GETTING RID OF HELL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 12 October 1926, Page 9

GETTING RID OF HELL.

CHANGED ATTITUDE OF GHURCH. By Ofble —Press Association—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Atisoclatlon. LONDON, October 10. Dean" Inge, in an article in the “Sunday Express” regards the church’s changed views on Hell as the greatestchange in teaching which Christianity lias ever undergone. It almost amounts to a revolution. He considers it due to several causes: “(1) We are shocked by the crudity of old pictures of blis.and torment. Once we may have run to watcli a heretic writhing in a slow fire, hut we should not enjoy the spectacle to-day.” He had never met a human being who deserved to be tormented forever. Tho language of Protestants is equally cruel. For instance Jonathan Edwards once virtually declared that an infuriated tiger was a tame and merciful beast, compared with the wrath of God. It was accepted when torture was a common feature of secular justice and punishments. A ferocious moral revolt wap not only responsible, but astronomy and science shattered celestial geography. “Almost all will agree that we are well rid of this teaching; indeed, it is strange the belief that God was an implacable torturer should have lasted centuries. If the church faces this problem honestly, the new knowledge will not be found to have done any injury to the faith, though undoubtedly some of our picture books will have to be surrendered.”