You can not be connected to twitter and blog posts over the weekend to have not picked up on the Rob Bell controversy regarding his new soon to be released book Love Wins. In fact, it made it on the front page of the CNN website this morning. I felt insecure enough about myself that to not comment would make me irrelevant.
Unfortunately for me, most of what need to be said has been said and way to much that should not have been said has been said. Bottom line from my perspective: Bell's teaser video was great for its purpose. If you have not personally dealt with the questions he asks, I wonder if you have thought deeply about the issues. If you have not had others ask you the questions he asks, I wonder if you have any non-christian friends or friends outside one theological construct. The brilliant thing about what Bell did is that he did not answer the questions. He proposed them - admittedly in a provocative way.
Some who blogged about the book have apparently read pieces of it. However, they read only the pieces they were sent. Do not underestimate the marketing wisdom regarding what they were given by the publisher. Anyway, some of those individuals claim that what they read places Bell in the camp of a universalist and a heretic. I have not seen direct documentation supporting their claims and more directly they, nor I, have yet read the whole book.
It might do well for us all to remember two things: 1) currently most of us do not know what Bell believes because we have not read his book; 2) there are more views of hell espoused by students through church history than the eternal torment and universalist view. Various views of conditional mortality and annhilationism come readily to mind.
This will be an explosive discussion. It is also one of great importance and interest in our culture. Many other discussions in the popular context often bore me - this one has my attention because I know it has the attention of those I minister to and reach out to. Most of them will never buy or read Bell's book but they are asking the questions.
Yes, I will be buying the book. After that perhaps I will be able to comment on Rob Bell's views. In the meantime, I pray for love and truth to win!
