Michael Brooks
Hell in Catholicism is the state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed, which occurs when one refuses to repent of mortal sin before death. According to the Catholic Church, Hell is a place of eternal suffering and darkness, where the damned will physically weep on Judgement Day. While some Christians believe that only unbelievers will go to Hell, others recognize that Christians too have the possibility of going to Hell, even if it may be sparsely populated. This is because humans have free will and can therefore choose to sin and reject God, despite the availability of God's grace.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholic teaching on Hell | Hell exists, and was created for fallen angels who rebelled against God. |
| Human beings have the possibility of going to Hell, but also the possibility of going to Heaven. | |
| Mortal sin leads to Hell, and confession is the only way to remove it. | |
| God does not send people to Hell, people choose Hell over Heaven through their own free will. | |
| Hell is not just a place, but a state of "definitive self-exclusion from God". | |
| Catholic views on who goes to Hell | The currently prevalent view is that Hell is either empty or sparsely populated. |
| Some Catholics believe that Hell is a possibility for Christians as well as non-believers. | |
| Mortal sin is common, and many people are in a state of mortal sin, which could lead to Hell. |
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What You'll Learn
Mortal sin
The existence of Heaven and Hell are formal doctrines of Christianity. Hell exists, and human beings have the possibility of going there, just as they have the possibility of going to Heaven. According to Catholic teaching, Hell is the "state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed", which occurs when a person refuses to repent of mortal sin before their death.
Three conditions must be met for a sin to be considered mortal: grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent. Grave matter refers to the serious nature of the sin. The Catechism of the Catholic Church provides examples of grave matter, including sacrilege, blasphemy, perjury, murder, sexual relations outside marriage, and adulation that makes one an accomplice in another's grave sins. However, not every mortal sin is a direct violation of the Ten Commandments. For instance, St. Thomas Aquinas argues that gluttony is an indirect violation of the Third Commandment (keeping the Sabbath holy) by turning us away from holiness.
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Free will
The concept of free will plays a significant role in the Christian understanding of whether Catholics go to hell. According to the Catechism, God created humans as rational beings with the ability to initiate and control their actions, implying that individuals are responsible for their choices. This free will is a gift from God, as St. Justin the Martyr wrote, "God created both angels and men free to do what is righteous."
The Catholic Church teaches that hell exists, and it began with the fallen angels or demons who made an irrevocable choice to reject God and His reign. Similarly, humans who die in a state of mortal sin, or a conscious rejection of God's dominion, descend to hell. This choice is permanent, and future repentance is not possible. However, it is important to note that the Catholic Church also teaches that no one is predestined for hell, and their teachings on hell are a call for people to use their free will wisely and convert towards God.
The idea of purgatory, recognized by the Catholic Church, also reflects the role of free will. Purgatory is a state after death where souls are cleansed of any defilement before entering heaven. This intermediate state suggests that individuals have the opportunity to use their free will to choose God even after death, preparing for the joy of God.
Furthermore, the concept of divine grace interacts with free will in the Catholic understanding of heaven and hell. While God's grace is necessary for salvation, individuals must freely choose to accept it. This synergism between divine grace and human free will is a central theme in Christianity, emphasizing the importance of personal responsibility in one's spiritual journey.
Finally, the understanding of heaven and hell among Christians also involves free will. Heaven is seen as the ultimate destination for those who freely choose to love and serve God, while hell is a state of self-exclusion from God, chosen by those who reject His love. This belief underscores the importance of free will in determining one's eternal destiny.
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Judgement Day
In Christianity, Judgement Day is the day of God's final, ultimate judgement on sinful mankind. It is the day when all human beings who have ever lived will be held accountable for their deeds by God. Judgement Day will be announced by a trumpet blast, after which will come the Day of Resurrection, or the Day of Judgment, where the dead will be resurrected and their souls reunited with their bodies.
The Bible warns of Judgement Day in several passages. Malachi the prophet wrote:
> Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire, says the Lord Almighty. Not a root or branch will be left to them.
John the Baptist spoke of the need to "flee from the coming wrath" (Luke 3:7). Paul wrote to the unrepentant:
> Because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.
Romans 2:5-6; cf. Psalm 62:12)
On Judgement Day, God will repay each person according to what they have done. Judgement Day is not a weighing of good deeds against bad. It is not a day of God's wrath or a desire to hurt, torture, or punish. Instead, it is a day of justice and mercy. God is a loving God, and Jesus will judge you on your thoughts and actions, as well as how you atone for your sins. If you are doing good and avoiding evil every day of your life, it is very likely that you will be prepared and ready for Judgement Day.
According to Jesus, it is the Son who will render the final judgement (John 5:16-30; cf. Revelation 7:17). This judgement is comprehensive and final. No one escapes Judgement Day. Each person stands alone, responsible for their own actions.
Revelation 20:11-15 contains one of the most vivid descriptions of Judgement Day:
> Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
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Hell's existence
The Catholic Church teaches that Hell's eternity is due to the "irrevocable character of [the damned's] choice" to reject God, and not a defect in God's infinite mercy. This teaching is reflected in the Bible, which describes Hell as a place of "total, conscious, [and] eternal separation from the blessings of God", where people get what they want, which is to be without God. This separation from God is described as the "chief punishment" of Hell, and it is believed that the only entities known to be in Hell beyond a doubt are Satan and his evil angels.
Hell is often depicted as a place of suffering, with Jesus speaking of "Gehenna" and "the unquenchable fire" reserved for those who refuse to believe and be converted. The fire of Hell is described as both non-physical (before Judgment Day) and physical (at Judgment Day), and the suffering of punishment is said to be according to one's sins, with some suffering more than others.
Some Christians believe that the possibility of going to Hell is solely for unbelievers, and that a true born-again Christian cannot lose their salvation. However, other Christians believe that Hell is a stark reality even for justified Christians, as they can lose the gift of salvation. According to Pope Benedict XVI, "hell [...] exists and is eternal for those who close their hearts to [God's] love."
The existence of Hell is often questioned, particularly in relation to the idea of a loving God. In response, some theologians argue that God does not send anyone to Hell, as people choose to go there themselves through their free will and conscious rejection of God. It is also argued that Hell is fair because people get what they deserve, and God respects their choice to reject Him.
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Visions of Hell
The Catholic Church teaches that Hell is the "state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed", which occurs when one refuses to repent of mortal sin before death. Mortal sin is defined as a grave matter, committed with full knowledge and deliberate, free consent. This constitutes a conscious rejection of God's dominion.
Hell is believed to have been created primarily for the fallen angels, or demons, who rebelled against God. According to Catholic teaching, human beings who die in a state of mortal sin will descend to Hell as well. Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938) claimed to have visited Hell, where she saw people who disbelieved in its existence, as well as Catholic nuns who had broken their vows of silence.
Columba of Iona (521-597) is said to have had visions of Hell on several occasions and was even able to name individuals who he said would end their lives in Hellfire. Our Lady of Fatima also reportedly showed three children—Saint Jacinta, Saint Francisco, and Sr. Lucia—a vision of Hell and the souls suffering there. She urged them to spread the message that sinners could be saved through prayer.
Pope John Paul II taught that Hell, as spoken of in the Bible, does not refer merely to a physical place, but principally to the state of "definitive self-exclusion from God". He also clarified that Catholic teachings on Hell are not limited to unbelievers but extend to Christians as well, implying that even justified Christians can potentially lose their salvation.
While the existence of Hell is a formal doctrine of Christianity, the Catholic Church acknowledges that Hell may be sparsely populated. The thought of eternal suffering is so appalling that many find it difficult to believe that anyone is truly experiencing it.
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Frequently asked questions
Catholic theology holds that people who do not repent of their sins will go to hell, but it is up to God to decide who goes to hell and who goes to heaven.
Hell in Catholicism is a place of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed", where the damned will be deprived of the beatific vision and will suffer various punishments, including the fire of hell.
The Catholic Church condemned universalism at the regional council of Orange in 543, but some theologians still held out hope for all creatures to be saved.
No, you do not have to be Catholic to go to heaven. Catholics believe that those who die in God's grace and friendship and accept salvation will reach heaven.
There are three types of hell in Catholicism: the Hell of the Damned, Purgatory, and the Limbo of the Fathers. The Limbo of the Infants is a fourth abode that is sometimes included.
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