Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
Annihilation And Destruction Is The Way Of Evil, Not God

Annihilation And Destruction Is The Way Of Evil, Not God

Last updated on: April 2, 2024 at 2:35 am by Henry Karlson

0 Comments

Annihilation And Destruction Is The Way Of Evil, Not God 2024-04-02T02:35:32-05:00 Henry Karlson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Geralt: Fire Causing Destruction / pixabay

God created the world and saw it was good. As God is the source and foundation of every good, it would be incredulous to think that God would ever seek to have anything which is good to be utterly destroyed. The problem with sin, what makes it evil, is not that sin or evil is a substance, but rather, it seeks to corrupt and destroy that which is good. Indeed, if evil is left unchecked, if it is able to follow its course to the end, it would lead to the annihilation of everything: existence itself would be eliminated. Nothing, not even evil, would be left.

God does not follow the way of sin; God creates, preserves, and restores, God does not destroy. This is why, if we had any question about it, we should be able to conclude God would never destroy creation, or those who inhabit it. At the end of time, therefore, while we are told God will bring about a new creation, as the old one will pass away, we must not understand this so as to suggest God will entirely destroy all of creation to produce a new one ex nihilo, but rather, God will renew creation, transforming it, making it as new:

But it is not satisfactory to say that the universe will be utterly destroyed, and sea and air and sky will be no longer. For the whole world will be deluged with fire from heaven, and burnt for the purpose of purification and renewal; it will not, however, come to complete ruin and corruption. For if it were better for the world not to be than to be, why did God, in making the world, take the worse course? But God did not work in vain, or do that which was worst. God therefore ordered the creation with a view to its existence and continuance, as also the Book of Wisdom confirms, saying, “For God created all things that they might have their being; and the generations of the world were healthful, and there is no poison of destruction in them.” And Paul clearly testifies this, saying, “For the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him that subjected the same in hope: because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”[1]

It often seems we find contradictory statements about creation, as, on the one hand, it is said to be without end, but on the other hand, it is said to have an end. The world is said to be without end because it will always continue to exist; it is said to have an end because there will be a point when time comes to an end, leading to the end of creation’s temporal mode of being. Time has a beginning and an end, and what is in time, will therefore have an end, but that end is itself just the start of something new, a new way of existence, a new modality, as what is in time will be drawn beyond time so that it can participate in eternity, which is why it will also never cease to exist.

It is possible to say evil will come to an end, even to cease to exist, but we must understand this in a conventional sense. Evil is not in and of itself substantial, but rather, it is the corruption of nature and the substances of nature; in this fashion, it cannot be said to exist, but rather, it is what we perceive when what should exist does not. To overcome or even “annihilate” evil is a convention to describe the process by which the corruption and destruction evil has done is overcome and reversed. That is, as evil is not a substance, its “destruction” is not the destruction of something which God established, some good in creation which God seeks to preserve, but rather, the affirmation of the original goodness of creation and the reestablishment of that which evil corrupted or destroyed. God will also take what evil has hurt and make it better than what it was before evil hurt it, which is why it can be said that God will produce good out of evil.

The end of time, therefore, must not be understood as representing an annihilation of creation, but rather, its turning point and change. Time will come to an end when Christ comes again to judge the living and the dead:

We believe that Christ will come at the end of time in the Parousia, the appearance of Christ in glory, to transform this universe by bringing it to its completion in and through himself. But in a real sense, the Parousia is already present in our universe, for persons of deep prayer. For them, through faith, hope and love in Jesus Christ, the master is always coming in his glorified saints and angels. By their union with him, he is now achieving the victory over cosmic evil through all of his members on earth and those living in him in eternal life.[2]

Fr. George Maloney, in the quote above, is right to point out, though there will be an end of time, we can and do find ourselves participating in the eschaton in every moment of our existence, even as all of time will be collected together as one and brought to its universal end when Christ comes back to judge the living and the dead. This is one of many reasons why we can also discuss the eschaton as being “already” and “not yet,” because every moment of time participates in the eschaton because every moment of time has its own particular end, while the fullness of the eschaton to be had and realized when all of time, all of creation, comes together as one to realize its glorification in Christ. Similarly, we can also say that every moment is eschatological because in every moment, we have a chance to encounter the coming kingdom, the eschatological kingdom of God, thanks to the incarnation: Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, so that in becoming human, being a man, God has brought the eschaton into time (while, as God, keeping the eschaton transcendent as well). Thus, every moment of time mirrors what is to happen at the Parousia; in every moment, God, indeed, the incarnate God-man, is there, and in every moment, we have ways to experience God through the God-man, and thus, the glory of the eschatological kingdom, though to be sure, we do so only in part now, and in full when time comes to an end.

[1] St. Methodius, “From The Discourse On The Resurrection.” Trans. William R. Clark in ANF(6):365-6.

[2] George A. Maloney, SJ, The Everlasting Now (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 1980), 102.

Stay in touch! Like A Little Bit of Nothing on Facebook.
If you liked what you read, please consider sharing it with your friends and family!

N.B.: While I read comments to moderate them, I rarely respond to them. If I don’t respond to your comment directly, don’t assume I am unthankful for it. I appreciate it. But I want readers to feel free to ask questions, and hopefully, dialogue with each other. I have shared what I wanted to say, though some responses will get a brief reply by me, or, if I find it interesting and something I can engage fully, as the foundation for another post. I have had many posts inspired or improved upon thanks to my readers.

General Christian

Previous Post

March 31, 2024

The New Modality OF Being Revealed In The Resurrection

Next Post

April 3, 2024 The Spirit Of Easter Is Inclusive Love, Not Hate

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Gosh, did that hit the spot. I have been having great anxiety lately. And I ..."

Mark Wilson

Rejecting Doom: Christian Hope And Human ..."

"Justice and peace are two sides of the same coin. Where there is justice, there ..."

Dr.Cajetan Coelho

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Thank you for your very, very powerful and very, very insightful analysis of the relationship ..."

alwayspuzzled

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Given the amount of lethal malevolence that has prevailed in human history for the past ..."

alwayspuzzled

We Must Value Our Health

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abraham abuse Aesthetics AI Aliens Ambrose Ancestors and Everything Andrew Angels Animals Anne Anthony Antisemitism apologetics Apophatic Apostle John Aquinas Artificial Intelligence Asanga Ascension Asceticism Assumption Atheism Attachment Augustine Authority Avarice Balthasar Baptism Beauty Biden birthright citizenship Bishops Black History Books Buddhism Bulgakov Byzantine Calendar C.S. Lewis Calcidius Catholic Catholicism Catholicism Celibacy Charity Chastity children Chrismation Christ Christmas Christology Church Climate Change Common Good Communion Confession Confirmation Conscience Constantine conventions conversion councils Covid Creation Cross Dead Death Death Penalty Debate Deception Demagogues Demons Desert Monks Desert Mothers Desire destruction development Dialogue Dignity Dionsyius Dionysius Discipline Diversity Division Doctor Who doctrine dogma Dormition Dualism Easter Easter Series Ecumenical Councils Ecumenism Education Election Empathy Environment Error Eschatology eschaton Eternity Ethics Eucharist Evangelism Eve Evil evolution Faeries Faith Fear femininity Ficino Florence Florensky Folktale Fools Forgiveness Freedom Future gender Gentile Gentiles Glory Gnostic God gods Good Samaritan Goodness Gospel Government Grace Great Fast Guns Hate healing Health Heaven Hell Hellenism Heresy Hierarchy Hildegard Hinduism History Holiness Holy Spirit Holy Week Hope Horror Human rights humanity Humility hypocrisy ICE icon icons Identification Identity Idol II Nicea Immigration incarnation Individualism Informal Reflections Inklings Intention Inter-Religious Interfaith Internet Interpretation Intrinsic evil Irenaeus Islam Israel Jacob Jerome Jesus Jews John Chrysostom John of Damascus John the Baptist Joseph Judaism justice Justification kenosis Kindnesss Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Law Law of Moses Lazarus Leaf by Niggle Lent Lenten Reflection Liberation Theology Lies Life Listen Literature Liturgy locutions Logic Logos Love Marriage Martyrs Mary Mass Maximos The Confessor Meanness Meditation Mercy Middle Path Migrants Mind Miracles Miriam Morals Moses Movies Music Muslims Myths Names Nationalism Native Americans New Year Nicea Nicholas Nothing Novatian Obedience Occam's Razor Ordination Origen Original Sin Orthodox orthopraxis Pagans Palamas Palm Sunday Paradise Paschaltide Paul Peace Pentecost person Peter piety PKD Plato pluralism Plurality Poem Poetry Poiltics Politics Poor Pope Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Post Office Prayer Pride Pro-life Prodigal Son propaganda Prophecy Prophets Providence Putin Racism Reading Reason Reflection Refugees Relationships Religion Religion Series Religious Liberty Repent Republicans Rest Resurrection Rich Rites Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation Salvian Santa Science Scripture Self-Giving Sexuality Sibyl Sick Silence Sin Singlehood Social Justice Society Sodom Solovyov Speculations Spiritual Reflection St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Justin Martyr Suffering Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Superhero Supreme Court Teaching Technology Thanksgiving The Father the Universe Theological Reflection Theology Theosis Theotokos Thomas Timaeus Time Tolerenace Tolkien Tradition Transfiguration Trinity Trump Truth Uncategorized Unity Universities USCCB Value Vatican II Vegetarian Vices Violence Virtue Vocations War Water Welcome Wisdom Womanhood Women Work World View Worship Writing Zacchaeus

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz