Posted on 12/18/2025 9:49:20 AM PST by Heartlander
Actor and evangelist Kirk Cameron has responded to controversy surrounding a recent discussion on the doctrine of Hell, emphasizing that he fully believes in Hell, judgment and conscious suffering, but is openly questioning whether that suffering is eternal.
In a video posted to social media Wednesday, Cameron addressed the "swirling" controversy sparked by his Dec. 3 podcast episode with his son James, where he voiced support for the theological position of conditional immortality, also known as annihilationism.
Cameron, 55, began by posing a hypothetical question from a child:
Dad, mom, I know you believe in Hell. I know you believe that God is just. I know you believe that sin is serious. And I know that Jesus is the only way to Heaven. So when an unrepentant person who doesn't turn to Jesus dies, what does the Bible actually say happens to them? Are they preserved forever and kept alive by God in a place of endless conscious torment, suffering forever, weeping and wailing and gnashing their teeth with no end? Or is the judgment that Scripture describes something different? Is it still real, still just, still severe, but culminating in what the Bible calls death, destruction, or the second death, which is the lake of fire?
Cameron clarified that the discussion originated from questions posed by his own son and has led to mixed reactions, including thoughtful responses from groups like Answers in Genesis, evangelist Ray Comfort and apologist Wes Huff. However, he expressed disappointment over critical responses that he believes mischaracterized his views based on out-of-context clips.
He noted that reaction videos — many of which have come from Christian public figures — have garnered far more views than the full original episode, and attributed much of the misunderstanding over his comments to short attention spans and edited soundbites.
"What genuinely surprised me ... was to see that same pattern coming from within the Church itself, from my own brothers and sisters in Christ and even some very influential prominent leaders," Cameron said.
The former "Growing Pains" star stressed that he approached the topic carefully, seeking counsel from his pastor, wife, historians and apologists.
"So, let me be very clear. I believe in Hell. I believe in judgment. I have not denied the authority of Scripture," he declared, describing the debate as an "honest theological question" debated by Christians for centuries regarding the final fate of the unrepentant.
Cameron explained what he believes are some common misconceptions about conditionalism. "Many assume it teaches that when a sinner dies they just, poof, disappear …” he said. “That is not what it teaches, and that's not what my son James and I said."
Instead, he said, conditionalism affirms human mortality, that eternal life is a gift for the redeemed, real judgment, and conscious suffering, but questions whether that torment is endless or culminates in final destruction or the "second death."
"The only difference is, does that conscious torment last forever and ever and ever, or does it eventually come to an end and the person is annihilated?" Cameron stated.
He expressed deep respect for traditionalists he admires, including St. Augustine, Charles Spurgeon, George Whitefield, John Wesley, R.C. Sproul, and his mentor John MacArthur, while noting historical figures like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Athanasius, Martin Luther, John Stott, F.F. Bruce, and Edward Fudge who held or leaned toward conditionalist views.
Acknowledging that he has not made "final pronouncements" but is inviting "careful prayerful study," Cameron announced plans to host a roundtable discussion with respected scholars to model charitable disagreement.
He also called the nature of Hell a "secondary issue," not mentioned in core creeds like the Apostles' Creed or Nicene Creed, and recited the Apostles' Creed in full to underscore essential Christian unity.
Closing the video, Cameron encouraged viewers: "Never stop asking questions. ... Let God's Word, not the words of fallible men, be your final authority."
The response comes after Cameron's initial podcast drew criticism for appearing to reject eternal conscious torment, with some accusing him of shifting away from orthodox teachings he once promoted through ministries like Way of the Master, in which he partnered with Comfort.
In response to Cameron’s thoughts on annihilationism, Comfort said that while Kirk is no longer affiliated with his ministry, Living Waters, which doesn’t hold to Kirk's position, he believes his former ministry partner is “sincere” in his belief.
“While we believe Kirk is sincere, we believe that conditional mortality and annihilationism are erroneous views, and that the Bible's clear teaching on Hell is known as 'eternal, conscious torment,” Comfort told The Christian Post last Tuesday. “We firmly believe this is the only correct biblical view.”
Was thinking about this last night. This Scripture came to mind:
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Mark 9:43-48.
Where the fire is not quenched.
Where the worm dieth not.
I’m pretty sure at least once Jesus in the Bible said eternal punishment or damnation, so I would think it’s best to not consider it temporary.
Is Hell eternal?
The idea that “hell is not eternal” is a view held by some modern theologians, but it contrasts with the traditional, dominant view of the early Church Fathers, who generally affirmed eternal punishment, though some, like Clement of Alexandria and Origen, emphasized hell’s purifying nature (apocatastasis) or temporary corrective purpose, leading to debate about whether punishment was truly endless or restorative. While many Fathers stressed eternal torment (e.g., Hippolytus, Basil), others saw hell as a temporary, “medicinal” state for purification before final restoration, a concept often linked to the Greek word aionios (age-long), leading to differing interpretations of its duration and purpose.
Key Perspectives Among Church Fathers
Affirming Eternal Punishment:
Basil the Great: Argued against ending eternal punishment, stating that if it ended, so would eternal life.
Hippolytus: Taught that the wicked receive eternal punishment for their evil deeds.
Augustine: While the last of the early Fathers, he solidified the view of eternal torment in Western theology.
Emphasizing Purification/Restoration (Universalism/Annihilationism):
Clement of Alexandria & Origen (Alexandrian School): Believed hell’s fire purified souls for a time, leading to eventual reconciliation with God (universalism).
Gregory of Nyssa: Taught that God’s punishments are medicinal, designed to heal rather than destroy, with the ultimate goal of restoring all creation.
Diodore of Tarsus: Stated punishments are for a “short space” to purify, not eternally.
The “Aionios” Debate
The Greek word aionios (eternal/age-long) used in scripture for punishment and life leads to differing views, with some Fathers (like Olympiodorus) interpreting it as a defined “age” or period, not endless duration.
Modern Interpretations
Today, views range from traditional eternal conscious torment to annihilationism (destruction of the wicked) and universalism (final salvation for all), with some theologians revisiting the early Fathers’ emphasis on purification to argue for a temporary hell.
In essence, while the mainstream tradition leans toward eternal suffering, the early Church wasn’t monolithic, and diverse views existed, setting a complex foundation for later theological developments.
Jesus speaks of hell clearly, repeatedly, and more than anyone else in the Bible. He does not present it as metaphor, speculation, or merely human opinion.
I should have added, there is no place in the Gospels where Jesus says—or even suggests—that hell is temporary or remedial. He consistently speaks in terms of finality and permanence, and in Matthew 25:46 explicitly pairs eternal punishment with eternal life. Any idea that hell is not eternal comes from later interpretation, not from Jesus’ own words.
I bet it probably doesn’t matter to God what anyone “thinks”. What does the Bible actually “say”?
I don’t believe that Love would make a hell.
I believe it’s real, and it’s eternal.
Most of those simply hate the idea of Hell.
But others like the idea so much they use politics to try to create it on Earth. One of the torments of that Hell is you have to call it Heaven.
They used Gehanna as a metaphor so people were able to understand what they were talking about. They were illiterate so Jesus and his disciples had to be quite vivid while they were preaching the gospel.
I hate the idea of Hell...but that doesn’t mean i believe it doesn’t exist. yet Hell is the first death, the second and more final death and separation is the lake of Fire. I know in my being that hell and the lake of Fire exist and the God is just!
If hell were not eternal, then heaven would not be eternal either.
If you can get out of hell with good behavior, you can get out of heaven with bad behavior.
If an unbeliever espouses annihilationism, I respond that the dead will spend a minimum of a thousand years in Hades before being annihilated in the Lake of Fire.
I’ve read accounts, over the years, by people who have experienced NDEs...Near Death Experiences as Hell being the absence or total separation from Christ and a soul crushing, all encompassing feeling of desperation. Many made serious changes in their life after resuscitation.
I agree.
Nor does the Lord state it will end.
Yep. I have read many testimonies about that and have seen many videos too. Scary stuff. Some have said there were many shadowy “people” there of the sort you would expect (i.e., evil, devoid of any goodness).
The Hell there is!
Hell is real. It is not a physical place, but is a perception of reality and an experience a soul has when they hold onto the darkness of sin and tries to approach the purifying fire of God.
It’s similar to what happens when you place a dense object in the high frequency of a microwave. It heats up and catches on fire.
This is the same fire that creates the fear and terror in demonic souls during an exorcism. Demonic spirits believe the Love and Light of God will kill them.
This is also why a prayerful blessing for an evil spirit is like placing hot coals upon their head.
This is very real and is based upon frequencies of consciousness. The higher the frequency, the greater the Love and Light.
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