The Hellrazer’s Apocrypha

In this book I have compiled a number of significant early Christian texts which relate to the study of salvation for those who died without hearing the Gospel. These writings belong to a category called Apocrypha.

I have highlighted relevant passages and in the longer works I have collected those passages at the beginning of the text so that you do not have to go through the entire work yourself to find them.

I have included the full texts (or sections of them) so that you can have easy access to these documents. This will allow you to examine the context of the highlighted passages to determine if they really do relate to salvation in Hell.

These texts are in the public domain and available on-line. Many of them were published in 1870. They are important documents because they reveal the concern that the early Christians had for the status of the dead. It was not morbid. It was compassionate.

The works included are: The Acts of Thomas, The Apocalypse of Zephania, The Ascension of Isaiah, The Questions of St Bartholomew, the Gospel of Gamaliel, The Gospel of Nicodemus, The Gospel of Peter, The Apocalypse of Peter, The Martyrdom of Pilate, The Odes of Solomon, The Shepherd of Hermas, The Sibylline Oracles, The Teachings of Silvanus, The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles.

I have also included, in the appendix, writings of the early church fathers on this subject: St Iraneus of Lyon, St Augustine of Hippo and St Thomas Aquinas. Samples of Orthodox Icons and Liturgies of Holy Saturday can also be found there.

I hope this book will assist those who want to further study the question of salvation for those who died without ever hearing the Gospel.