[Mrs. Don-o]

The word "hell" has neither Catholic nor 16th century origins; "hell" and its Germanic cognates were already long in use by the time the Eddas were written (13th century). The Norse had a god or demon entity named Hel, ruling of an underground realm of the same name. So you'd have to blame the German/Norse pagans for the word itself. I'm not sure whether the Germanic 'Hel' had fires or if it was more like Sheol, a place of vague repose.

You won't find this troublesome word in non-Germanic Bible translations. You're going to get words in Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Bibles like enfer (French), ad (Russian), pieklo (Polish). In the 16th century Catholics would most likely be reading it in Latin, where the place or state-of-being is called infernum.

Some of the medieval Rabbis said the "fiery furnace" that Abraham saw was Gehenna; in Matthew, too, "fiery furnace" is identified with the gates of Gehenna.

If you're looking for something rather more distinctively Catholic, that would be "Purgatorio," a temporary place for saints-in-waiting, where fire might or might not be the main feature. The name “purgatorium” (L) originally indicated a place for cleansing with medicinal herbal smoke, steam, and purging — think "sauna".

Pope Innocent III, who historically committed grave crimes but repented in the end and went to Purgatory, actually (historically) came back to tell St. Lutgarda of Brabant that he was in a fiery place (no devils, though) and that it might last for centuries. Dante's Purgatorio, on the other hand, had all kinds of terraces and different stages and features, the parts closest to the summit (the Earthy Paradise) being the leafier suburbs.

So we frankly don't know much about that --- nothing in detail --- except that it would be purification, if in part terrible, still temporary; and hopeful, unlike the valley of Hinnom, fiery Gehenna, where *according to the Bible) the fire is quenched not, and the worm sleepeth not, and from which --- the rabbis say --- smoke is continually rising.

[FNU LNU]

Thanks for the more serious reply, Mrs. Don-o.

You say: “The word “hell” has neither Catholic nor 16th century origins...”

I didn’t say the word hell originated with the RCC or in the 16th Century. They appropriated the word, loaded it up with concepts of eternal conscious torment, and it appeared in English translations. Most of us got it from the KJV, which (mistakenly) translated Sheol, Hades, Tartarus, and Gehenna all as hell. Later translations rightly distinguish between the first three, and Gehenna shouldn’t have been translated at all, being a geographical place name.

Then you say: “Some of the medieval Rabbis said the “fiery furnace” that Abraham saw was Gehenna; in Matthew, too, “fiery furnace” is identified with the gates of Gehenna.”

If by “gates of Gehenna” you’re thinking of Mt. 16.18, Gehenna is not in that passage, but Hades.

Thanks again for your more reasoned response.