Kirk Cameron has recently said that he still believes hell is real, involves judgment, and includes real conscious suffering, but he is questioning whether that suffering is eternal or ultimately ends in a final “second death.” In other words, he has been exploring and publicly leaning toward the view often called conditional immortality or annihilationism , where the wicked are finally destroyed rather than tormented forever. This has sparked a wave of Christian debate videos, articles, and forum threads responding to his shift and arguing over whether his view fits historic, mainstream evangelical teaching on hell.

What he actually said

In a December 2025 episode of The Kirk Cameron Show with his son James, Cameron discussed whether Christians might be “wrong about hell” and indicated he is moving away from the classic “eternal conscious torment” view. He affirmed that hell is real, that there will be judgment, and that there is real conscious suffering, but emphasized questions about whether that suffering continues forever or ends in a final destruction of the unrepentant.

He described the view he is exploring as conditional immortality or annihilationism, which teaches that eternal life is a gift only for the redeemed and that the ultimate fate of the wicked is destruction or the “second death,” not everlasting torment. Cameron framed the issue as an “honest theological question” that Christians have debated for centuries, not as a denial of hell or of biblical authority.

His clarification after backlash

After clips from the podcast went viral and drew heavy criticism, Cameron released a follow‑up video clarifying that he has not stopped believing in hell. He stated: “I believe in Hell. I believe in judgment. I have not denied the authority of Scripture,” stressing that his concern is how to understand the nature and duration of punishment in light of Scripture.

He also said he has not made any final pronouncement, but is inviting “careful prayerful study,” and plans to host a roundtable with scholars who hold differing views so the disagreement can be modeled in a charitable way. Cameron called the precise nature of hell a “secondary issue” compared with core Christian doctrines summarized in historic creeds, which he cited to underline his desire for unity despite debate.

The view he’s exploring: annihilationism

Cameron’s discussion focused on biblical language about death, destruction, Gehenna, and the “second death,” noting that many passages describe the fate of the wicked using imagery of consuming fire, chaff, and weeds burned up at the end of the age. In annihilationism, these texts are taken to indicate that the wicked ultimately perish—that their punishment is terrible and conscious, but terminates in non‑existence, rather than continuing forever in torment.

He contrasted this with common “turn or burn” preaching, where people are told they will “burn in the lake of fire forever,” arguing that Christians should be careful and precise about what Scripture actually teaches when they use such language. Supporters of his shift have argued in opinion pieces and reaction videos that his questions are biblically plausible and reflect a desire to reconcile God’s justice and mercy.

How other Christians are responding

Several prominent evangelicals who once worked closely with Cameron, or who share his broader theological background, have publicly disagreed with his new stance. Ray Comfort’s ministry, for example, has affirmed that it does not hold Cameron’s view and insists that the Bible teaches hell as “eternal, conscious torment,” calling annihilationism an erroneous interpretation.

Other pastors and apologists have released long video responses analyzing Cameron’s arguments point by point, saying that his move away from eternal conscious torment represents a serious doctrinal error, even if they still regard him as sincere and a brother in Christ. At the same time, some writers and commentators—especially in opinion columns and certain forum threads—have defended Cameron, saying that conditional immortality has a historic pedigree and that his questions should not be equated with rejecting the reality of hell itself.

Why this is trending now

This has become a trending topic because Cameron is a high‑profile evangelical figure whose earlier ministry strongly promoted classic “fire and brimstone” preaching, so his public rethinking of hell marks a notable shift. The debate taps into a long‑running theological fault line inside Christianity over whether the Bible teaches eternal conscious torment, eventual annihilation, or some other model of final judgment.

Since the first podcast episode dropped in early December 2025, multiple YouTube channels, Christian news sites, and Reddit threads have dissected “what did Kirk Cameron say about hell,” creating a broader discussion that mixes careful biblical argument with more heated online criticism. Many of these conversations also reflect wider cultural questions: how ideas of hell shape evangelism, views of God’s character, and how Christians talk about judgment in an age wary of eternal punishment.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.