I have this blog and might as well use it for something.

So, here is a quick review of Rob Bell’s newest book Love Wins for those that might want a point of reference on the issue but haven’t been able to read the book yet.

Full disclosure: I read this book more quickly than I would others, so my conclusions can certainly be argued, though I think I’m not too far off the mark.

Things the book is NOT:

An exhaustive argument for a particular theological position.

Things the book IS:

An intentionally provocative series of questions designed to reexamine a story a number of Christians hold.

If you are looking for a sustained argument for a particular theological issue, this book isn’t really the book for you. It is not a monograph on the subject of hell or universalism. Rather, the point of Bell’s argument seems to be that Scripture presents a less than monolithic view concerning the nature of things like heaven(?), hell, and salvation. Bell asks a lot of questions that cut to the heart of the way contemporary evangelicalism speaks about these subjects. Is heaven really a place located in the sky? Is hell really fire and brimstones and hot pokers for all eternity? Is salvation accomplished through a “relationship with Jesus” or is there more to it than that?

While Bell raises these questions, he doesn’t, within the pages of Love Wins, stray far from the Christian narrative. He doesn’t seek a redefinition of heaven, hell, and salvation from other religions or philosophers. He rummages around within Scripture to see if there are other ways of approaching these questions central to Christian tradition.

His conclusions?

Heaven is described, in rather N. T. Wrightesque language, as a renewed creation HERE rather than an ethereal realm where disembodied spirits float around forever. This is not really a controversial point, at least theologically.

Hell…hell…well, Bell is not as clear on this issue. After some cursory examination of the word and concept in Scripture, he affirms the idea with some modification. I guess, for Bell, Hell begins now, with our acceptance or rejection of God’s plan for our lives, and will continue after we die, but not forever. Eventually, at some point in our post-mortem rejection of God, everyone will be won by the love of God and come to the other side, to heaven/paradise/new creation. So, maybe more like a purgatory? I may have been reading too quickly to fully get this part of Bell’s book.

Regarding salvation, Bell wants to push the discussion from something that only happens when we die to a reality that is present with us in this life. Heaven and hell begin now, depending on whether we choose God or reject God. Also, how a person realizes salvation is more complicated than just “having a relationship with Jesus.” For Bell, I think, this is an oversimplification that does injustice to the life-long process of following God and living within God’s will. Moreover, as humans we cannot really say who is “in” and who is “out” regarding heaven and hell. Our knowledge and perspective are too limited to make such judgments and, really, we should be more worried about ourselves anyway.

So, that is the impression I got from Bell’s book. Overall, Bell seeks to rattle some cages. He does so by drawing on Scripture and attempting to root himself within a broader stream of thought within Christian orthodoxy (e.g. Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, Clement of Alexandria).

My personal thoughts on the book? For what it is worth, I thought the book was “okay.” I appreciate his definition of heaven, his emphasis on salvation as a present reality, and his courage to ask the questions he does. However, I found some of his interpretations of scripture puzzling and many of his arguments not compelling. Also, if you are not a fan of proof-texting (just citing a ton of scriptures, taking them at face value) this book could drive you crazy. Furthermore, there was a one-sidedness to the book that was, I feel, to its detriment (lots of love; not too much judgment, his focus on “hell” as a present issue notwithstanding).

Will this book make you twice a son or daughter of hell as Bell? It shouldn’t. Should you walk away from this book thinking you have all the knowledge on hell and universalism you need? Nope. Take it for what it is: a semi-controversial skepticism, moderately argued, aimed at starting a conversation.

I have attempted here a faithful representation of Rob Bell’s work; we don’t need more obfuscation concerning his beliefs

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