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Questions / Salvation, heaven and hell

How could a loving God create hell?

Church teaching

Answered on video by Catholic Answers

Video: How Could a LOVING God Create HELL?, Catholic Answers Live, published Sep 19, 2024. Checked 10 October 2026. Loads from YouTube (privacy-enhanced mode) only when you press play. Watch on YouTube

In short: Here’s the thing: God wants nobody there. He predestines no one to hell, and the Church prays every day that everyone gets home. CCC 1037

The answer, in writing

Church teaching

God predestines no one to hell. CCC 1037

The Church implores the mercy of God, who wants “all to come to repentance.” CCC 1037

Our words

God didn’t build a torture chamber. Hell is what’s left when someone refuses Love forever. He went to the cross to keep you out of it.

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Related questions

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Sources on this page

How we know · 1 Catechism paragraph
  1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1037 (official text on vatican.va).

Stone & Incense restates Church teaching in plain words and cites every teaching claim. Our own wording is not an official Church text. Found a mistake? Report an errorCorrections.