The Day I Told a Girl She Is Going to Hell & Rob Bell’s Love Wins Part 1
Rob Bell / Love Wins
When I was in high school and college, I served as a waiter for Bob Evans Restaurant. Outside of the joke, “Your name is Evan. Do you own the place?”, I have mostly fond memories of that job (e.g., my wife and I started dating when we were both working there). However, there’s one memory that haunts me to this day–
the day I told Char she was going to hell.
I’m not really proud about how I handled the situation. In fact, burned-out-Catholic Char kind of cornered me when she asked, “Do you think I am going to hell?” As a good evangelical and student at a bible college, I knew the correct theological answer, “Yeah,” followed by, “If you don’t believe in Jesus, I think you are going to hell” (although I’m not sure I said, “I think;” perhaps, I want to remember myself as more compassionate than I was). No discussion. No follow up. And Char just walked away.
That day haunts me.
It’s not a matter of theology. I may have been theologically correct. But I wasn’t compassionate because I didn’t see God as compassionate. I saw God as someone who was just waiting to smite everyone who didn’t believe like I did. I saw God as someone ready to send billions of people to hell and eternal torment because they weren’t “saved.” I saw the world “going to hell in a handbasket” and the rest of us just had to hang on before God would judge everyone except…me and people who believed like me.
I wish I had read Rob Bell’s Love Wins. I wish I had hinged my theology on statements like,
Our eschatology shapes our ethics (p. 27).
And even,
…what Jesus does again and again is warn us against rash judgments about who’s in and who’s out (p. 31).
Because, maybe if I did, Char would have been in a better place to hear the good news about Jesus. Char may have been able to hear about God’s relentless love for her, and I might not be responsible for her eternity. Rob Bell’s Love Wins reminds me to be compassionate.
I don’t really want to debate all the theology of Rob Bell. I am actually of the opinion that Rob Bell is smarter than I. I would rather hit the questions people have been asking me about the book. I will be doing this over the next couple of posts or so.
But, for now, what questions do you have?
Great start, Evan! Looking forward to the rest! (added by Mobile using Mippin)
Are retributive justice and restorative justice as opposed as Bell suggests?
Why would God, out of love, never interfere with human freedom; Does God love freedom more than all other human characteristics?
I have other questions, but those were two that I was left with as soon as I was finished the book… I mean, mostly I was inspired and excited by the book, and encouraged to be more intentional with telling others about the transformative, participatory nature of the Gospel. So… I mean, if Bell is wrong, he at least inspired me to do something good, right?
Well said Evan. I have similar stories to share. I think this sensitivity is a huge part of Rob Bell’s appeal and a reason why we should interact with him. Your review is one of the few reviews I plan on reading! Looking forward to the next part.
Also I’m a bit wary of the comment about bell being smarter then the likes of us, because thats true of theologans on the other side of this issue as well, such as John Piper. At some point we have to examine these things with the faculties God has given us in an emotionaly and intellectually and hopefully spiritually, honest way as much as possible and decide how we are going to live based on those conclusions.
I was wondering if you’ve read this book. It seems to be a hot topic lately; CNN has been all over to controversial Rob Bell. I’ve yet to read it. Looking forward to Part II of your post.
I also have to say that what is truly compassionate for this situation with the woman you worked with depends on the conclusions you draw. If favor from God and being delievered from His wrath is dependent on a persons faith in Jesus then it is not compassionate all to not warn her. This is not just a logical conclusion, it is a doctrinal exhortation, it is modeled for us by people in the Bible and more importantly by God, time and again in the Scripture. Of course it must be done in a loving way, their is no one who would debate this.
As far as questions go, I would ask what role does what we wish to be true play in this debate? I wrestle with hell, I really do, I don’t want to believe it most of the time but I don’t want to come to conclusions that way as I suspect bell has done.
Good review and post man. I read the book and I loved most of it. Bell challenges us to love God and believe that God is all loving and gracious.
Evan… I read a bit from your blog on a podcast this morning and just thought I would let you know. Josh McDowell (this is my first comment here, the Josh above is not me)
Here’s a link to the podcast….
http://aplacetotalk.net/weeklytalks/
Evan,
About the episode with Char - yes, there were better ways that could’ve been handled. But Rob Bell is not offering a better way.
Suppose we hit “Rewind” and relive that situation so as to advocate Rob Bell’s view of hell. What would happen? We might say, “Yes, Char; you’re going to hell for a while, but you will gain there a fuller understanding of God’s love, and the effects that your bad decisions have had upon your character will be undone. At some point your inner spiritual nature will be out of place in hell, and you will freely choose to leave hell and enter heaven.”
Then Char might ask, “And this will happen to everybody, no matter what they do in their earthly lives?” And we could say, “Definitely. Otherwise, God loses.”
Then Char would be happy: “That’s wonderful news! I feel much better about my sins.” And off she goes to live a life of hedonism.
When a person asks, “How will God judge me?”; I think it’s always right to offer God’s grace; it’s always right to invite to repentance. The method of doing that is bound to vary from person to person; the appropriate means of applying God’s medicinal grace will vary from one person to another. For Person A, I might start by saying, “What does the Bible say?” while for Person B, I might first ask, “What’s your own diagnosis of your condition?” and for Person C, I might use a different approach. But I think that it would always be wrong to respond by telling people that hell = purgatory for everyone who wasn’t saved when they died. Unfortunately, that is what is taught in “Love Wins.”
Yours in Christ,
James Snapp, Jr.
@Josh McDowell, at first I thought you were THE Josh McDowell from “Evidence Demands a Verdict” and thought I was in trouble. But I listened to the podcast and quickly realized that it was not. Thanks for reading the post on your podcast (around 27th minute, right?). This discussion over Rob Bell’s book is intriguing.
There is another Christian perspective on heaven & hell! Since the time of the early church fathers, the Eastern Orthodox Church has taught that heaven and hell are the same “place” — that is, both are in the bosom of God. Some experience the presence of God as paradise because they have allowed Jesus Christ to cleanse their sins and transform their hearts. Others, on the other hand, experience the presence of God as eternal torment because their hearts are tarnished with sin and can’t bear the holiness and purifying love of God. But both are in the loving arms of God. !
See http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles-2009/Mettalinos-Paradise-And-Hell-According-To-Orthodox-Tradition.php
Great Post…just wanted to mention that I don’t think you are responsible for Char’s eternity.
“Char may have been able to hear about God’s relentless love for her, and I might not be responsible for her eternity. Rob Bell’s Love Wins reminds me to be compassionate.”
God can use the events that transpired with Char to change and transform you, just as much as he could have used that conversation to change and transform Char. I’m proud of who you are becoming, and am consistently amazed at your intellect…it’s my privilage to watch you turn in to the thoughtful inspiring man God’s creating you to be.
Love you.
@James, I don’t believe what Bell promotes would leave Char in her hedonism. I will try to develop this in my future posts but for now I encourage you to join in the conversation.
@Ken, I think Bell’s view could fit well with the Orthodox view. I have interest in the Orthodox view. The Orthodox do well to see death as a “journey” where there can be interaction. Is that correct?
@Josh, re: “I’m a bit wary of the comment about bell being smarter then the likes of us…” It is not my intent to debate the theology of Rob Bell, which is why I said that. I don’t think that is my role in this debate. I prefer to point out what he says and offer some advice for moving forward.
@evan: I don’t think it would be accurate to say that death is a journey. The Orthodox do, however, see LIFE as a journey. Life is a journey of increasing communion with God that continues into death. Likewise, salvation is a process of becoming more and more like God until, when we die, we are able to come into His presence without being burned by His holiness, but instead see His holiness as light of glory. Sin is a spiritual sickness from which Christ heals us and saves us, so that we can become who we were meant to be at creation before the Fall.
[...] check out the summaries with links Part 1 and Part 2. Also, check out Evan Curry’s posts The Day I Told a Girl She Was Going to Hell and How My Grandfather Helps Us Understand Rob Bell’s [...]
@Ken, thanks that was helpful. I’ve had other Orthodox persons tell me that death was a journey, but I suppose they may have tied it in with life as a journey.
Evan,
As I read all the controversy about Rob Bell’s book, I get weary of so much debate. While doctrine is certainly important, in Orthodoxy, living the faith is more important than debating the faith, and communing with God is more important than understanding God.
If you’re interested in learning about Orthodoxy, there are many great websites out there, such as:
http://www.oca.org/OCIndex.asp?SID=2
http://www.antiochian.org/discoverorthodoxchristianity
http://journeytoorthodoxy.com
And feel free to email me if you’d like to discuss offline.
Ken
@Ken, I appreciate your willingness to be open to conversation about this. The debate is tiring. Unfortunately, regardless if I am tired of it, it still goes on, and I just want to point out different angles in how to approach the book. Thanks for the links! I appreciate the Orthodox tradition–especially, apophatic theology. Blessings to you.
[...] and hope to help my readers see the book through a new light–the subject of eternity needs less rash judgments and more loving approaches, and that our desire for clarity on this subject (and others) is idolatrous; the book is still [...]