreciate the rich diversity of literary forms which God chose to use in conveying the divine message to us. Some of those variant literary forms, like poetry and allegory, cannot be understood properly if taken literalistically. One must respect the limitations of language, appreciate the role cultural context plays in getting at the true meaning of a passage. One has also to recognize Jesus’ frequent use of rabbinical hyperbole. The image of fire is a metaphor for the fire of God’s judgment. Jesus no more intended a literal description of hell than for his hearers to cut off their hands or legs or pluck out their eyes. The image of Gehenna was a powerful one intended to shock hearers into paying attention. Language is not only used to convey information, but also to stir emotions, provoke recognition, and challenge response. A correct interpretation must square with the character of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. The most serious problem with taking the whole Bible as the verbally dictated word of God is that it puts the biblical text even above the living Word of God, Jesus Christ. Thus we forget that he is the Lord of Scripture. Jesus himself pointed out to his disciples: „It is the spirit that gives life” (Jo 6:63), and the Apostle of the Nations echoed these words saying: „the written letters bring death, but the spirit gives life” (2 Cor 3:6). Grace is greater than sin and judgement. In pleading universal salvation the author expresses his faith and hope that God’s purposes will be fully realized and his love will prevail forever. If hell is pictured as endless punishment for the wicked, then God’s purposes have failed and Christ’s victory is not real. But this is unbiblical. To say hell is eternal is to degrade the victory of God in Christ. God is no failure! Judgment and Gehenna will last until their purposes have been fulfilled. They are not the last word. The big picture which the Bible paints is of a day when God will „make all things new” (Rev 21:5), and when he is „all in all” (1 Cor 15:28). This vision should have a powerful and beneficial influence on ecumenism.