In my previous blog I suggested that the death of Osama Bin Laden posed some significant theological problems from two differing points of view claimed in popular culture.  The one is of Pastor Rob Bell who claimed in his latest book Love Wins, that there is a hell, but God may be so gracious as to save people out of hell after they are placed there.  Stephen Hawking takes an opposite approach for he claimed last month that there is no heaven, that humanity is no more than a computer that fails, saying, “There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.”  The basic point I was making is that Bell and Hawking’s views on the afterlife are incompatible with C.S. Lewis’ understanding of moral law, the Law of Human Nature.  I also argued that those two views were not only incompatible with Lewis, but the Bible as well.  Here I would like to propose how this negative stance, does have a positive outcome.

At first I didn’t want to believe it.  Did you?  I saw the book trailer and found it inconclusive.  I heard the rhetoric, the bandwagon for and against the man from multiple outlets, and still wasn’t sold either way.  Maybe because I loved the Nooma video’s, own a couple of his messages, and thinking he would have too much to lose by such a provocative message, I wanted to believe in the best possible outcome.  But ring the bell, sound the alarm, Rob Bell has opened himself up to deserved criticism for his view of the afterlife that salvation “may” be extended into the life hereafter.

People who are critics of Bell’s views in his latest book Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived claiming he takes a universalist view of salvation, are being criticized on the basis of the classic defense “Judge not lest ye be judged. That’s God’s job.”  This was a response posted on Twitter from @kristimcarlson not too long ago.  Rev. and Dr. Serene Jones from Union Theological Seminary conveys a similar sentiment, “I think the people who are going after Rob Bell’s controversy are themselves closer to heresy than Rob Bell is.”  By the way, Jones believes hell is “made up” and that “the question of heaven and hell is not something we should be worrying about”.  For more see here:  http://abcnews.go.com/US/controversial-book-debunk-concept-hell/story?id=13070964

This is a must-see video for those following the discussion surounding the new book "Love Wins Out" by Rob Bell. The interviewer does a phenomenal job of holding Bell's feet to the fire and clarifying exactly what theological and personal assumptions drive his writings. I don't think Bell saw this coming.

This is a must-see video for those following the discussion surounding the new book "Love Wins Out" by Rob Bell. The interviewer does a phenomenal job of holding Bell's feet to the fire and clarifying exactly what theological and personal assumptions drive his writings. I don't think Bell saw this coming.