Edward Fudge
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Edward William Fudge (July 13, 1944 – November 25, 2017) was an American Christian theologian and lawyer, best known for his book ''The Fire That Consumes'' in which he argues for an
annihilationist In Christianity, annihilationism (also known as extinctionism or destructionism) is the belief that after the Last Judgment, all damned humans and fallen angels including Satan will be totally destroyed and their consciousness extinguished. Anni ...
Biblical interpretation of Hell. He has been called "one of the foremost scholars on hell" by
The Christian Post ''The Christian Post'' is an American non-denominational, conservative, evangelical Christian online newspaper. Based in Washington, D.C., it was founded in March 2004. News topics include the Church, ministries, missions, education, Christi ...
. He is the subject of the 2012 independent film '' Hell and Mr. Fudge''.


Personal life

Fudge was raised by devout parents. His mother was the child of missionaries to southern Africa, and his father was a Christian publisher and a minister in
Churches of Christ The Churches of Christ, also commonly known as the Church of Christ, is a loose association of autonomous Christian congregations located around the world. Typically, their distinguishing beliefs are that of the necessity of baptism for salvation ...
. He received bachelor's and master's degrees at
Abilene Christian University Abilene Christian University (ACU) is a Private university, private Christian research university in Abilene, Texas, United States. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as an R2 (High Research Spending and Doctorate Production) institutio ...
and completed law school at the University of Houston College of Law. Fudge was raised in non-institutional Churches of Christ, attending
Florida College Florida College is a private Christian college in Temple Terrace, Florida, United States. It was founded in 1946. Although it draws its staff, faculty, and most of its students from non-institutional churches of Christ, it is not legally or ...
before transferring to Abilene Christian. After completing his master's in Biblical languages from Abilene, Fudge ministered for non-institutional Churches of Christ in St. Louis and
Athens, Alabama Athens is a city in and the county seat of Limestone County, in the U.S. state of Alabama; it is included in the Huntsville-Decatur-Albertville, AL Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city is 25,406. Hist ...
. Fudge then moved to Houston, Texas, where he lived until his death on November 25, 2017.


''The Fire That Consumes''

Although Fudge published several books, only ''The Fire That Consumes'' has been published in multiple editions. The first printing of the first edition, subtitled ''A Biblical and Historical Study of Final Punishment'', was published in early 1982 () by Verdict Publications (Australia), with a foreword by
F. F. Bruce Frederick Fyvie Bruce (12 October 1910 – 11 September 1990) was a Scottish Evangelicalism, evangelical scholar, author and educator who was Rylands Professor of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis at the University of Manchester from 1959 until 1 ...
of Manchester, England. The book examined the doctrine of the final punishment of the unredeemed from throughout the whole Bible, non-biblical literature of Second Temple Judaism (Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Dead Sea Scrolls), as well as the historical development of the doctrine of final punishment through the Apostolic Fathers; Ante-Nicene, Nicene, and Post-Nicene Fathers; medieval and later theologians; and Reformers and later theologians. Special attention is given to Augustine ("City of God") and to John Calvin ("Psychopannychia"). Fudge argues that the doctrine of hell as eternal, conscious torment was not a necessary corollary of the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, brought into the Christian church by apologists such as Athenagoras and especially Tertullian. When the first printing sold out in five months, Verdict gave all rights to the author, who for 29 years self-published the book through multiple printings under the name Providential Press. The only change in the second printing was enlarging the subtitle to say "A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment." The second printing was an Alternate Selection of the Evangelical Book Club. Twelve years later in 1994, a condensed second edition (), subtitled ''The Biblical Case for Conditional Immortality'' and including a new foreword by John W. Wenham of Oxford, was published by Paternoster Press in England. Paternoster was later bought by Authentic Media, which let the second edition go out of print. Seventeen years later, Fudge revised and updated the first edition to produce a definitive third edition which was published by Cascade Books, the academic division of Wipf & Stock (). This edition was again subtitled ''A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment'', and included a new foreword by Richard Bauckham of Cambridge University. Throughout the third edition, Fudge interacts with seventeen authors of eleven traditionalist books, advancing the dialogue by three decades.
Christianity Today ''Christianity Today'' is an evangelical Christian media magazine founded in 1956 by Billy Graham. It is published by Christianity Today International based in Carol Stream, Illinois. ''The Washington Post'' calls ''Christianity Today'' "eva ...
has called ''The Fire That Consumes'' "the standard reference on the subject." Since its first publication, ''The Fire That Consumes'' has been cited with increasing frequency by scholars and other serious authors writing on the topic. Among these are articles in
Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society The ''Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society'' (''JETS'') is a refereed theological journal published by the Evangelical Theological Society. It was first published in 1958 as the ''Bulletin of the Evangelical Theological Society'', and ...
,
Evangelical Quarterly ''Evangelical Quarterly'' is an academic journal covering theology and biblical studies. It was established in 1929 by Donald Maclean and J. R. Mackay. The current editors Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visu ...
,
Christian Research Institute The Christian Research Institute (CRI) is an evangelicalism, evangelical Christianity, Christian apologetics ministry. It was established in October 1960 in the state of New Jersey by Walter Ralston Martin, Walter Martin (1928–1989). In 1974, M ...
Journal, Reformation & Revival, and Themelios. Christianity Today picked it as one of four volumes representing the "annihilationist" viewpoint on Hell in a 2000 topical bibliography. Fudge's other works on Hell include ''Two Views of Hell: A Biblical & Theological Dialogue'', coauthored by traditionalist Robert A. Peterson, and ''Hell: A Final Word (The Surprising Truths I Found in the Bible)'' (), a more accessible work for popular audiences.


''Hell and Mr. Fudge''

Fudge is the subject of the biopic ''Hell and Mr. Fudge'', produced by Pat Arrabito, directed by Jeff Wood, and starring
Mackenzie Astin Mackenzie Alexander Astin (born May 12, 1973) is an American actor. Early and personal life Astin was born on May 12, 1973, in Los Angeles, California, the son of actress Patty Duke and actor John Astin. His half brother is actor Sean Astin. H ...
as Fudge. The film was released at the 2012 Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival. Fudge cooperated in the film's development.


Education

*A.A.
Florida College Florida College is a private Christian college in Temple Terrace, Florida, United States. It was founded in 1946. Although it draws its staff, faculty, and most of its students from non-institutional churches of Christ, it is not legally or ...
(1965) *B.A.
Abilene Christian University Abilene Christian University (ACU) is a Private university, private Christian research university in Abilene, Texas, United States. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as an R2 (High Research Spending and Doctorate Production) institutio ...
(1967) *M.A.
Abilene Christian University Abilene Christian University (ACU) is a Private university, private Christian research university in Abilene, Texas, United States. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as an R2 (High Research Spending and Doctorate Production) institutio ...
(1968) *J.D. University of Houston College of Law (1988)


Publications

*''Resurrection!: Essays in Honor of Homer Hailey'',
Athens, Alabama Athens is a city in and the county seat of Limestone County, in the U.S. state of Alabama; it is included in the Huntsville-Decatur-Albertville, AL Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city is 25,406. Hist ...
: C.E.I. Publishing Company, 1973. . *''Our Man in Heaven: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews'',
Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...
: Baker Book House, 1974. *''The Fire That Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment'', Providential Press, 1982. . *''The Sound of His Voice: Discovering the Secrets of God's Guidance'',
Abilene, Texas Abilene ( ) is a city in Taylor County, Texas, Taylor and Jones County, Texas, Jones counties, Texas, United States. Its population was 125,182 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene metropolitan ar ...
: Leafwood Publishers, 2002. . *''The Great Rescue: The Story of God's Amazing Grace'',
Abilene, Texas Abilene ( ) is a city in Taylor County, Texas, Taylor and Jones County, Texas, Jones counties, Texas, United States. Its population was 125,182 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene metropolitan ar ...
: Leafwood Publishers, 2002. . *''GracEmail: Daily Answers for Life's Big Questions'', Abilene, Texas: Hillcrest Publishing, 2003. . *''Hebrews: Ancient Encouragement for Believers Today'', Abilene, Texas: Leafwood Publishers, 2009. . *''Two Views of Hell: A Biblical & Theological Dialogue (Spectrum)'', with Peterson, Robert A., Downer's Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2010. . *''The Divine Rescue: The Gripping Drama of a Lost World and of the Creator Who Will Not Let It Go.'',
Abilene, Texas Abilene ( ) is a city in Taylor County, Texas, Taylor and Jones County, Texas, Jones counties, Texas, United States. Its population was 125,182 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene metropolitan ar ...
: Leafwood Publishers, 2010. . *''Hell: A Final Word'',
Abilene, Texas Abilene ( ) is a city in Taylor County, Texas, Taylor and Jones County, Texas, Jones counties, Texas, United States. Its population was 125,182 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene metropolitan ar ...
: Leafwood Publishers, 2012. .


References


External links


Personal website

Wipf and Stock
, publishers of ''The Fire That Consumes'' * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fudge, Edward 1944 births 2017 deaths American Christian theologians Annihilationists Texas lawyers Abilene Christian University alumni University of Houston Law Center alumni 20th-century American lawyers People from Limestone County, Alabama