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Well-known annihilationists?
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:10 pm
by backwoodsman
A friend would like to know what prominent evangelicals, past or present, are/were of the conditional immortality persuasion. I've seen quite a few names, but can't put together much of a list at the moment. Would appreciate any help.
Re: Well-known annihilationists?
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 8:11 pm
by steve
Hi Dan,
I have not been able to find many names from church history who held this view (though there may have been many unknown to me). The view seems to have much to commend it, so it is surprising not to have a much larger list. Universal Reconciliation (which I would consider more controversial than Conditional Immortality) actually has an amazingly long list of Christian adherents, going back many centuries. Frankly, I found this surprising. The names that come to mind for the annihilationist view are not numerous, but they are impressive: John R.W. Stott, Clark Pinnock, Greg Boyd, F.F. Bruce (who was undecided but believed the view should be seriously considered), Michael Green, John Wenham, Edward Fudge, Ben Witherington III, Roger Forster, Glenn Peoples.
Re: Well-known annihilationists?
Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 1:42 pm
by mattrose
Steve made a good list.
There also seems to be a growing list of people who hold some sort of in-between view.
CS Lewis & NT Wright, for instance, talk about the wicked being so destroyed that they cease to exist as human beings.
Jerry Walls is a philosopher, but in defending eternal torment he basically said annihilationism could happen to some people. I've noticed this pattern amongst a few philosophers.
Re: Well-known annihilationists?
Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:45 am
by jeremiah
in the 4th century, there was arnobius of sicca. i'm unaware of william tyndale's view of hell, but i do know he rejected any innate immortality of the soul. i know neither of these are quite what you asked about, but they seemed noteworthy.
grace and peace
Re: Well-known annihilationists?
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 12:39 pm
by mattrose
According to Edward Fudge (in his most recent book), we can add Richard Bauckham. This is a considerable addition to the fleet not only b/c Bauckham is a top tier scholar, but also because traditionalists often quote him as supporting their view.
His own statement is indirect (though satisfying to me), but he wrote the forward to the latest edition of Fudge's book... so I trust Fudge isn't making this up.
http://richardbauckham.co.uk/uploads/Ac ... e/Hell.pdf