Did God Create Hell?



Dear Catholic Exchange:

Who created Hell? My Baptist friend thinks God did because of Deuteronony 32:15-22.

Rita Caldwell

Dear Rita,

Peace in Christ!

What the Church believes and teaches about Hell regards the essence of hell. Secondary topics such as the location and creation of hell are mostly left to theologians.

For more on what the Church teaches about Hell, see our FAITH FACT Hell: The Self-Exclusion from God.

The passage to which you refer can be interpreted figuratively as expressing the extent of God’s anger rather than saying that He created hell. Deuteronomy 32:22 says, “For a fire is kindled by my anger, and it burns to the depths of Sheol, devours the earth and its increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.” God is above and Sheol, the underworld, is below. Thus Moses dramatically impresses upon the Israelites the extent of God’s anger.

For information on the interpretation of Scripture, please see our FAITH FACTS Making “Sense” Out of Scripture and Taking God at His Word.

Please feel free to call us at 1-800-MY FAITH or email us with any further questions on this or any other subject. If you have found this information to be helpful, please consider a donation to CUF to help sustain this service. You can call the toll-free line, visit us at To subscribe or for further information, contact www.cuf.org, or send your contribution to the address below. Thank you for your support as we endeavor to “support, defend, and advance the efforts of the teaching Church.”

United in the Faith,

Amy Barragree

Information Specialist

Catholics United for the Faith

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Steubenville, OH 43952

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