TH A heterodox doctrine teaching that Hell is not a place of eternal torment for the lost. Instead, following judgment, the souls of the lost are said to be destroyed by God in the "lake of fire." Annihilationists believe that the orthodox view of Hell is incompatible with a loving God. For a scholarly critique of Annihilationism and some Evangelicals who espouse it, please see the two part article by Professor Alan W. Gomes in the Christian Research Journal ( Part 1, Spring 1991; Part 2, Summer 1991).

(a.k.a. conditionalism and conditional immortality). From the Latin word " nihil" -- which means nothing. This an umbrella term used to refer to a group of beliefs about life after death. They are: After death, unsaved people will immediately cease to exist in any form. This is taught by most Adventist groups, by the Jehovah's Witnesses and other Christian groups. This contrasts with the historical Christian belief that the unsaved will be tormented for all eternity in Hell without hope of mercy or cessation. Both views can be supported by selected biblical passages. The belief that unsaved people spend an interval of time in Hell. Their length of stay is matched to the frequency and seriousness of their evil deeds. They are then exterminated and cease to exist. This view is also supported by some biblical passages. The belief -- common among Agnostics, Atheists, Humanists, secularists and others -- that after death everyone will automatically cease to exist. After death, we live on only in the DNA that we have passed on to the next generation, and in the influences that we have had on other people and society. This essay continues below. Click below to visit one of our sponsors

The doctrine that the finally impenitent will be totally annihilated after death

Annihilationism is the minority Christian doctrine that sinners are destroyed rather than tormented forever in hell. It is directly related to the doctrine of conditional immortality, the idea that a human soul is not immortal unless it is given eternal life. Annhilationism asserts that God will eventually destroy or annihilate the wicked, leaving only the righteous to live on in immortality.