Many annihilationists assert that the concept of the immortal soul is of Greek origin and was mistakenly adopted by the early Christian church.  Therefore, their logic goes, it is not a biblical concept.  But, making the assertion doesn’t mean it is true.  In fact, their argument works against them. Let’s take a look at their position.

• “The traditional doctrine turns out, upon historical investigation, to be a pollution from paganism via the apologists and their followers and not at all the clear teaching of Scripture.”¹Rethinking Hell: Readings in Evangelical Conditionalism (Kindle Locations 921-923). Cascade Books, an Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers. Kindle Edition. underline added
• “The immortality of the soul was a principal doctrine of the Greek philosopher, Plato…” ²Fudge, Edward William. The Fire That Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment, Third Edition (p. 19). Cascade Books, an imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers. Kindle Edition. underline added

First of all, I’m not convinced that early Christians adopted pagan principles as their own regarding the soul and therefore, the idea is false. I find that assertion a bit problematic. Nevertheless, even if it were true that the ancient Greeks proposed the concept of the immortal soul and Christians latched on to it, so what? A lot of cultures around Bible times had similar concepts to what is found in Scripture. Usually, it’s the critics of Christianity who propose the idea that Christians borrowed theological principles from other cultures. They are attempting to invalidate Christianity. But, this does not logically follow. Just because different cultures have similar theological ideas does not mean that they borrowed from one another. In addition, the proponents of annihilationism need to be careful not to commit what is called the genetic fallacy which states that information that originated from a “pagan” source means the information is false.

Nevertheless, let’s look at some other things that Judaism and Christianity have in common with pagan thought.

The soul ascends to heaven

The following quote certainly has pagan ideas in it, but notice that it also includes the concept of the person’s soul ascending into heaven.  This is, of course, a biblical position as it taught in Matt. 5:12, 19; 7:21; Mark 9:47; Luke 6:23; Rev. 20:4.

“Belief in the heavenly immortality of the soul was predicated on a dualism between the material and immaterial person. The soul (ψυχή, psychē) was the object of immortality. The idea of a blessed, immortal essence ascending to the heavenly realm seems to have originated among the Pythagoreans in the fifth century BC. Socrates explains that “the soul, the invisible part, goes away to a place that is, like itself, glorious, pure, and invisible … into the presence of the good and wise God” (Phaedo, 80d)…Zoroastrianism in Persia also moved toward teachings about immortal souls that were judged for their deeds while crossing a bridge over hell into paradise (Yasht 3.4; Bundahishn 12.7).³Barry, John D., David Bomar, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, Douglas Mangum, Carrie Sinclair Wolcott, Lazarus Wentz, Elliot Ritzema, and Wendy Widder, eds. The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016, Persian & Graeco-Roman Beliefs, underline added

Jonah and Sumerian similarity

We are all familiar with the account of Jonah who was called by God to preach to the Ninevites. But Jonah refused and fled. So, God sent a storm to destroy the boat on which he was fleeing. Before it sank, Jonah confessed his sin, and the crew threw him overboard. Then “the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights,” (John 1:17). Jonah cries out to God from “the stomach of the fish” which Jonah calls “the depth of Sheol.”

“A more likely metaphorical use is that of a journey—in the case of Jonah, a journey from the depths (Sheol). This interpretation is collaborated by the connection of this text to the Sumerian myth of Inanna’s journey to the underworld (Landes, “Three Days,” 449).” (ibid., The Lexham Bible Dictionary, Three Days)

Sheol as the underworld

The idea of Sheol being a place where the dead go (Gen. 37:35), where the wicked descend (Job. 21:13; Psalm 9:17; 31:17), alive (Num. 16:30, 33; Psalm 35:15; Prov. 1:12), that apparently has lower parts ( Deut. 32:22), is a place of terror (Psalm 116:3), and metaphorically has a large mouth/throat (Psalm 141:7; Isaiah 5:14).  Many of these ideas are common to pagan sources contemporary with Old Testament times.

• “The name for Mot is derived from the same word for “death” in biblical Hebrew. Although the Hebrew Bible does not specifically mention Mot (the god), allusions to death personified occur in the biblical text, suggesting connections to him. Job 18:13 discusses the “firstborn of Death,” which is said to consume limbs. This allusion provides an example of how Mot is given tangible power appropriate to his attributes in the Hebrew Bible. This verse is likely also speaking directly of Mot when it states, concerning the Judaean leadership, “We have made a covenant with death” (Isa 28:15). This verse also notes Sheol, the realm of the dead where Mot could also be found, according to Ugaritic literature. The Hebrew Bible frequently contains allusions to death or Sheol as personified entities.”⁴ Landes, “Three Days,” 449).” (Barry, John D., David Bomar, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, Douglas Mangum, Carrie Sinclair Wolcott, Lazarus Wentz, Elliot Ritzema, and Wendy Widder, eds. The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016.
• “In mythological texts from Ugarit, Mot is characterized by a large throat and a great appetite for ingesting people and taking them to the Underworld. In the Hebrew Bible, Mot is not personified in this way directly, but the Underworld and Sheol do receive this characterization. For instance, Proverbs 1:12 reads, “like Sheol let us swallow them alive and whole, like those who go down to the Pit” (compare Prov 27:20; 30:15–16; Isa 5:14: Hab 2:5). The Underworld is also said to have a mouth (Psa 141:7; Isa 5:14). ⁵ibid. Lexham Bible Dictionary

Other similarities

• Annihilation of the soul:  “Certain Jews portrayed death as the end of personal existence. For example, Jesus ben Sirach taught that there are no joys to seek in Sheol (Sirach 14:16–17). Instead, God’s people should pursue immortality through children (Sirach 30:4–5) and a lasting reputation (Sirach 41:11–13). Assorted epitaphs and the writer of Ecclesiastes present a similarly cynical view (Eccl 3:18–22; 9:10; van der Horst, Hellenism, Judaism, Christianity, 36–37). The Sadducees held a reduced view of Sheol. Failing to find a basis for the afterlife in the Pentateuch, they held that death meant personal extinction; the only immortal thing was Yahweh’s covenant with Israel.”⁶ibid. Lexham Bible Dictionary, Functional Annihilation
• Pagan King lost seven sons as did Job: “Canaanite literature from Ugarit describes the trials of King Keret who, like Job, lost seven sons.” ⁷Dockery, David S., ed. Holman Concise Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.
• God does battle:  “Various biblical texts depicting the God of Israel in battle with the sea and/or a dragon (Pss 74:12–17; 89:6–13; Isa 51:9–10; Job 7:12; 26:12–13) have been connected to Mesopotamian mythological motifs.” ⁸ibid. Lexham Bible Dictionary
• Mountain of God: “The background for the imagery of this lament is uncertain. The mountain of God has parallels in Canaanite mythology. Use of such mythological imagery might be expected in an address to a Phoenician king.” ⁹Dockery, David S., ed. Holman Concise Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.
• Son of Man coming with the clouds: The discovery of Ugaritic texts further suggests a link between apocalyptic literature and ancient Near Eastern mythology. These Ugaritic texts provide Canaanite parallels to some of the imagery used in Dan 7. In particular, the biblical descriptions of “one like a Son of Man” coming “with the clouds of heaven” (e.g., Dan 7:13) parallel epithets of Baal as one who rides on the clouds; additionally, Yahweh’s title “Ancient of Days” (e.g., Dan 7:9, 13) is similar to descriptions of El as the “Father of Years” (Collins, Apocalyptic Imagination, 101–02).”¹⁰ibid. Lexham Bible Dictionary, Near Eastern and Hellenistic Mythology
• Bodily Resurrection:  “Other Jews professed belief in a physical resurrection. For example, the Apocalypse of Moses states that at the end of the age, “all flesh, from Adam up to that great day, shall be raised” (Apocalypse of Moses 13:3). Other texts state that the resurrected pious “will live on earth again” (Sibylline Oracles 4:242–44) “wearing the garments of glory” (1 Enoch 62:15). In the martyrdom account of 2 Maccabees 7, the mother and her sons hold fast under torture because of their hope of bodily restoration.”¹¹ibid. Lexham Bible Dictionary, Bodily Resurrection, underline added

Conclusion

There are many ideas found in paganism that are also found in Judaism and Christianity. Are we to assert that because pagan cultures had similar ideas, then it means those ideas are not true when found in the Bible?  If the concept of the immortal soul originated in pagan thought (which I do not affirm is true) and was adopted by the Christian church, it does not mean it’s not true.

So, what are we to do? We must look at Scripture. The conditionalists should focus on the word of God since it is the final authority in everything it addresses. The conditionalists ought to be careful when they condemn the immortality of the soul as a pagan idea since as the above quotes demonstrate, similarities don’t invalidate concepts.  And, if you think about it, the annihilation of the soul is found in nonbiblical sources as well.  So, if the conditionalist wants to be consistent, then he must condemn his own view as pagan.