Yesterday I built a large fire, and sat beside it for many hours reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I think that what I love most about her is her ability to appreciate her own journey. She is a bold seeker in search of truth, just as Jesus said we should be. As I read this delightful memoir, I thought about my own journey, and how I am still wrestling with many different, wonderfully difficult questions.
Also yesterday, John Piper sent a three-word-message via Twitter: "Farwell, Rob Bell." (Click here for context.)
It was as if to be saying: "If you ask those types of questions, you're going to be kicked out of our club [evangelicalism]."
When I asked fellow contributor, Jonathan, if there are any bad questions, he replied "I guess a bad question would only come from bad intent. Is he TRYING to lead people down the wrong path?"
So, is Rob Bell "trying to lead people down the wrong path?" I think that is what all the bloggers are really saying right now. They're calling him a wolf (Matt 7:15). Now, since Jesus spoke several times about wolves, and Paul likewise (Rom 16:17-27), we should take seriously their accusations. If we see someone who preaches another Gospel other than Christ, we should shoot the wolves so as to protect unsuspecting sheep. This is love.
However, there is something else happening here. Aren't there sheep (honest Christian seekers) who are asking tough questions about things such as this? How shall we tell the difference between a sheep and a wolf?
Are we to simply reject those who don't agree with us on every particular? Is that love? So what if one Christian brother believes that hell is empty? Are we to jump all the way to the other side and call him a wolf? Is he denying Christ because he thinks that hell could be empty?
Obviously, since none of us have read the book it is all mere speculation at this point. However, I have a hunch that he is promoting Christian Universalism - the belief that God is going to save everyone, even people of other religions, through the saving work of Jesus. (This should not be confused with pluralism, which promotes that there are many saviors, and all lead to the same salvation.) This is NOT a reason to kick him off the playing field.
In Christian Universalism, Christ's Gospel is so big/good that it extends to every sinner, even those who are ignorant on this side of eternity. That is to say, "the Gospel is even more amazing than we thought!"
Is this denying Christ? Is this anti-Gospel? I am not yet convinced that it is. I think it definitely is a different way to view hell, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Remember, even the great C. S. Lewis believed that the fire in hell was not literal fire. And I don't remember everyone calling him a heretic because he had a different view of hell than "orthodoxy" had provided us.
We Christians have got to do a better job at discerning between wolves and sheep. There is one Shepherd, and he is not intimidated by curious sheep.
I'll end with a few questions:
1. What if we (Christendom) were in the business of cultivating a safe place to ask tough questions, to wrestle with ideas, and to dig for truth, instead of creating derogatory categories for them such as hipster church and rockstar pastor? (THIS IS NOT HELPFUL!)
2. What if we (Evangelicals) stopped being so afraid of popular writers/pastors and their scary questions?
3. What would it look like if we learned to be good seekers with a courageous, Christian love?
4. What if, instead of being intimidated, pastors/churches began to utilize such books/authors as a means of wrestling with these relevant issues in community?
5 COMMENTS:
Whereas I can see the possibility of God saving people who never met him on the day that they resurrected for judgment, I can't and wouldn't state it as Biblical doctrine.
While I was debating in atheist forums, one used Rob Bell's controversial statement and blogged on it, "Did Jesus save us from God?"
This view is dangerous for those who desire autonomy from God. It condones them for rejecting Christ simply over a lack of proof. Whether or not God will give them a chance is less predictable than whether or not they will give God a chance.
Universalism is quite an open and innovative view, especially to mainstream Christianity, but is dangerous to evangelism. Should we go out and preach the Gospel if Jesus will save everyone anyway?
At least, that's how I see it.
I hear ya, Matty. Still...
Read this, and then tell me if you still think that universalism kills evangelism:
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/features/25030-is-rob-bell-a-universalist
What do you mean by "curious"? This is a word that has a couple of meanings.
As I said in my comments on the other blog post about this topic, I think that pastors have a responsibility to be careful about "leading" their congregation or followers to a particular answer about some of these tough questions, especially if the answer they lead them to is one outside of scripture.
In the case of Rob Bell, who knows what he's up to until we read the book. Is he pointing people in a particular direction, or just asking the question and presenting evidence?
discussion on this post between crystal and i...
ME: u should read new b+b.
HER: okay. I read Jason's post. Hell won't be empty, Satan & his demons will be there! That's what it was originally created for and I would also go so far as to say, those who worship & serve Satan will also be there those who do so purposefully.
ME: did u read the link about the context of Rob Bell?
HER: No I didn't go to the link. I like the idea of universalism though I just think those that love Satan will be with him U know?
ME: I've pondered over God's great love as I've really come to experience it this last year and I've thought similar things.But, he is a God of justice too, but as Rob bell points out, christ died for our sins. the thing is, we dont know how judgement day will go till we get there, it's all just hypothetical and our lives shouldn't be based around it.
HER: As we have discussed, it's not all about sin though is it? God is after our hearts our worship, our devotion. He died for all, but not all love him or acknowledge him and some actually will choose to love Satan God made the way possible so that we can be a family, but not everyone is going to want to be in God's family....
ME: not according to the calvinist doctrine that as jason points out in scripture it says our faith is a gift from God, meaning we don't choose to love God on our own, then i pointed out faith comes from hearing the word, so we see ourselves used as tools in evangelism to promote faith in God.
HER: Well NOT everyone with faith LOVES Godor wants to be a part of his family.
ME: context of the scripture is about salvation though. u should comment
HER: It's hard for me to fathom.
ME: u have good thoughts.
HER: but there will be people that believe and know the way we feel we believe and know.
ME: God wants our hearts, but is his love so great that he will forgive people and that will change their hearts on judgement day?
HER: and they still won't love God or worship Him or be thankful.
ME: its all conjecture we wont know till we get there and all jason is really asking is, should we cast rob bell aside for his conjecture?
HER: Yeah we can't know! but significant scripture points to souls who are hell bent over and over. Now for THAT, I say No.
ME: i say no. its unloving to treat him that way even if he is way off base.
HER: I think the biggest danger in Christianity is the LACK of allowing questions to be asked out of fear. If God is so REAL and God is SO awesome and big, why can't he stand against curiosity??? There shouldn't be FEAR when shepherding a flock, no one is going to destroy faith if faith is real, right? People treat it like it's so precarious and fragile and if you ask questions you will knock it all down like a house of cards i agree it's unloving. but the best way to protect people against wolves is to EDUCATE them in scripture and teach them to seek and always keep the gospel at the center.
Sweet conversation. Thanks for sharing.
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