Rob Bell ignites debate over Universalism

Mars Hill pastor Rob Bell — one of the leaders in the supposedly leaderless Emerging Church movement — has become the subject of a heated online debate regarding his forthcoming book Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived.

The discussion erupted on Twitter and many Christian blogs after Justin Taylor, vice president of editorial at Crossway, published a blog post titled “Rob Bell: Universalist?”

Taylor writes:

It is unspeakably sad when those called to be ministers of the Word distort the gospel and deceive the people of God with false doctrine.

But it is better for those teaching false doctrine to put their cards on the table (a la Brian McLaren) rather than remaining studiously ambiguous in terminology.

So on that level, I’m glad that Rob Bell has the integrity to lay his cards on the table about universalism. It seems that this is not just optimism about the fate of those who haven’t heard the Good News, but … full-blown hell-is-empty-everyone-gets-saved universalism.

In case you’re not familiar with this theological term, CNN explains:

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 continued his blog post by quoting from HarperCollins’s description of Bell’s book:

In Love Wins: Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, Bell addresses one of the most controversial issues of faith—the afterlife—arguing that a loving God would never sentence human souls to eternal suffering.

With searing insight, Bell puts hell on trial, and his message is decidedly optimistic—eternal life doesn’t start when we die; it starts right now. And ultimately, Love Wins.

Taylor admits he has not read the book itself, and notes that a publisher’s description usually is not written by the book’s author.

However, Taylor says, “this video from Bell himself shows that he is moving farther and farther away from anything resembling biblical Christianity:”

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So there ya have it folks, you cannot be a good Christian unless you BELIEVE (And that's always the operative word!)that not only is there a HELL, but that most people (Except those in your church) are going there to burn in pain and torment forever, and ever, and ever!

So help you God!

(Now ya just have to ask yourself if this is any better than Islam?)

Oh, by the way, the book is available next wseek!