The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

IV. Produces the American Conditionalist Classic

Hudson in his Debt and Grace opened, as had others, with a statement of the theological trilemma that developed over the fate of the wicked-whether of Eternal Torment, Universal Restoration, or Ultimate Destruction. These rival schools reached back to early times, after the fatal confusion injected in the third century. Hudson ably championed the last of the three. ³⁶ He showed how the first two sprang from Platonism, though partly channeled through Philo into the Christian Church. ³⁷ Then he established the point that the notion of Eternal Torment was but the introduction and perpetuation of Persian dualism-“immortal evil,” ³⁸ presenting “Evil” as a power coexistent with “Good,” or God, and never to be banished from the universe. His tracing of its history, and its introduction into Christianity, together with its penetration of the pristine faith of the Church, is devastatingly accurate, ³⁹ for Hudson was master of his subject. ⁴⁰ CFF2 482.3

1. DIVINE JUSTICE, AND MAN’S FREE MORAL AGENCY

In chapter three, dealing with the “vindication of divine justice,” Hudson presses on the principles of justice, man’s free moral agency, ⁴¹ and his choice of two infinities-with the punishment matching the reward. ⁴² Then he deals with our matchless redemption through Christ. ⁴³ Chapter four shows, on the contrary, that evil is temporary. It is not inevitable, and the triumph of faith is sure. CFF2 483.1

2. INNATE IMMORTALITY NOT TAUGHT OR IMPLIED IN SCRIPTURE

Chapter five comes to “The Scriptural Argument,” which testifies that the postulate of the Innate Immortality of the soul is neither “assumed” nor “implied” in Scripture. It is not to be found in the basic Creation recital. On the other hand, man was clearly made “for immortality,” but such immortality was “forfeited” by man through sin. Hudson clearly shows that “death” is not “endless existence.” Adam came “under sentence of death” the “day that he sinned,” and the execution of the sentence gives no credence to the idea of endless being. ⁴⁴ Had there been no redemption, Adam would have utterly perished. But a Redeemer was compassionately provided, and life was again given for those who accept the divine provision. CFF2 483.2

3. BIBLE MEANING OF “SECOND DEATH.”

In dealing with the “second death,” Hudson shows that it means “excision,” “destruction,” “perished,” “corruption,” “consumed,” being “burned” up-all expressions meaning the same. All points are heavily buttressed with texts. ⁴⁵ Then he disposes of the “Passages Supposed to Prove the Immortality of the Lost,” supporting his reasoning with Scripture, the witness of history, and the expert testimony of other great Conditionalist scholars. ⁴⁶ Finally, he discusses the lack of any authority residing in the Jewish Apocryphal books, ⁴⁷ often invoked in behalf of Immortal-Soulism and the dualistic fallacy of the Pharisees. ⁴⁸ CFF2 483.3

4. “DETENTION” BETWEEN DEATH AND RESURRECTION

Chapter six discusses “The Rational Argument”—metaphysical, psychological, moral, and analogical. Then, coming in chapter seven to “Soul and Body,” Hudson competently discusses the Hebrew and Greek terms involved, and the period of “detention” that comes before glorification—that is, between death and the resurrection. In this connection he painstakingly scrutinizes the voice of the Early Church (quoting such noted writers as Justin Martyr and Irenaeus), and the later Reformer, William Tyndale. ⁴⁹ He deals with the judgment and the Second Advent, with the concurrent translation of the righteous living and resurrection of the righteous dead. ⁵⁰ He then adduces the testimony of the Anabaptist Declaration of Cracow, made about 1568, ⁵² and the violent reaction of Calvin against the teaching of the “sleep of souls.” Thus the battle is portrayed that was now on afresh. CFF2 484.1

5. ACCURATE HANDLING OF HISTORICAL SIDE

Hudson’s treatment of the “Historical Argument” (chapter eight) is thorough and reliable. Dealing with the ancient Eastern (Indian) “metempsychosis,” Persian “dualism,” and Egyptian “transmigration,” ⁵³ he comes to the conflicting schools of Grecian philosophy. ⁵⁴ He then presents Plato, the master, and his doctrine of the “soul’s eternity,” past and future, and the “migration of souls.” ⁵⁶ Next he handles Aristotle, who held the body to be mortal, with the soul probably immortal. But Hudson pointedly brings out the deceptive “double doctrine” employed by the Platonists-one for the common people and one for the savants. Then he shows how Platonism began to corrupt Christianity, and how evil came to be declared eternal, according to the claims of Gnostic dualism. ⁵⁷ CFF2 484.2

6. MASTERFUL SURVEY OF WITNESS OF CENTURIES

Hudson’s masterful survey of the witness of the early Fathers is impressive. First he marshals the Apostolic Fathers (all Conditionalist), ⁵⁸ then notes the negative testimony of the early creeds and liturgies. ⁵⁹ Next he presents Ante-Nicene Justin Martyr (teaching the annihilation of the wicked), and Irenaeus (setting forth conditional immortality), ⁶¹ and Arnobius (presenting man as a candidate for immortality), and then Athanasius (with immortality as the aim of the soul). Next Hudson turns to the revolutionary conflict introduced by Athenagoras and Clement of Alexandria, and by Tertullian with his Eternal Torment postulate, together with those who followed him-climaxing with the powerful Augustine but noting lesser lights as well. CFF2 485.1

Next comes the “destructionist” view of the medieval Jewish rabbis, like Maimonides, and the Arabian philosopher Averroes, and his stress of “soul sleep.” ⁶⁴ Then follow the protests of Pomponatius, the Italian philosopher, charged with denying the immortality of the soul, ⁶⁵ Pope Leo X’s Bull of 1513 affirming it.” ⁶⁷ This bull placed the Roman Church irrevocably on record as the great champion of Innate Immortality. Next came Luther, holding to the “sleep of the soul” between “death and the resurrection,” thus breaking with the traditions of a thousand years. And this was swiftly followed by Calvin’s vehement denial of “soul sleep,” countered by the Socinian denial of Eternal Torment. Then John Locke protests the doctrine of an immortal, living death. It compasses tremendous territory. CFF2 485.2

Hudson then adduces the impressive witness of the great Conditionalists Blackburne, Warburton, Dodwell, Watts, Bourn, Scott, Taylor, Fontaine, ⁷⁰ and the modern stalwarts like Whately, Ham, Dobney, White, Hinton, Smith, and Storrs, ⁷¹ as examples of many more. It takes in the sweep of the centuries. CFF2 485.3

7. CONDITIONALISM THE COORDINATED PORTRAYAL OF SCRIPTURE

Chapter ten, on the “Harmony of Christian Doctrine,” impressively shows how Conditionalism presents the true and nobler view of human dignity, harmonizes the sovereignty of God with the permission of evil, and the trial and triumph of faith. Hudson stresses the necessity of subordinating “reason” to Revelation, and the imperative requirement of consistency in interpreting Scripture. ⁷² He reaffirms the evidence that man is a candidate for immortality, ⁷³ and shows the relationship of sin and punishment, pardon and justification. ⁷⁵ Finally, chapter eleven shows how the “sufferings of every death are the agonies of departing life,” and that the gospel is pre-eminently a message of life, glorious immortal life through Christ. Some three hundred writers are cited in all-the most important of the centuries. Such, in short, was Hudson’s epochal contribution. CFF2 486.1