Did Mother Teresa go to hell… or heaven?

Did Mother Teresa go to hell or heaven--what do you think? When I was a kid we were taught that no Catholics got into heaven (we even had doubts about Presbyterians and Episcopalians!) But over the years people in my conservative holiness (later to become "evangelical") denomination allowed that all kinds of protestants and even some Catholics could go to heaven. But what do you think? Did Mother Teresa go to heaven?

OK OK don't get sidetracked from my question. I suspect some of you want to chuckle a wise-guy answer that she's in purgatory but forget that option for now and stay on track with me. What about heaven or hell? And, probably some of my readers will complain that nobody goes to heaven or hell when they die but all that happens after the “final Judgment" so Mother Teresa is somewhere in soul sleep for the time being. And still others are wanting to run down the rabbit track of distinguishing between destinations—you say Christians go immediately to heaven when they die but unbelievers don't get their final room assignments until the later and final judgment. I don't want to go down these delightful and interesting sidetracks this week. Rather, I'd like your answer my question: did Mother Teresa go to heaven or hell in your opinion? Of course we can't know such a thing for sure, but what is your opinion? C'mon answer the question--where do you honestly suspect Mother Teresa will spend eternity? Heaven or Hell?

The reason I ask this question is it is vitally important to your theology--or rather I should a section of theology, your “soteriology”—your doctrine of salvation. What your denomination's statements say and what you agreed to when you joined your church matters far less than how you apply your doctrine in the real world on questions like this—that is what you really believe. The Mother Teresa question forces your theology to the mat in the real world. So what did you say? Do you expect to see Mother Teresa in Heaven? Or do you suspect she will wind up in an eternal Hell? Don't read on until you've honestly admitted leaning one way or the other.

The next question is even more important. Of course your answer to the first question wouldn't reveal your soteriology completely. We have to ask another question: why? Why do you think Mother Teresa will be in heaven or hell? Answer that and you'll be getting nearer to your doctrine of salvation. Take my students, for instance. Pretty much all them who enter my University believe Mother Teresa will be in heaven. But, while they agree on where she'll end up for eternity they differ on their reasons. Here are some of the most common responses to the second question--why will she be there?

She was a good person.
She was totally devoted to God.
She was a good Roman Catholic and serious about her personal faith in Christ.
She cared for the poor: "As often as you did it to one of these...enter into the kingdom..."
She had prayed the prayer of repentance somewhere in her life--she must have.
She had received Christ and was saved even though she didn’t know it
She was headed the right direction--mistakes in your beliefs aren't what gets you to heaven
She had to be a Christian to be able to do so many good things.
She was a practicing Christian--she lived a Christ-like life.
She believed the basic truths of the Christian faith and tried to live like Christ.

So, what would you say? How does a person get right with God—get to Heaven as it applied to Mother Teresa, Billy Graham yourself and your relatives?

Click here to respond or read other responses to this article

Keith Drury December 5, 2006