What do you think?
Rate this book
Hell: why it may not be what you have always heard
What awaits the unrepentant? Eternal conscious suffering? A second death?
With biblical clarity and personal grace, Rubel Shelly explores what the Bible says about Hell. Reasoning that its symbolism and apocalyptic language are properly read in light of Scripture’s narrative language—rather than the reverse—he explains the textual evidence and logic that combine to require rethinking the views of Augustine,
Jonathan Edwards, and many contemporary evangelists.
The God of Holy Scripture is holy and just, and the judgment of sin must not be compromised. That same God is also love and grace, and his just wrath is not the merciless torture of bloodthirsty pagan deities—the image of eternal conscious torment that drives people away from the Christian gospel. How, then, should we understand what the Bible says about Hell?
God honors human choice and allows each of us to decide.
“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23).
With biblical clarity and personal grace, Rubel Shelly explores what the Bible says about Hell. Reasoning that its symbolism and apocalyptic language are properly read in light of Scripture’s narrative language—rather than the reverse—he explains the textual evidence and logic that combine to require rethinking the views of Augustine,
Jonathan Edwards, and many contemporary evangelists.
The God of Holy Scripture is holy and just, and the judgment of sin must not be compromised. That same God is also love and grace, and his just wrath is not the merciless torture of bloodthirsty pagan deities—the image of eternal conscious torment that drives people away from the Christian gospel. How, then, should we understand what the Bible says about Hell?
God honors human choice and allows each of us to decide.
“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23).
158 pages, Paperback
Published September 19, 2025
4 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
Rubel Shelly
59 books8 followersDr. Rubel Shelly is an author, minister, and professor Lipscomb University. He is the former president of Rochester College.
Shelly began as an instructor in the department of Religion and Philosophy at Freed-Hardeman University in 1975. In 1978, Shelly began preaching as Senior Minister for the Family of God at Woodmont Hills, formerly known as the Woodmont Hills Church of Christ, in Nashville, Tennessee where he continued until 2005. While preaching at Woodmont Hills, he also taught at Lipscomb University, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and Tennessee State University. From 1979 to 1980 while he worked to complete his graduate work at Vanderbilt University, he served as a graduate assistant in the Department of Philosophy. From 1981 to 1983, he was an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Lipscomb University. In 1986, while continuing his education at Vanderbilt University, he taught as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine (Medical Ethics) until 1988. From 2000 to 2004, he was an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Tennessee State University.
When he stepped down from the pulpit in 2005, he began teaching again as a Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Rochester College, in Rochester Hills, Michigan. He was named the President of Rochester College in May 2009. He also currently serves as a co-minister for the Bristol Road Church of Christ in Flint, Michigan. In late 2012, Shelly announced that he would be stepping from his role as President at Rochester College by September 2013.
He is known primarily as a preacher. Shelly has been involved in debates and academic lectures on Christian apologetics, ethics, and medical ethics. Shelly has also served with such groups as the AIDS Education Committee of the American Red Cross.
He is the author or co-author of more than 30 books, including several which have been translated into languages such as Korean, Japanese, Portuguese, French, and Russian. He has published widely in religious journals.
Shelly began as an instructor in the department of Religion and Philosophy at Freed-Hardeman University in 1975. In 1978, Shelly began preaching as Senior Minister for the Family of God at Woodmont Hills, formerly known as the Woodmont Hills Church of Christ, in Nashville, Tennessee where he continued until 2005. While preaching at Woodmont Hills, he also taught at Lipscomb University, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and Tennessee State University. From 1979 to 1980 while he worked to complete his graduate work at Vanderbilt University, he served as a graduate assistant in the Department of Philosophy. From 1981 to 1983, he was an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Lipscomb University. In 1986, while continuing his education at Vanderbilt University, he taught as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine (Medical Ethics) until 1988. From 2000 to 2004, he was an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Tennessee State University.
When he stepped down from the pulpit in 2005, he began teaching again as a Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Rochester College, in Rochester Hills, Michigan. He was named the President of Rochester College in May 2009. He also currently serves as a co-minister for the Bristol Road Church of Christ in Flint, Michigan. In late 2012, Shelly announced that he would be stepping from his role as President at Rochester College by September 2013.
He is known primarily as a preacher. Shelly has been involved in debates and academic lectures on Christian apologetics, ethics, and medical ethics. Shelly has also served with such groups as the AIDS Education Committee of the American Red Cross.
He is the author or co-author of more than 30 books, including several which have been translated into languages such as Korean, Japanese, Portuguese, French, and Russian. He has published widely in religious journals.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 25, 2026
I appreciated this exploration of the doctrine of Hell from Dr. Shelly. His humility, affirmation of the love of God, and his emphasis that eschatology shouldn’t be seen as a “test of fellowship” (to borrow language from our common tribe) was encouraging.
However, I do have a few key issues with his argumentation, which I have intentionally not reflected in the number of starts I’ve given the book. I review based on the proposed thesis and how well the author fulfilled his stated intention, not based on my personal agreement with conclusions.
My biggest point of contention is the idea that the Trinity was broken on the day Jesus died. I believe this idea is based on upon a false sense of justice and misunderstands the function of the cross. Just as Shelly sees eternal conscious torment as flowing from the one of Augustine, I believe the doctrine of PSA has come to us ultimately from the same stream of thought. Instead, in my opinion, it is the unbroken bond of the Trinity that enters into death and defeats it. As Jesus said in John 16, his disciples would abandon him but his Father wouldn’t leave him alone. 2 Corinthians 5 likewise says that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.
Secondly, I take Hell seriously, but I see it as an extension of God’s love. Shelly recognizes the comparison between a loving Father who rightly disciplines his children and hates the evil that ensnares them and the role of God as Father. Yet, in a healthy family, punishment or discipline ends in an embrace. For example, Shelly cited Hebrews 6 to talk about someone who refuses follow God after tasting of the heavenly gifts. He likens this person to a field consumed with thorns. This field is burned. While it is impossible for us to restore such a one to the Christian community, isn’t the prescribed burn the Hebrews writer is alluding to for the purpose of eventual restoration? God as a consuming fire disciplines to teach and instruct in holiness (Hebrews 12). Following George MacDonald, this would seem to be a better understanding of the aim of God’s justice and wrath.
Finally, I appreciate Shelly acknowledging that those who haven’t heard the gospel aren’t really given a choice. Even someone who hears the “gospel” from an abusive or arrogant preacher hasn’t really been given a choice. The God who would accept such a person would surely embrace the one who joyfully embraces the flash of God’s love in an unfiltered and unbiased way (Shelly’s hypotheses concerning perspicacity).
Those are the beginnings of a few thoughts. Overall, I think the book is worth the read and is a great step in the right direction, especially in its example of humility, dedication to truth, and an ultimate resignation to trust that God, who is Love, will make the right decisions according to his excellent nature.
However, I do have a few key issues with his argumentation, which I have intentionally not reflected in the number of starts I’ve given the book. I review based on the proposed thesis and how well the author fulfilled his stated intention, not based on my personal agreement with conclusions.
My biggest point of contention is the idea that the Trinity was broken on the day Jesus died. I believe this idea is based on upon a false sense of justice and misunderstands the function of the cross. Just as Shelly sees eternal conscious torment as flowing from the one of Augustine, I believe the doctrine of PSA has come to us ultimately from the same stream of thought. Instead, in my opinion, it is the unbroken bond of the Trinity that enters into death and defeats it. As Jesus said in John 16, his disciples would abandon him but his Father wouldn’t leave him alone. 2 Corinthians 5 likewise says that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.
Secondly, I take Hell seriously, but I see it as an extension of God’s love. Shelly recognizes the comparison between a loving Father who rightly disciplines his children and hates the evil that ensnares them and the role of God as Father. Yet, in a healthy family, punishment or discipline ends in an embrace. For example, Shelly cited Hebrews 6 to talk about someone who refuses follow God after tasting of the heavenly gifts. He likens this person to a field consumed with thorns. This field is burned. While it is impossible for us to restore such a one to the Christian community, isn’t the prescribed burn the Hebrews writer is alluding to for the purpose of eventual restoration? God as a consuming fire disciplines to teach and instruct in holiness (Hebrews 12). Following George MacDonald, this would seem to be a better understanding of the aim of God’s justice and wrath.
Finally, I appreciate Shelly acknowledging that those who haven’t heard the gospel aren’t really given a choice. Even someone who hears the “gospel” from an abusive or arrogant preacher hasn’t really been given a choice. The God who would accept such a person would surely embrace the one who joyfully embraces the flash of God’s love in an unfiltered and unbiased way (Shelly’s hypotheses concerning perspicacity).
Those are the beginnings of a few thoughts. Overall, I think the book is worth the read and is a great step in the right direction, especially in its example of humility, dedication to truth, and an ultimate resignation to trust that God, who is Love, will make the right decisions according to his excellent nature.
November 5, 2025
Shelly provides a very readable book about Hell. He argues against the more Medieval picture of Hell as an everlasting torment of fire, and instead, points toward the idea that Hell is separation from God, and if God is needed for life, the Hell is the eternal death. While this contrasts from the traditional view of Hell, and how it is portrayed in media and culture, it's not necessarily a new idea. This notion of Hell has been argued for a while. Ultimately, no one knows exactly what Hell will be like, and Shelly makes this point in his book. He's honest that this is his best understanding of scripture. If one wants an easily readable, easily digestible discussion of Hell, this is an excellent read. However, if one is wanting a more theological interpretation, it would be best to go elsewhere.
January 5, 2026
Good companion to his Heaven book. Formatted just the same. As with the other one, good biblical scholarship with the humility to admit there's no guarantee that the topic is definitively covered, which I appreciate.
February 1, 2026
If you are a person who believes that Hell is a biblical concept, AND you are also a person who cannot reconcile a loving God with unending torment, then this book is for you. I found Shelly's text to be biblical and insightful; it has given me a whole new understanding of God and the afterlife.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews