It’s been over two months since Rob Bell’s book, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, was released and even longer since the proverbial excrement storm began with three words on Twitter. (Not that anyone needed it, but there’s proof enough that the so-called New Media is changing the way we get info and talk about it, but that’s a topic for another day.) Since then I have read the book twice, read a number of pieces pertaining to the book and discussed the book with those that I could. Now, after going back-and-forth for a few weeks on whether or not to engage this work on the blogosphere, I feel prepared to enter the fray. Frankly, I feel that this is less to share my thoughts with others and more to provide catharsis for myself.
Let me begin by echoing a statement made by Scot McKnight on his blog (www.patheos.com/community/jesuscreed) when he was discussing Love Wins: We need to be approaching this subject with great humility and in prayer, asking that the Holy Spirit will speak to us and through us. As followers of Jesus, we are called to remember that we are all of one body and that Jesus is the head of that body. Difference of opinion is inevitable and healthy; the hand perceives a flower much differently than the eye or the nose, yet they are still part of the same body. Likewise, we believers understand Scripture, our faith and how it applies to our lives in many different ways, yet disparaging those that understand differently from us is not only unproductive (as it engenders a defensive posture from those we disagree with) but it is also against the desires of our head, Jesus. It is for the health of the body of Christ that we need to first pray for humility, divine understanding through the Holy Spirit and graciousness towards our brothers and sisters before we begin to engage this discussion.
I’d also like to preface that I think this discussion is extremely timely and very necessary. With all the chaos going on in the world, and our ability to easily gather information from previously “remote” places, more and more believers have asked me the question, “Listen, do you think we are in the end times?” (Caveat: It is possible that I am merely more aware of this question being asked and that the actual number of people asking the question has not increased. Additionally, the level of chaos in the world may not have actually increased, but our current level of information regarding wars, earthquakes, famines, etc. around the world is undoubtedly much higher than it was even 5 years ago.) Because people are witnessing the apparent revolt of nature and the ever-present violence of humanity against itself, they want (or in some cases, feel "a need") to know what is coming down the pike. They want to know what will happen to them when they die or when Jesus returns. Thus, it is extremely helpful for the body of Christ to be wrestling with this topic at this time.
A third disclaimer must be made in the sake of full disclosure: I’m a fan of Rob Bell. I find his style of communication riveting. I like the questions that his teachings (this book included) bring up, and I LOVE that those questions drive me to look into the Scriptures and the history of the Church to determine where I stand in relationship to those questions. In fact, my experience with Bell’s teachings leads me to conclude that the questions are more his point than delivering answers. Since the questions are the point, I can agree with many other Bell commentators who say that he infrequently gives a straight, clear answer without being personally bothered by his apparent evasion. Truthfully, Bell reminds me (at least according to the descriptions I heard in Church History) of a 1st century Jewish Rabbi, never answering questions with answers, but instead more questions. I hesitate to say this since I’m certain someone out there will prove me wrong, but Bell seems to avoid making solid, clear-cut conclusions, instead preferring to challenge your understanding of the faith you live so that you seek to better understand that faith. In this, I believe he succeeds more often than he doesn’t, and I truly appreciate this.
Despite my stated affection for Rob Bell and his teachings, I am unwilling to allow my affection for a human to come between my desire for Jesus and the truth of his Gospel. In many ways it was my admittance of my fandom that caused me to read Love Wins with an extra critical eye (for those that know me, I know that it is hard to believe I could be more critical, but I tried nonetheless).
My need for an extra helping of salt came when I finished reading Love Wins through the first time. I knew I had to read it again before I made any comments because I felt exactly how my wife felt after she read it; when she finished it she said, “I’m not quite sure what people are all worked up about.” Wanting to avoid a fanboy response, I read it a second time, and I came down more firmly where I was after the first read.
Some may read that and conclude that I am a heretic or apostate or anti-Christ or any number of derogatory terms that have been directed at Rob Bell in the past few months. Well, I’d like to ask you to pick your label off the table for a bit longer, and read what I’m saying first. If you still think I’ve earned it at the end, then, by all means, toss it back on the table (i.e. the comment section) and lets talk about it. Perhaps you’ll rethink your position on Love Wins. Maybe you’ll still disagree with it, but maybe you’ll also agree that there is a certain level of Christian charity that needs to be expressed to those of a different understanding without applying labels. However you come down in the end is between you and God. I’m just asking for you to be sure that you are asking the Spirit to speak.
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