Luke, I really appreciate the careful explanation you have given in this post.
Your statement "There is a universal acknowledgement that justice matters and God is both loving and just, merciful and committed to vindicating victims; hell is not about torture, but about justice (which is why every major religion has some sort of final judgement)" would parallel NT Wright's (and others) explanation of God's Righteousness (in the book of Romans); that is, for God himself to be just it is necessary that he follow through on the stipulations of the covenant, all of them, including judgement for those who reject Him and violate the covenant.
Luke, I really appreciate the careful explanation you have given in this post.
Your statement "There is a universal acknowledgement that justice matters and God is both loving and just, merciful and committed to vindicating victims; hell is not about torture, but about justice (which is why every major religion has some sort of final judgement)" would parallel NT Wright's (and others) explanation of God's Righteousness (in the book of Romans); that is, for God himself to be just it is necessary that he follow through on the stipulations of the covenant, all of them, including judgement for those who reject Him and violate the covenant.