Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and author of now 5 books, is being harshly criticized because of the questions that are posed in the content of his new book, "Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived." He asks questions like, "How can a loving God send you to hell?" and, "If there are only a select few going to Heaven, then is Jesus essentially saving us from God, and how is that 'good news'?" Since his book has not been released publicly yet, I haven't had the chance to read it, but from what I know and like about Rob Bell, I can't wait to get my hands on it. Here is a video promo for "Love Wins."
So, what's my response to the questions he poses, you ask? I say, thank goodness someone is willing to boldly and creatively ask things that, we who follow Jesus, have wrestled with ourselves! He is just on a larger platform asking the questions. He is accused of being a "universalist" (the idea or theory that everyone will be saved in the end), and a "heretic," simply for presenting these questions that are apparently, unthinkable. Are there not things that we can learn because of the process of wondering, even if we won't end up with a definitive answer? That to me is what Rob Bell is doing. He's presenting a point of view that challenges tradition, but is no way claiming he knows it all. He's simply provoking thought.
No one can claim they know absolute truth. God is far too infinite for any one of us to say that we have it all figured out. So, wouldn't it be rational, logical, appropriate, and even encouraged to ask questions about God, faith, theories, and ideas, since we DON'T have all of the answers? Do we not learn from talking, asking, and participating in something? Why is there such fear in a question?
Here is my theory. It comes from a term that Rob Bell coined in his book "Velvet Elvis." He talked about "Brickianity" (a made up word), this idea that some people's faith is like a brick wall, and if you take one brick out, the entire wall crumbles. He then said, on the other side, that some people's faith is like a trampoline, bouncing ideas and questions off people and God, having fun being in dialogue and wrestling with these intense and important questions. I believe those who are criticizing Rob Bell for his new book, and the questions it raises, might fall into the "brickianity" category. Because he is likely going to be presenting a new side to what's been a traditional view of God's love and afterlife, does that mean that foundational things are shaken. Absolutely not. In fact, I would say it takes a strong foundation and strong resolve in what you believe to even be willing to ask such questions. To me, that's what Rob Bell's faith in Christ is displaying. Security, space to doubt, space to question, knowing that at the end of the day, whatever you asked isn't going to shake God's love and admiration for you, or what you know is true of who God is.
Hello?! Why would the most creative being to have ever existed, the ruler of all that we see and don't see, the definition of truth and love itself, be scared by what we could possibly ask Him, or dabble with in trying make sense of Him? Do we really think that He's threatened by our questions? I doubt it.
We are the ones who are scared of the questions because it begs us to open our mind and just consider that another point of view, story, or answer could hold some merit, or is worth thinking about. New ideas can be frightening, but there is nothing wrong with bringing another opinion to the table.
That is what Rob Bell has done so beautifully in the past, and will likely do again in "Love Wins.".
You don't get to know someone or something without wondering, talking, and asking questions. God is no different. Rob Bell is excellent at starting the discussion, and that's what I see him hoping for with his new book, and I wish him all the best. I'm so grateful for bold voices who can articulate a point of view that is hard to articulate...even with the backlash that comes with it. I will admit that I believe I fall into a newer theological view in Christianity called "open theology," or "open futurism," and though I am still pondering lots of things in that theory, I always find it refreshing to read and hear others who identify and ponder that same idea/theology as well. I would say Rob Bell does. I hope to learn something new in reading his book, and have my mind challenged, intrigued, and in continued wonder of this infinite being we call, God. Here's to being a trampoline!
No comments:
Post a Comment