Hell and Mr. Fudge

A little story about a big lie

In the mid-1970's, Edward Fudge, a young preacher in Athens Alabama, is approached by an eccentric Australian man who offers to hire him to prove whether or not an eternally burning Hell exists. Raised by a father who was a well loved,fundamentalist church leader, Fudge personally believes in a conservative theology which promotes the notion that people who are not saved will suffer torment in hell for eternity. But Fudge, a respected theologian and researcher, agrees to set his preconceptions aside and dedicate a year of his life to do a systematic investigation of the subject, for the small fee of $3000.00. As Fudge immerses himself in research, other aspects of his life begin to crumble. He comes under attack from leaders of his denomination for suggesting that members of other denominations may be saved. He is fired from the church he loves for inviting a black man to pray from the podium. He is fired from the publishing company he's worked for since childhood, because he refuses to recant his positions. He becomes so committed to his research that his relationship with his wife and children begin to suffer. And, most importantly, in the course of his investigation some of his core beliefs about the character of God are shaken from their foundations. Ultimately, Fudge emerges as a defender of faith and Scripture, and a champion for God's love. Today Edward Fudge is a well-respected author, lecturer, and theologian. The book that resulted from his research, 'The Fire That Consumes', is one of the most exhaustive studies on the subject of Hell and eternal torment. It stands as a testimony to a man who had the courage to search for truth, and to pay the price for what he found.