Over the course of the next days and weeks I will be writing a review of Rob Bell's book, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived. Rob Bell is an author, he also produces the popular "Nooma" video series that is very popular with church youth groups, and he is also the pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, MI, which is a mega church with thousands of members. Bell has a lot of influence with many Christians, he is considered by many to be some what cool or hip, and is a seen as a leader in the Emergent Church movement.
What interests me about this book though is not just Bell's views, but also the backlash that has come from what some might call "the establishment". For instance, John Piper tweeted "Farewell Rob Bell" in response to hearing what Bell was advocating in his new book. The question is farewell to what? The early buzz on Bell's book was that it advocated universalism, specifically that everyone would eventually end up in Heaven, hence, Love Wins. Piper on the other hand has a very traditional view of Heaven and Hell, for Piper some will live in eternal bliss with God while the rest will be consigned to Hell, a place where one is punished forever.
Understanding the subject matter of this discussion (Heaven, Hell, Universalism) it is hard not to wonder if Piper was saying farewell, seeing himself as part of the group going to Heaven, while Bell may be part of the other group, the one going to Hell and flippantly wishing him farewell along the way. Remember, this was a response that came after hearing of Rob Bell's supposed universalism (I say supposed because Bell himself denies that he is a universalist). Even if there was not that much thought in Piper's words, this response was beneath him and so were the responses of many people who responded to Bell, but more on that in coming posts.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Saturday, November 1, 2008
A little about myself, my wife and I have moved half-way across the country so that I can attend seminary. We just had a beautiful baby boy who is 5 weeks old.
Anyway, I just had to let out a little frustration that I have been having. In one of my classes the teacher was talking about the problem of evil. Anyway the teacher made mention of what he called God's "original plan". So the student that was sitting next to me and I both raised our hands and the teacher called on me first. I asked how we can say that God had an original plan. Basically what I was saying was that if God had an original plan and the world as it exists is not part of this original plan, but part of "plan B" for lack of a better name, then God could not fully know the future or if the world as it exists is part of God's original plan, then that would mean that God knew sin, disease, death, and all the bad things that occur were going to happen and He created the world anyway, and some say that makes God the author of evil.
Anyway, after I asked my question, the teacher said that I could say that God was the author of evil if I want and that some people do answer the problem of evil that way. The teacher said this in a way that made me and others think that he was accusing me of making God out to be sinful or something. After the teacher answered the guy sitting next to me explained how the teachers view has a problem with evil as well.
Now here's what I think happened. I believe that the teacher thinks that I am a Calvinist, because the guy that sits in front of me is a Calvinist and the teacher sees us talking quite a bit. So I think he had that in mind when I asked my question. Either way, I believe the question could have been answered or the teacher could have attempted an answer without seemingly accussing me. Even if he had just said that it was a mystery or something like that, I could have taken it as he did not know and went on.
I'm just a little annoyed by this teacher's response. It's alright though, I have learned a lot in seminary that I would not have learned if I had not come, so for that I am grateful.
Anyway, I just had to let out a little frustration that I have been having. In one of my classes the teacher was talking about the problem of evil. Anyway the teacher made mention of what he called God's "original plan". So the student that was sitting next to me and I both raised our hands and the teacher called on me first. I asked how we can say that God had an original plan. Basically what I was saying was that if God had an original plan and the world as it exists is not part of this original plan, but part of "plan B" for lack of a better name, then God could not fully know the future or if the world as it exists is part of God's original plan, then that would mean that God knew sin, disease, death, and all the bad things that occur were going to happen and He created the world anyway, and some say that makes God the author of evil.
Anyway, after I asked my question, the teacher said that I could say that God was the author of evil if I want and that some people do answer the problem of evil that way. The teacher said this in a way that made me and others think that he was accusing me of making God out to be sinful or something. After the teacher answered the guy sitting next to me explained how the teachers view has a problem with evil as well.
Now here's what I think happened. I believe that the teacher thinks that I am a Calvinist, because the guy that sits in front of me is a Calvinist and the teacher sees us talking quite a bit. So I think he had that in mind when I asked my question. Either way, I believe the question could have been answered or the teacher could have attempted an answer without seemingly accussing me. Even if he had just said that it was a mystery or something like that, I could have taken it as he did not know and went on.
I'm just a little annoyed by this teacher's response. It's alright though, I have learned a lot in seminary that I would not have learned if I had not come, so for that I am grateful.
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