annihilationism

American  

[uh-nahy-uh-ley-shuhn-iz-uhm] / əˌnaɪ əˈleɪ ʃənˌɪz əm /

noun

Theology.

1. the teaching or belief that the souls of the wicked or unrepentant will cease to exist after death or after the Last Judgment, rather than undergo eternal torment in hell.

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Other Word Forms

• annihilationist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of annihilationism

First recorded in 1830–40; annihilation ( def. ) + -ism ( def. )

Example Sentences

Contemporary theologians generally credit Irenaeus of Lyons, a second-century bishop, as the intellectual forefather of annihilationism.

From National Geographic • May 13, 2016