Reghardt van den Bergh

Christ's telling of the story of the rich man and Lazarus shows us that after a person dies, he or she may experience torment and suffering in Hades while awaiting the resurrection of the dead. Christ's recounting, however, does not equate Hades to the Lake of Fire mentioned in the Apocalypse of Saint John the Theologian. We ought not to call Hades by the terms "Hell," "Gehenna," or the Lake or Sea of Fire, because the particular intermediate place after death called "Hades" will actually be thrown into Gehenna, which is also called "Hell" or "the Sea of Fire." Hell, in fact, is in some sense the undoing of Hades just as it is the destruction of death. At the Last Judgment described in Revelation 20:14, Saint John tells us he saw that "death and Hades were thrown into the Sea of Fire, which is the second death." Therefore, the Sea of Fire is the death of death, and also of Hades. Yet, the Sea of Fire is a terror to those who would prefer to hide themselves in the rocks and caverns of the earth and even in the depths of Hades rather than to stand in the Presence of God.

For more information on Gehenna, or Hell, watch "Hellbound" on DVD and read its accompanying insert, "Gehenna: An Orthodox Perspective" (included in the copy held in Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church Library). Also read THE RIVER OF FIRE by Alexandre Kalomiros. Although this short treatise by Dr. Kalomiros has been highly criticized by non-canonical schismatic Vladimir Moss (who called Fr. John Romanides a heretic and who espouses a Latinized theology), it nevertheless stands through its ubiquitous quotations from the Holy Fathers. Kalomiros's THE RIVER OF FIRE has also been criticized by many Orthodox who, being influenced from past or present involvements with Latin or Protestant ideology, sacrifice the Love of God on their conceptual altar of a vindictive divine justice. The Scriptures clearly state, "God is Love." They do not, however, state, "God is Justice." Ought we not, therefore, to subject all of our interpretations to the standard of the Divine Love, which surpasses fairness and justice, and seeks the sinner with His Inexhaustible Mercy and Compassion? Anything less that this, falls short of true Orthodox Faith in the Holy Trinity, Who Is Love.

We ought to subject the "post-death" or "near-death" visions of the heterodox to the same standard of the Holy Trinity's Love. Even if the experiences on this film were given by God for the salvation of souls (and they may well be), we admit they are being related by persons not yet incorporated into the Church. All visionary experiences, even among Orthodox Christians, must be tested by the unified canon of the orthodox tradition of the Church. Experiences can be misinterpreted. The recounting of Divine locutions can become skewed. The Apostle Paul tells us to "Test all things. Hold onto whatever is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). How do the recountings of these experiences convey the Love of God to us? How do they detract from the Love of God? Ask questions. Critique what is communicated. Judge the messages and render a verdict in Orthodox Faith and Love. Let the Love of the Holy Trinity be the standard by which you test all things.… (més)