EDWARD FUDGE DIES: Athens native was subject of 2012 film

Published 6:15 am Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Edward Fudge, the Athens native, author, attorney and Church of Christ preacher whose life story was made into the feature film “Hell and Mr. Fudge” died Saturday. He was 73.

Fudge’s death was announced via social media by family members. In a heartfelt tribute to her late husband, Sara Faye Fudge described him as nonjudgmental, humble in spirit, kind in manner and — as Jesus described Nathanael — “a man in whom there is no guile.”

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“Edward was a remarkable man whose gifts were many,” she said. “A brilliant thinker who could engage any scholar on that level, a consummate professional writer who could pack more into three paragraphs than anyone I ever knew, a tender-hearted lover of poetry who regaled us all with Thanatopsis and Gray’s Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (all stanzas!), and a man with a sweet grin and sense of humor which sometimes veered into intricate puns and corny jokes which he delighted in telling and re-telling to any willing listener.”

Fudge and his family moved from Athens to Houston, Texas, in 1982. Six years later, he started working as an attorney for Lanier Law Firm.

Fudge is survived by his wife, two children and six grandchildren. A graveside service will take place at 2 p.m. Thursday at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Franklin, Tennessee. Visitation will be at Williamson Funeral Home prior from noon until time of service. A memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday at Bering Drive Church of Christ in Houston.

“ … He was a Jesus man, as he termed it, who loved God with all his heart, believed even through the most difficult of times and circumstances and loved to spread the good news of God’s redeeming grace far and wide,” Sara Faye Fudge said. “He gave glory to God for every good thing in his life, aware that he was a sinner saved by grace, and prayed often for Jesus to come quickly. He was confident in his salvation through the blood of Jesus, and sure of Jesus’ triumphant return on that great Resurrection Day.”

About the film

Producers of “Hell and Mr. Fudge” were captivated by Fudge because he challenged the traditional notion of hell for the unsaved in his book, “The Fire That Consumes.”

At a 2012 press conference, Fudge said the fact someone wanted to make a movie about his life and his message only helps to spread his view.

“(The producers) said, ‘We think you’re a weird enough character to do (the film),” he said. “I believe what I say in the book and I’m delighted to get the message out.”

In the 1970s, an Australian man paid Fudge $3,000 to prove whether there is an eternally burning Hell. Raised by a father who was a well-loved fundamentalist church leader, Fudge believed in the conservative theology that promotes the notion that people who are not saved will suffer torment in hell for eternity. Fudge agreed, however, to set his preconceptions aside and dedicate a year of his life to do a systematic investigation of the subject for the fee of $3,000.

As Fudge immerses himself in research, other aspects of his life begin to crumble. He comes under attack from leaders of his denomination for suggesting that members of other denominations may be saved. He is fired from the church he loves for inviting a black man to pray from the podium and he is fired from the publishing company he has worked for since childhood because he refuses to recant his positions.

He becomes so committed to his research that his relationship with his wife and children begin to suffer. And, most importantly, in the course of the investigation some of his core beliefs about the character of God are shaken from their foundations.

Ultimately, Fudge emerges as a defender of faith and Scripture and has been said to be a champion for God’s love.

For more information about Fudge, visit the Edward Fudge Ministries website at edwardfudge.com. For more information on “Hell and Mr. Fudge,” visit www.hellandmrfudge.org.