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- JD Vance says he has never been afraid of going to hell (irishstar.com)
Vice President JD Vance, in his new memoir “Communion,” reveals an intriguing aspect of his spiritual journey: despite his conversion from atheism to Catholicism, he never feared the concept of hell.
Vance writes candidly about this unusual stance, stating, “I don’t worry about what I will find on the other side of eternal sleep.” He adds that even as a child-when he identified as a low-church Protestant-he never experienced fear of hell.
He acknowledges that this attitude is “particularly odd” and “inconsistent with Christian doctrine,” highlighting a tension between his personal feelings and traditional teachings.
Exploring this further, Vance reflects on how his lack of fear contrasts with common Catholic prayers, such as the Act of Contrition, which explicitly mention fear of hell. This led him to consider theological ideas outside Catholicism, particularly the doctrine of predestination as proposed by French theologian John Calvin. Vance writes:
“John Calvin, the great Reformation theologian, argued that our destinies are decided by God before we’re even born. From a Reformed perspective, this concept of ‘predestination’ affirms a paradox: God is sovereign, but man also has free will.
For my own part, the idea makes my head spin. But who knows-perhaps Calvin was on to something, and the concept of predestination helps to explain my own relatively untroubled perspective on the afterlife.”
In 2019, seeking deeper understanding, Vance contacted Father Henry Stephan, the Dominican priest who baptized him, to ask whether it is possible for a Christian to accept the reality of hell without living in fear of it. Father Stephan responded thoughtfully, emphasizing that while hell is real, it is difficult to fully comprehend. He explained that cultivating a relationship with God makes the idea of choosing eternal separation from Him increasingly unthinkable.
Father Stephan also reflected on the Act of Contrition, noting that although the prayer mentions the pains of hell, it ultimately focuses on detesting sin because it offends God, who deserves all love. He said, “Fear of hell is good enough to avoid presumption and a license to sin.
But to stay there, psychologically or spiritually, is to remain stunted. It’s totally inadequate in the grand scheme of things.
God’s goal isn’t only to motivate us to fear punishment; it’s also to enter into friendship with Him.”
Vance’s reflections offer a nuanced perspective on faith, fear, and the afterlife, shedding light on the complex spiritual questions that accompany his personal conversion.
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- JD Vance says he has never been afraid of going to hell (irishstar.com)