I get the impression there is still religious/linguistic debate regarding different translations of "death" and "hell" in the Bible, and what they entail. But when did European Christendom settle on the idea of a physical Hell, reserved for burning sinners upon death or the End of Days? | AskHistorians Archive Observer

I get the impression there is still religious/linguistic debate regarding different translations of "death" and "hell" in the Bible, and what they entail. But when did European Christendom settle on the idea of a physical Hell, reserved for burning sinners upon death or the End of Days?

by ColbyStein

Searocksandtrees

hi! there have been a few in-depth posts on Hell that may get you started; check these out

When did the idea of "hell" as an underworld first enter Christian theology? - featuring /u/talondearg
How did the early conceptions of hell develop within monotheistic religions? - featuring /u/nottheprinceofwales
Why is the punishment of those in hell (in various myths/religions) burning instead of something like an eternal storm or drowning? Why fire? - featuring /u/qvcatullus
The Greek Bible often refers to hell/sheol as "Hades". To what degree did Greco-Roman mythology influence the gospels?

a few posts discussing later time periods

I'm an 11th century german farmer, what has my priest been preaching about Hell? - featuring /u/wedgeomatic
What were the christian beliefs on heaven and hell before Dante's The Divine Comedy? - featuring /u/koine_lingua
How big a deal were the portrayals of Hell and Satan by Dante and Milton? - featuring /u/enrico_dandolo
How did Dante Alighieri's "The Divine Comedy" change the way we view hell? How was hell viewed before its publication? - a rambling old thread featuring many contributors
AMA: Damned Nation: Hell in America from the Revolution to Reconstruction - AMA featuring /u/Kathryn_Gin_Lum

hatheaded

You are likely to get knowledgeable and well written answers to this question by crossposting in /r/AcademicBiblical, which is for the scholarly discussion of the Christian holy texts with rules on sourcing and authoritativeness very similar to this excellent sub.