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The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2 - Contents
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    VIII. Translator Moffatt-Challenges Eternal Torment; Commends Conditionalism

    In 1930 the view of DR. JAMES MOFFATT, 5050) JAMES MOFFATT (1870-1944), of the Free Church of Scotland, New Testament scholar,taught at Mansfield College, Oxford (1911-1915), United Free Church College, Glasgow (1915-1927), and Union Theological Seminary in New York City (1927-1940). Author ofseveral volumes, as well as a seventeen-volume commentary on the New Testament. His mostwidely known work is his complete translation of the Bible into colloquial phrasing, whichmade full use of modern studies in Hellenistic Greek. famous Bible translator-scholar, while serving as a professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, was set forth in an article appearing in the then-standard weekly, The Literary Digest. He questioned the preponderant view of Eternal Torment for the wicked-as well as that of the “another chance” concept. He stated, in fact, that the soul’s fate might be “annihilation” but not Eternal Torment. He challenged the allegation that the human “personality” is by nature “an undying possession.” He even spoke with favor of Conditional Immortality-and by name at that-which is the complete antithesis of Platonism, and which latter he placed over against the concept of Scripture. Here were his frank words, reported in the Digest:CFF2 765.4

    “But hell may not be a soul’s damnation in that terrible torment which an older generation was wont to picture, or another chance for purification and redemption, or the acute agony of a remorseful soul. It may be annihilation. Prof. James Moffatt, translator of the Bible into modern speech and a professor at Union Theological Seminary, recalls those words of Christ to His disciples: ‘Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.’ What do such words imply? asks Professor Moffatt:CFF2 766.1

    “A God of awful authority, no doubt.
    “But perhaps more than that.
    CFF2 766.2

    “Is the soul capable of reaching an immortal value, or is it immortal essentially? On the scheme of Christian faith, may it be annihilated? Is personality an undying possession, or is it attained through obedience to the creative will of God alone? The implications of the Christian view of faith are not incompatible with the latter, and it is, I think, a fair question whether the view commonly called Conditional Immortality may not gain corroboration in the future. It is contrary to Platonism, but there is not so much evidence against it in the message of Christianity as some appear to take for granted.” 5151) James Moffatt, “Hell,” Literary Digest, April 5, 1930, p. 22. (Italics supplied.) There is no record of any challenge of this statement or any denial or modification by Dr. Moffatt. It stands on record.CFF2 766.3

    Thus another scholarly voice, who taught on both sides of the Atlantic, at the beginning of the fourth decade of the twentieth century challenged the Platonic view of the soul as an undying entity, placing such over against the teaching of Scripture.CFF2 766.4

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