Second Review of Rob Bell's book "Love Wins"
Something huge is taking place in the evangelical church world. Proponents like Rob Bell are on the cusp. Rightly or wrongly his book has made waves in our theological community and it appears the book isn’t going away any time soon but actually gaining even more press and popularity.
Following on from my previous review of this book I felt the need to address some of the comments I have received and make further observations and notes.
I’ve got to say, I liked the book – but that doesn’t mean I have endorsed the conclusions; I did however enjoy reading the book. Rob Bell is sheer genius and well deserves his place as one of TIME’s top 100 most influential people in the world. [Time Magazine 100 most influential]
“Love Wins” throws a grenade into the Evangelical’s theological camp meeting upsetting our Kumbaya moment. What upsets many is that he has been considered for a long time as “one of us” but his latest book has made a lot of people mad.
Amazingly a lot of people are mad and haven’t even read the book. To those people I say, “Get a grip, overcome your prejudice, read the book and join the conversation.” Whether we like it or not there will be 100,000’s who have and will read this book and they won't be theologian and “Love Wins” will resonant with them and we’ll need to understand before we seek to bring clarity and correction.
In my review of April 22nd 2011 I said I believe the book was “unscholarly.” Maybe a poor choice of words; John Cottey, [comment 23rd April] seems to understand where I’m coming from and helps me to further explain my point.
“Love Wins” is not an academic treatise on the doctrine of Hell. Neither is it a work sighting other theologians and other theological views. It most definitely isn’t a systematic theology. Bell’s book doesn’t employ classic expositional strategies and he does not unpackage scriptures to allow them fully speak.
The book is a narrative; it tells Rob Bell’s story - it’s not meant to be a scholarly work. The book is a discussion piece, it’s an interchange. The book is more a walk through Rob Bell’s thought processes as they unravel.
Nathan Smith’s comments on my blog [23rd April] are also a very welcome correction. I’m sorry; my intention was not to make a character slur against Rob Bell. I didn’t express myself adequately and so “... thanks Mr Smith for your correction.”
When I say Rob Bell’s book is misleading – let me explain. Bell is definitely leading his readers to his conclusion. This is the reason is he such a great communicator and he brings us along in his conversation. The conclusion is of course his own conclusions about Heaven and Hell.
Rob Bell makes the thought of an eternal Hell of suffering and torment at odds with a loving God. I feel he misleads his readers because he neglects the biblical nature of God’s justice, righteousness and His holiness. He appeals to the human emotion of “fairness” instead of the divine nature of holiness and justice and that somehow God “changes” after we die and becomes something He isn’t.
Fairness does resonate in the human heart but so does the sense of human moral outrage over wrong perpetrated by others. When we hear of rape, human trafficking or sexual abuse against children out hearts are enraged; I would like to suggest that this is “eternity in our hearts.”[1] This outrage is the residual image of God within our hearts. God is a God of love as well as justice.
What I sought to express in my previous review was that through his astonishing intellect and amazing logic Rob Bell’s employment of inductive reasoning seems to imply that you may be an intellectual midget if you can’t see his point of view.
I have genuinely appreciated this book. It has had an impact upon me. I am not a Universalist – I do believe in Hell and unlike some I do believe that Hell will have people there because they chose to be there by denying Jesus Christ.
I have to be honest though I find the subject of Hell a really hard subject to preach about. I am passionate about sharing my faith and seeing people connect with Jesus Christ; it consumes my every waking moment as a Church leader.
Hell, mentioned by Jesus repeatedly, is the rubbish dump outside Jerusalem? Is that what He was meaning? I think Jesus may have had more in mind than merely rubbish and rabid dogs.
I would love to hear your comments.
Respectfully submitted by
Tom Rawls
Lead Pastor at Proclaimers
[1] Ecclesiastes 3:11 Amplified Bible "He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy]”
