Introduction (mine) and Preface

Introduction to this Blog

Rob Bell, pastor at a mega-church, has written a controversial book titled Love Wins.  I wondered how many people complaining about it had actually read it.  I started reading it and then decided to go back to the beginning, take notes, then publish my findings.

I grew up in a conservative Southern Baptist church, but I have some theological beliefs that aren't traditional.  I have a degree in English and taught literature courses for twenty years.  I'm pretty good at being unbiased, so I decided to go back to the beginning of the book and take notes as I read and report them here.  Keep that in mind.  I have NOT finished the book.  Perhaps the controversial statements he begins with are just to get the reader thinking and then he will explain it later.  We'll see. 

Feel free to chime in.

Preface: Millions of Us

See, I wonder about this "millions" of us bit from the beginning.  Bell has a tendency to say that "everyone" thinks this or that, and that makes me wonder who his target audience is.  My overall sense is that Bell is being controversial to get people thinking, but he's also turning off people who should be supporting him and confusing spiritually young Christians.

Bell begins by saying that God's love is for "everybody, everywhere".  This wasn't true in the Old Testament.  The Israelites were the chosen people. Everyone else, the Gentiles, were in the wrong.

Then he writes, "I've written this book for all those who have heard some version of the Jesus story that caused their stomachs to churn and to utter those resolute words, 'I would never be a part of that.' "

Here's his example: "A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous place called heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever in torment and punishment in hell" (vii).

Now, I know there is a belief that only 144,000 people will be going to heaven, but that's not a majority opinion.  The majority of Christians believe that ALL Christians will end up in Heaven, while the rest of humanity spends eternity in Hell.

He might also be referring to the condemnation of a variety of sins.  Or that good people who aren't believers will go to Hell.

Bell says one of his reasons for writing the book is that "some communities don't permit, open honest inquiry about the things that matter most."  I go back to my question of his target audience.  Who is he writing for?  Anyone who hasn't done any Bible study is just going to be further confused by this book.

What category will people fall in to?

• I've heard the controversy, Rob Bell's a heretic, and I don't need to read the book.
• I've not read much of the Bible, but the controversy made me curious.  Now that I've read it, I'm more confused than before.
• Rob Bell's right on target.  The truth is just to radical for these old conservatives!

(And just to remind MY readers, I haven't finished the book.  Maybe he's not as radical as we're being led to believe.)