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 Rob Bell is under fire for his latest book before it even hits the shelves.
March 1st, 2011
06:00 AM ET
Christian author's book sparks charges of heresyBy Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor Rob Bell, a pastor and author who has achieved rock star status in the Christian world, is preaching a false gospel, his critics say. And some of those critics are Christian rock stars in their own right. The pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Bell has authored a book called Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, which ignited a firestorm of controversy over the weekend, weeks before it arrives in bookstores. On Saturday, in a blog post on the popular Christian website The Gospel Coalition, Justin Taylor blasted Bell's new book, out March 29, for teaching "false doctrine":
Universalism, in its broadest terms, preaches that everyone goes to heaven and that there is no hell. Critics say it represents a break from traditional Christianity, which they say holds that heaven and hell are very real places. In most Christian circles, universalism is a dirty word. Taylor's post was quickly tweeted by several prominent pastors, including John Piper and Mark Driscoll, connected to the Gospel Coalition, a coalition of theologically conservative evangelical churches, and a full-blown theological controversy was on. By Monday, Taylor's response post had racked up a quarter million hits. Other bloggers, meanwhile, are calling Bell an outright heretic. Bell is not the first prominent Christian pastor to be recently accused of wading into theologically troubled waters. Bishop Carlton Pearson, once a mentee of famed Pentecostal televangelist Oral Roberts, has been run out of two churches and branded a heretic for preaching what he says is a gospel of inclusion with broad universalist themes. Last year, Brian McLaren - a popular Christian author and a former pastor - was accused of breaking with Christian orthodoxy and delving headlong into universalism in his book A New Kind of Christianity. But it's rare that theological arguments become top ten trending topics on Twitter, as Rob Bell did on Saturday. “To be honest, it was a pretty rough weekend,” Taylor said in a phone interview. The 34-year-old heads the editorial content for Crossway, a Christian publishing company in Wheaton, Illinois. Taylor he says his blog expresses his personal opinion not the opinion of the coalition. "We’re talking about the big things here, things that have been historically defined as orthodox, " he said. "I have a high degree of confidence in what God is saying and what we can understand." Though many things that separate Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox Christians, “this isn’t one of them," Taylor said. "We’ve historically agreed on many things, the person of Christ, heaven and hell. This isn’t a peripheral academic debate. What Rob Bell is talking about gets to the heart of Christianity.” Taylor has not read Bell's forthcoming book in its entirety. His blog post was in response to the description released by Bell publisher HarperOne and a promotional video that features Bell. "Rob Bell hasn’t sinned against me personally,” Taylor said, which is why he did not go to Bell before making his comments public. Instead, Taylor said, Bell's book represents a clear example of false teaching. In the promotional video Bell refers to the nonviolent Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, a Hindu, and asks, "Gandhi's in hell? He is?" "And someone knows this for sure?" Bell continues. "Will billions and billions of people burn forever in hell? And if that's the case how do you become one of the few? " The video follows a trend in Bell's career as a pastor: he has long asked tough theological questions and challenged traditional answers. The short promotional video raises lots of questions without offering definitive answers. "What we believe about heaven and hell is incredibly important because it exposes what we believe about who God is and what God is like," Bell says in it. " The good news is that love wins." Those lines raised eyebrows for Taylor and others. "It is not preaching the gospel as found in the New Testament," Taylor said. "The New Testament is pretty clear if someone preaches a false gospel… that we are to reject that and have nothing to do with them." For all his hipster leanings - including black rimmed glasses - Bell has a traditional pedigree. He went to Wheaton College, the Harvard of Christian schools, and later graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity. But the Mars Hill Bible Church, which Bell founded, is not attached to any denomination. Were it attached to one - the Presbyterian or Catholic church, say - his book and video could raise eyebrows in the hierarchy and might lead to a church trial that could result in Bell's expulsion. "A larger denomination would take his credentials and excommunicate him like they did to me,” Bishop Pearson told CNN. By Sunday evening, Pearson was getting sent articles about the Bell flap. He said it reminded him of his days as a charismatic leader of a big church in the largest Pentecostal denomination. His questioning of hell from the pulpit led to his ouster. "What happened to me is happening to Rob Bell," Pearson said. "If you denounce hell, it's like you are denouncing God. You’re going to be called a heretic." “I thought my people loved me and would walk through the valley of the shadow of death with me, but they didn’t,” Pearson said. Bell's church did not respond to requests for an interview. His Twitter feed has been silent since he posted about writing a piece for CNN's Belief Blog a few weeks ago. His publicist at HarperOne said he would not be doing publicity until his book hits shelves. soundoff (2,200 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Ok, who is gonna tell these lost souls, both the universalists and the non-universalists, that Jesus did not exist, no one has seen heaven or hell, and all their theology is as real as Harry Potter and hogwarts?
At an other level, all this controvery shows is that the non-universalists are more hateful of non-evangelicals than the universalists.
Now, which of them is going on their annual pilgirmage to the creation museum tomorrow?
"The idea of a benevolent and omniscient God contradicts the very concept of Hell."
:There can be no idea of a benevolent and omniscient G-d without the idea of a G-d of justice. Benevolence would have no meaning if G-d were not also a G-d of justice. How can G-d "be" benevolent if there is any justice to be delivered from?
In my opinion it's all about love and mercy. If people can love others as God does and show mercy as God does then heaven is the reward. Hell is nothing more than a place where souls go that desire to be separated from God.
LOL! People that seriously debate this stuff with an almost scientific rigor are hilarious. It's akin to getting in a serious debate about which of Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy is more real. They're all made up fiction.
Religion in general (especially religion with a supernatural basis) is made up nonsense. Just one quick glance throughout history can clue you in to the trend of religions distorting reality. I can't believe people (namely those refered to as clergy: pastors, priests, rabbis, imams, etc.) get paid to live a delusion or to feign one. It is ludicrous in this day and age. People should know better.
People don't because they are dumb animals (albeit they have the capacity to be intelligent), and that is the truth of the matter. Welcome to reality and the 21st Century (which itself should be the 61st century, dating back to the advent of recorded history–not based on some crazy, made-up human savior story).
Posted on I read that post and absolutely loved it.It is so true that you learn from your mieskats. I have a ten yr old and wished that it was something I could better teach him. He gets so frustrated when things aren't perfect. As a crafter/artist myself, he often watches me get upset when I haven't gotten something done the way I like it or the right way and it sets such a poor example. Plus, it puts more (and often unnecessary) stress on me. I just have to learn to forgive the mieskats, learn from them and move on.
Hahaha! People that seriously debate this stuff with an almost scientific rigor are hilarious. It's akin to getting in a serious debate about which of Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy is more real. They're all made up fiction.
Religion in general (especially religion with a supernatural basis) is made up nonsense. Just one quick glance throughout history can clue you in to the trend of religions distorting reality. I can't believe people (namely those refered to as clergy: pastors, priests, rabbis, imams, etc.) get paid to live a delusion or to feign one. It is ludicrous in this day and age. People should know better.
People don't because they are dumb animals (albeit they have the capacity to be intelligent), and that is the truth of the matter. Welcome to reality and the 21st Century (which itself should be the 61st century, dating back to the advent of recorded history–not based on some crazy, made-up human savior story).
"I have a high degree of confidence in what God is saying and what we can understand." that tells you alot about the personalities involved... But beyond the personalities, it all boils down the the very humane fear of death, and how it has been exploited time after time....
Yeah, how dare his beliefs differ from mine! My faith is the strongest, and that means I'm the one who's right! That's why it's called faith!
This, of course, was sarcasm, but it's alarming how many people actually seem to hold this opinion and preach it. People need to learn that faith is just that, faith – and where we don't have the answers written for us in stone, that's where faith takes over.
And, it's most important to remember: if your faith is truly faith, you don't need to bring others down for holding a different view. Either your faith will hold up regardless of the thoughts and beliefs of others, or they'll in time learn how their faith can adapt. No one learns from simply being called wrong.
all believers in any form are friggin nutz
I would rather be silly than sorry.
Obviously this guy is guessing/making stuff up. How can anyone be an expert on the afterlife if they aren't already dead? I believe in my heart that after death we all ride a rainbow into the stars and play wiffleball with Jesus and Marilyn Monroe. The difference between me and Rob Bell? There is none. Neither of us have any idea on what we're talking about in terms of what happens after we die - it's the only subject none of us can be an expert on, unless we're already dead.
Awesome about the wiffleball.
If you read religious history hell was conceived via the Valley of G'henna. That was the place that refuse, festering bodies and the like were dumped in pre-biblical times. So G'henna was a nasty, bad place. Fast forward to the creation of Hell being the bad place where sinners go...I can't just imagine parenting styles of the pre-biblical times where the mother says "Behave or you'll end up in G'henna!"
On the other side of the coin...heaven, as religion describes it...doesn't exist. But, it should be a place on Earth. See, that's the problem...everyone thinks it's this mystical place and very few work to make it right here!
Dale-
"I thank God for my faith in Him and His Word. Most of what I have just read proves God's Word. There will be those who will preach false doctrine, and those who will follow those who preach. It isn't God's will; it's their choice"
But who has the false doctrine: Bell, or those who criticize him?
The idea of a benevolent and omniscient God contradicts the very concept of Hell.
"The idea of a benevolent and omniscient God contradicts the very concept of Hell."
:There can be no idea of a benevolent and omniscient G-d without the idea of a G-d of justice. Benevolence would have no meaning if G-d were not also a just G-d. How can G-d be benevolent if there is nothing negative to be delivered from?
The scripture does make him seem downright malevolent, doesn't it?
It all seems a little ridiculous, doesn't it? All of these people arguing about something that more than likely isn't there, and the fact that these supposedly 'Christian' people would accept the idea that while someone led a good life, they were brainwashed with he 'wrong' religion and therefore must suffer eternal torment. They're just awful, awful people if you ask me and the world would be a better place if they all died.
wow. you are so cool.
Gary Brudelie_
"God is a consuming fire. (Duet.4:24). Were it not for His mercy, we would all be consumed. (Lam. 3:22) Fear not man who can destroy the body, but after that there is nothing more they can do; but rather fear God who can destroy both body and soul in hell.(Matthew 10:28). There is a hell and those who go there are destroyed (perish)."
But wouldn't destroying the body and soul/personality be precisely what science and atheism believe happens after death? You die, your body decomposes, and with the mind so goes the personality. Simply "nothingness", like falling asleep and never waking up. Why should anyone fear this?
i do a lot of soaking trughoh music ~get comfy, turn off distractions & focus on God's ministry to you trughoh the word Holy Spirit has inspired in song ~your spirit will refresh & you'll be filled to overflowing' beautifully.rather than making it another thing of works' over love relationship responseafter all, that's what heaven is filled with )
i wish people would stop arguing over silly fairy tales
seriously people, you don't ACTUALLY believe there are demons and that when you die you go to some paradise if you're good or a fiery pit if you're bad....
You're commenting on here an awful lot h. Are you trying to convince us or yourself?
im not convincing anyone of anything. I'm just commenting that I find it completely hilarious that adults believe in fairy tales
thanks for the laugh though that's the typical christian response.
Everytime you talk about jeebus are you trying to convince yourself don't believe in zeus?
no?
then why every time an atheist talks about not believing in your god must they be trying to convince themselves of something
you are an atheist to the ancient greeks. you are an atheist to hindus. you are an atheist to the norse gods.
you believe in one bronze age god.
You only believe in one more god than I do. I reject all the others and say yours also doesn't exist.
you reject all the others and say yours does exist.
it's silly that an atheist can reject aaaaall the other gods but if you reject yahweh/allah/jesus then you are somehow crazy.
I never said you were crazy, I was just wondering why you are adding your comments to this article at all. You aren't trying to convince anyone of anything, and, being an atheist, you couldn't be trying to get anything from the article. Why are you posting?
The evangelical Christian view of heaven/hell and who gets what is completely erroneous. Bell also is in the dark in the matter. It is like one blind man calling another blind man blind and pretending that he can see, when in reality they are in the same boat. In Corinthians it says 'as one star differs from another star in glory, so also is the resurrection of the dead.' Men will be judged according to their knowledge of God and their obedience to the laws they have received. The rebellious will not receive the same glory as the obedient and penitent. Those who had no opportunity receive the law in mortality will have that opportunity after this life. Those who received it in this life with gladness shall be rewarded. Those who had the opportunity but did not receive it will be rewarded accordingly. There is no blanket heaven and blanket hell with a strict dividing line down the middle. That is a man made fallacy. The Great Judge who knows the hearts of all men will reward the pure in heart and punish the prideful and unjust regardless of the flattering words that spill from their lips regarding their acceptance of Christ. Christ said that at the end he will say 'depart from me', while with your lips you do honor me but I am far from you in your heart.'
So now you're preaching too! We all have to deal with the consequences of how we lived our lives.
Nice work Nathan- love reading it! You do know that many will be screaming their heads off at this idea though, right?
Nathan – can you tell me where in the Bible it says " Those who had no opportunity receive the law in mortality will have that opportunity after this life."?
Yep, I knew someone would call me on that. You are right, we all will be accountable for how we lived our lives. You are much more concise in your language than I was.
Good answer...
Yes, certainly Toddo. If you would please read in 1st Peter ch 3, specifically verses 18-19. Also, 1st Peter ch 4, verse 6. The first scriptures talk of Christ "preaching to the spirits in prison." and the second states the purpose of this preaching: 6. "For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." If God is a just God and a merciful God, as the scriptures state, then he must act with both justice and mercy. It does not therefore follow that He would condemn those who did not hear the law. He would provide a level field for His children to hear the law and obey or rebel as they choose.
Whoa there, Presbyterian hierarchy? Lack of understanding in play here.
I thank God for my faith in Him and His Word. Most of what I have just read proves God's Word. There will be those who will preach false doctrine, and those who will follow those who preach. It isn't God's will; it's their choice.
i find it hilarious when adults speak of their invisible skydaddy imaginary friend as if they are real.
you are silly
Nothing that you read proves anything! Also, I might feel just as confident about Her as you do about Him that does not make either right. Don't you think God should be more complicated than Him or Her?
The question for you than becomes, How do you know who to trust? Do you listen to the guy who says take the bible literally or the guy who says interprit? If you choose to follow literally are you prepared to follow EVERYTHING that book says you have to do? If you choose to interprit, how do you choose which interpritation to take?
Please reply I want to know. I may question you more but I wil not be judgemental.
Imagine no religion
Texas, that's a good question. The bible is both to be taken literally and interpretation wise. In the Old Testament, the Pharisee's took the bible strictly as literal and Jesus rebuked them because they had become so strict in their teaching they forgot the point of the Old Testament. The other extreme is that "God just wants us to be happy" Neither is true, God wants us to be holy. The bible is filled with parables for how we should live out our daily lives. Christians live by faith, and the Spirit of Christ that's within us grants us entry into heaven. Remember, this life is a fraction of eternity, what we face here is nothing compared to what happens when we are judged by God. The bible is to be taken both literally and the parables are to be interpreted for our lives. Hope this helps.
Dale,
If God is all-powerful, omniscient, omnipotent (and therefore God in the truest sense), he knows everything that has happened, is happening, and that will happen. Furthermore, because he is God, he posses the ability to intervene and alter events to his liking. If he does not have this ability, then he is not all-powerful and not God. Therefore, God either approves of every individual's choice by tacit consent or has mysteriously intervened to alter events, ergo, there is no free will and those who preach "false doctrine" do so with God's approval.
Thoughts?
h,
just suppose for one second you are wrong.......................
Reborn, I like your post, but it does not answer my primary question of ; how do you choose who to trust when obtaining input to aid you in your interpritation (I'm spellin it Texas style gall-darn it). You can't claim to be self educated your post was to dogmatic (not a bad thing) for you to have come to those conclusions on your own, so how did you decide who to listen to for help with understanding?
John, that's anotehr good question and good insight. However, in the bible Jesus Christ is all knowing (omniscient). He gave us free will (just as he did angels) to choose. God does not want us to follow Him because he forced us too, because God is love, and the opposite of love is to try and force it on someone. We don't understand God's ways, as is stated "My ways are higher your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts". It's like a child trying to figure out why he can't get a toy. he doens't understand that the father has a mortgage, pays electricity, water, house payment, balanced budget. We don't know God's will in these events because we can't fully comprehend him. That's why we trust in the Holy Spirit, because that's what guides us on our path. You may see christians who turn to violence, but they are wrong, because God says "Anyone who says I love God, but hates his brother, is a liar"
Never going to end for 1 reason. Nobody can prove anything.