The Abolition of Hell

Easter Sunday, 2012: There are mysteries about the death of Death in the death of Christ that no one has completely grasped. We Christians honor Christ, worship God, and sing praises of what was accomplished on the cross, but does anyone really understand the depth of what occurred in that event, or the fullness of what occurred three days later in the resurrection?

The following is a post placed up on (the usually political) Corner on National Review Online. It presents a glimpse of what I'm increasingly convinced is the deeper reality of Christ's death and resurrection.

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The Abolition of Hell (and a Few Words in Defense of Church)

By Michael Potemra - April 8, 2012

What does Easter mean, for mankind? In many Eastern Rite churches, both Catholic and Orthodox, the Easter services feature the reading aloud of a most eloquent answer, written by the great Greek Church Father St. John Chrysostom. (It is also read at the Easter Vigil night services at my own high-church Episcopal parish in NYC.) Here’s part of it, from one translation I found on the Internet:

Let no one lament persistent failings, for forgiveness has risen from the grave.

Let no one fear death, for the death of our Saviour has set us free.

The Lord has destroyed death by enduring it. The Lord vanquished Hell when he descended into it. The Lord put Hell in turmoil even as it tasted of his flesh.

Isaiah foretold this when he said, “You, O Hell, were placed in turmoil when he encounter[ed] you below.”

Hell was in turmoil having been eclipsed. Hell was in turmoil having been mocked. Hell was in turmoil having been destroyed. Hell was in turmoil having been abolished. Hell was in turmoil having been made captive.

Hell grasped a corpse, and met God. Hell seized earth, and encountered Heaven. Hell took what it saw, and was overcome by what it could not see.

O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory?

Christ is risen, and you are cast down! . . .

Christ is risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead.

When we look around us, it is easy to believe in the reality of Hell: A world dominated by cruelty, hatred, and sin seems all too reasonably to point toward a final destination that embodies these values and is purged of all goodness. But with the eyes of faith, we see that Hell is not the final truth about reality, and the Paschal Mysteries celebrated this weekend proclaim forcefully God’s answer to man’s sin. God has declared, to repeat the powerful words of Chrysostom, that Hell has been eclipsed. Mocked. Destroyed. Abolished. Made captive.