An evaluation of doctrinal teachings of hell among the seventh day Adventists and the African instituted churches in light of the scriptural teachings

Abstract

The study dealt widely with the understanding of the doctrine of Hell among the Seventh Day Adventists (SDAs) and the African Instituted Churches (AICs). There has been a long-standing history of the origin or the source that informs the denominational stand on a doctrine, for instance, the doctrine of Hell. The varying approaches to the understanding of the doctrine caused a gap in the Christian Church yet having a common ground pursuing a similar goal. The study had the following objectives: the exploration of the understanding of the doctrine of Hell among the SDAs and the AICs; establishing the comparisons in the understanding of the doctrine; establishing a hermeneutical deviation on the doctrine of Hell among SDAs and AICs and proposing a harmonized comparative understanding of the doctrine of Hell among the SDAs and the AICs. The study employed Hermeneutics of Suspicion as a methodology to harmonize the understanding of the doctrine among the SDAs and the AICs specifically, the contextual hermeneutics which focuses on the position or place where individuals approach the interpretation from. The findings in the study showed that there is Hell as another life moment that will involve the suffering to all who lived a wicked life that deserves eternal punishment. On the second objective, Hell is real whether a place or not, the concept has an aspect of suffering and destruction. The understanding in the suffering in Hell should not be dichotomized based on whether everlasting or not but just destruction and suffering. The study recommended further exploration on the understanding of the doctrine of Hell beyond the two denominations used as cases so that the gap in between the denominational practices and others can be minimized. There is need for the two denominations to revisit the origin of their denominations and draw their beliefs from one biblical source through a clear hermeneutical approach. The deviation on the understanding of the doctrine should be handled through revisiting the historical approach to the whole issue to bring out a clear picture in order to gap the unconformity. The study recommends the need to visit a variety of scholarly work on matters of the doctrine checking on the perspective used in understanding the doctrine.