Willow Branches in Autumn Winds

Love Wins

When Rob Bell’s book Love Wins came out a few months ago, it caused quite a stir. I saw lots of people commenting and speculating on twitter, blogs and other articles, before they even read the book. And much of the commenting and speculating was pretty negative.

I started reading the book last week, because our church is having a four-week book discussion about it. I’m not finished yet, but I really like some of what he says. I debated about whether to buy the book or borrow it, but I’m glad I ended up buying it because there is a lot in there that I think I’ll be able to use in my teaching in the future.

I can’t say I 100% agree with everything I’ve read so far, but I think Bell is starting a great conversation. I’m not sure his audience is meant to be all the evangelicals who have bashed the book. I think it’s meant for people who have had all kinds of questions about the messages they’ve heard about Christianity. He makes some excellent points, and I’d love to hear a review from someone who has rejected Christ or Christianity because of the view of hell they’ve been shown by Christians. I would also like to read a well-written, point-by-point critique of Bell’s views from a thoughtful Christian who has actually read the book. (Marc P or Rick G…are you up for the challenge?)

After all the people out there claiming that Bell has rejected the Biblical view of hell and had shown his true colors as a universalist (which I emphatically don’t agree with so far), I was surprised to find the following endorsement on the book jacket from Eugene Peterson:

In the current religious climate in America, it isn’t easy to develop a thoroughly biblical imagination that takes in the comprehensive and eternal work of Christ in all people and all circumstances in love and for salvation. Rob Bell goes a long way in helping us acquire just such an imagination. Love Wins accomplishes this without a trace of soft sentimentality and without compromising an inch of evangelical conviction in all its proclamation of the good news that is most truly for all.

Greg Boyd and Andy Crouch are also quoted on the book jacket with good things to say.

If you haven’t read the book because of what you think it says, I recommend you borrow it from the library and read it through. You might be surprised. And if you end up disagreeing with Bell, good. We Christians are a diverse bunch, we don’t have the answer to every question, and we don’t always have to agree. It’s not a bad thing to listen in love to what a brother has to say about “heaven, hell, and the fate of every person who ever lived.”