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Universalism and the Doctrine of Hell: Papers Presented at the Fourth Edinburgh Conference on Christian Dogmatics, 1991 Edited by Nigel M. de S. Cameron (Paternoster Publishing)

These essays stimulated my thinking on universalism, annihilationism (or conditional immortality), the Cross, the number of the saved, the problem of evil, and the key figures of Origen and Karl Barth.

Two Views of Hell: A Biblical and Theological Dialogue Edward William Fudge and Robert A. Peterson (InterVarsity Press)

A spirited biblical and theological debate between a leading conditionalist (Fudge, author of The Fire That Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment) and a traditionalist (me; my book Hell on Trial: The Case for Eternal Punishment presents this view).

Hell Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents Eternal Punishment Edited by Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson (Zondervan)

Outstanding essays on history (R. Albert Mohler Jr.), Scripture (Daniel I. Block, Robert W. Yarbrough, Douglas J. Moo, and Gregory K. Beale), alternative views (Christopher W. Morgan on annihilationism, J. I. Packer on universalism), and pastoral theology (Sinclair B. Ferguson).

The Doctrine of Endless Punishment William Greenough Thayer Shedd (General books LLC)

Though dated, this remains the classic Protestant work on hell. After a brief historical survey, Shedd expounds on "the biblical argument" and "the rational argument."

The Decline of Hell: Seventeenth-Century Discussions of Eternal Torment D.P. Walker (University of Chicago Press)

This significant source, which makes for fascinating reading, increased my understanding of some historical predecessors of contemporary universalism and annihilationism.

Copyright © 2011 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Robert Peterson is co-editor of Is Hell for Real or Does Everyone Go to Heaven?

Universalism and the Doctrine of Hell, Two Views of Hell: A Biblical and Theological Dialogue, Hell Under Fire, and The Doctrine of Endless Punishment are available from ChristianBook.com and other book retailers.

Additional Christianity Today articles on hell include:

Will Graham on Preaching Hell and Why He Doesn't Believe in Mass Evangelism | The son of Franklin Graham and the grandson of Billy Graham discusses his family and ministry. (April 8, 2011)

Heaven, Hell, and Rob Bell | He's not the first to try to resolve old biblical tensions in new ways.  (March 2, 2011)

Three Models of Hell | "Is hell nothing more than eternal torture of the unsaved? Why would God engage in punishment that seems so cruel?"—Tony De Luca, New York, New York. (February 12, 2007)

Previous Top 5 lists have featured heaven, technology, forgiveness, dating, poetry, C.S. Lewis, the historical Jesus, family ministry, the problem of evil, biographies of theologians, orphans, prayer, doubt, community, sports, parenting, Advent, life ethics, emerging movement, Islam, loss, Calvin, spiritual memoirs, neglected doctrines, spiritual memoirs, marriage, Lent, fiction books for the soul, managing your money, devotionals, how character shapes belief, food, atheism, China, presidents, world Christianity, ancient-future faith, the civil rights era, social justice, church history, popular culture, the Civil War, apologetics, atheism, and sex.

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My Top 5 Books On Hell, August 2011, Vol. 55, No. 8, Page 70