Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
Regardless of where you fall in your conclusions of what the Bible says about Heaven and Hell, the questions raised by Bell in this book are questions thinking Christians should be asking!
Update (January, 20, 2012):
Upon reading this book for the second time, I'm convinced that many people reading this have missed the point. Rob Bell's purpose for writing this book isn't to convince you that he's right about Heaven and Hell, or to create "Rob Bell" disciples who believe just like him. The point of this book is to spark a discussion. What if our traditional belief in how Heaven and Hell work aren't what the Bible teaches? What if those beliefs don't really reflect truth? And in light of that possibility, what if those beliefs are driving people away from God?
It's heavy stuff for a short book, but it gives a lot of food for thought. And Bell doesn't skimp on the scripture - he gives a compelling case that maybe what we preach isn't the truth, according to God. Maybe "being saved" isn't primarily about looking forward to another life. It's about how we live this one. It's about how we alleviate hell on this earth, and bring heaven to our world.
I think the key to the book comes midway through. Bell suggests that we are free to choose heaven or hell. I think the problem that many people have with this book is not that Bell is a Universalist (meaning that he thinks all people everywhere will go to Heaven no matter what) but that this life and the next is a bit more of a continuum; maybe this life isn't our only chance to choose God. And that flies in the face of our traditional beliefs on heaven, hell, death, and the afterlife as much as Universalism.
Update (January, 20, 2012):
Upon reading this book for the second time, I'm convinced that many people reading this have missed the point. Rob Bell's purpose for writing this book isn't to convince you that he's right about Heaven and Hell, or to create "Rob Bell" disciples who believe just like him. The point of this book is to spark a discussion. What if our traditional belief in how Heaven and Hell work aren't what the Bible teaches? What if those beliefs don't really reflect truth? And in light of that possibility, what if those beliefs are driving people away from God?
It's heavy stuff for a short book, but it gives a lot of food for thought. And Bell doesn't skimp on the scripture - he gives a compelling case that maybe what we preach isn't the truth, according to God. Maybe "being saved" isn't primarily about looking forward to another life. It's about how we live this one. It's about how we alleviate hell on this earth, and bring heaven to our world.
I think the key to the book comes midway through. Bell suggests that we are free to choose heaven or hell. I think the problem that many people have with this book is not that Bell is a Universalist (meaning that he thinks all people everywhere will go to Heaven no matter what) but that this life and the next is a bit more of a continuum; maybe this life isn't our only chance to choose God. And that flies in the face of our traditional beliefs on heaven, hell, death, and the afterlife as much as Universalism.
Well I read it and I didn't explode in a sparkly puff of heresy!
A questioning look at heaven and hell. This book asks if a loving God is really going to throw the majority into hell.
He doesn't actually say anything or make any assumptions. It's a string of questions attached to bible verses and passages. I didn't agree with all of the things he seemed to be saying about heaven and hell but I don't think he did either. He was very open about how much we don't know.
The bible overwhelmingly talks about choices. The right choice and the wrong choice (in OT "choose life" and the gospels talk of those accepted or taken and those excluded with the wailing and gnashing of teeth and he doesn't give enough time on this. He also doesn't talk about why their is a desperate need to call people to repentance and if everyone gets into heaven anyway why are millions risking their lives to "save" people? Just so they too can suffer persecution?
He doesn't really go to far with that and seems uneasy about hell and I guess all of us christians are uneasy. I think he is guilty of simply opening a taboo dialogue and doesn't ever actually state a solid thought apart from the fact that Love Wins.
This book was heavily slated for daring to suggest you could go to heaven without christ. He suggests significantly that christ is how people get to heaven but they may not know that that way is Christ.
I disagree with lots of the subtle suggestions in this book but it has given me food for thought.
He's a slippery one in terms of pinning down what he actually thinks.
A questioning look at heaven and hell. This book asks if a loving God is really going to throw the majority into hell.
He doesn't actually say anything or make any assumptions. It's a string of questions attached to bible verses and passages. I didn't agree with all of the things he seemed to be saying about heaven and hell but I don't think he did either. He was very open about how much we don't know.
The bible overwhelmingly talks about choices. The right choice and the wrong choice (in OT "choose life" and the gospels talk of those accepted or taken and those excluded with the wailing and gnashing of teeth and he doesn't give enough time on this. He also doesn't talk about why their is a desperate need to call people to repentance and if everyone gets into heaven anyway why are millions risking their lives to "save" people? Just so they too can suffer persecution?
He doesn't really go to far with that and seems uneasy about hell and I guess all of us christians are uneasy. I think he is guilty of simply opening a taboo dialogue and doesn't ever actually state a solid thought apart from the fact that Love Wins.
This book was heavily slated for daring to suggest you could go to heaven without christ. He suggests significantly that christ is how people get to heaven but they may not know that that way is Christ.
I disagree with lots of the subtle suggestions in this book but it has given me food for thought.
He's a slippery one in terms of pinning down what he actually thinks.
A relieving, graceful read—the type of book where you can absorb what feels right and leave the rest. I immediately passed it on to a friend who recently became a Christian in hopes that she can avoid some of the pain and confusion I experienced as a young Christian.
I’m not gonna lie, this book made me a bit nervous. I like a lot of Rob’s stuff, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to wade into this topic with him. But I’m really glad I did. I didn’t agree with everything, but I felt this book was perspective-expanding. I think deep down a lot of us wonder or question what we’ve been taught about this topic, and if we’re really free to engage it, we will ask a lot of the questions Rob asks in this book. This book helped me take another step toward “perfect love casts out fear.”
"Life has never been about just getting in. It's about thriving in God's good world. It's stillness, peace, and that feeling of your soul being at rest; while at the same time it's about asking things, learning things, creating things and sharing it all with others who are finding the same kind of joy in the same good world. "
"Jesus did not use heaven and hell to try and compel heathen and pagans to believe in God so they wouldn't burn when they die. He talked about hell to very religious people to warn them about the consequences of straying from their God given calling and identity to show the world God's love."
"I believe the discussion itself is divine. Abraham does his best to bargain with God, most of the book of Job consists of arguments by Job and his friends about the deepest questions of human suffering, God is practically on trial in the poems of Lamentations, and Jesus responds to almost every question he's asked with . . . a question."
"'What do you think? How do you read it?' he asks, again and again and again."
"There is no question that Jesus cannot handle, no discussion too volatile, no issue too dangerous."
"Jesus did not use heaven and hell to try and compel heathen and pagans to believe in God so they wouldn't burn when they die. He talked about hell to very religious people to warn them about the consequences of straying from their God given calling and identity to show the world God's love."
"I believe the discussion itself is divine. Abraham does his best to bargain with God, most of the book of Job consists of arguments by Job and his friends about the deepest questions of human suffering, God is practically on trial in the poems of Lamentations, and Jesus responds to almost every question he's asked with . . . a question."
"'What do you think? How do you read it?' he asks, again and again and again."
"There is no question that Jesus cannot handle, no discussion too volatile, no issue too dangerous."
gorgeous.
I could go on for hours about this book, but I won't.
I'm deeply thankful that if I ever have kids, they'll be growing up in a world where people like Rob Bell, Mark Batterson, and Donald Miller have chosen to put legalism aside and entertain the idea that maybe God isn't some horrible dictator who is obsessed with religion and legalism.
Bell's comment about trying to raise his kids so they have to un-learn as few things as possible really made me chuckle.
I think about stuff like that all the time (even though I don't have the slightest interest in having kids any time soon- if ever). I think about stuff I picked up from going to a Christian school for 4 years...and looking back I can see that they had the best of intentions, but at the time, there was a HUGE disconnect, because they focused on teaching us the facts of religion...but it's like they never took the time to explain the value of what they were teaching.
Maybe it's idealistic but it would have been so cool to have had some open conversations about the stories we were reading or the verses we had to memorize and how it all applies to our lives, and what God is really trying to say and WHY He was saying it. I recognize I was in 4-7 grade, it wasn't like high-school or college where the emphasis is more on opening a dialogue...but it should have been, or they shouldn't have been teaching it. If you're talking about God to grade-school kids, you need to allow it to be whatever it needs to be- wherever those kids want/need to take it. Otherwise, what you end up with, is total blind religion that either causes you to decide God is irrelevant or horrible, or you become a judgmental legalist.
And that's a LOT to unlearn, whichever side you fall on. (much like the prodigal son reference Bell used towards the end of the book. To prodigal son had to choose God's version of the story...but so did the judgmental older brother)
I'm still trying to erase the preconceived ideas that were passed down to me in various forms.
In a way, we probably all are. But it's refreshing to read something like this to remind you that you don't have to always get it right- you just have to accept God's love & try your best in return.
I could go on for hours about this book, but I won't.
I'm deeply thankful that if I ever have kids, they'll be growing up in a world where people like Rob Bell, Mark Batterson, and Donald Miller have chosen to put legalism aside and entertain the idea that maybe God isn't some horrible dictator who is obsessed with religion and legalism.
Bell's comment about trying to raise his kids so they have to un-learn as few things as possible really made me chuckle.
I think about stuff like that all the time (even though I don't have the slightest interest in having kids any time soon- if ever). I think about stuff I picked up from going to a Christian school for 4 years...and looking back I can see that they had the best of intentions, but at the time, there was a HUGE disconnect, because they focused on teaching us the facts of religion...but it's like they never took the time to explain the value of what they were teaching.
Maybe it's idealistic but it would have been so cool to have had some open conversations about the stories we were reading or the verses we had to memorize and how it all applies to our lives, and what God is really trying to say and WHY He was saying it. I recognize I was in 4-7 grade, it wasn't like high-school or college where the emphasis is more on opening a dialogue...but it should have been, or they shouldn't have been teaching it. If you're talking about God to grade-school kids, you need to allow it to be whatever it needs to be- wherever those kids want/need to take it. Otherwise, what you end up with, is total blind religion that either causes you to decide God is irrelevant or horrible, or you become a judgmental legalist.
And that's a LOT to unlearn, whichever side you fall on. (much like the prodigal son reference Bell used towards the end of the book. To prodigal son had to choose God's version of the story...but so did the judgmental older brother)
I'm still trying to erase the preconceived ideas that were passed down to me in various forms.
In a way, we probably all are. But it's refreshing to read something like this to remind you that you don't have to always get it right- you just have to accept God's love & try your best in return.
He put words to ideas I've had for a looong time. Makes me feel like I'm not crazy. Wonderful.
When this book first came out, I was told to stay away from it because it would "confuse me" or "pull me away from truth." After reading this, I feel more secure in what I believe about God. If this is "confusion," I prefer being confused.
This was my first time reading anything by Rob Bell. I was introduced to the premise of the book by a close friend. We had a very thought provoking conversation on some of the topics covered within this book. He believed that because I thought like Bell does about what the true message of Christ is that I would love this book. And boy was he right. Bell answers some the questions that have driven people away from the Christian faith. He makes you think of the over all message of Christ, which is one of love and hope and not of "us versus them". I can see why several evangelical groups/pastors did not appreciate this book. The book presents some very radical ideas. None that are new or even shocking, most have been taught for years and most pastors that have taught them have been shunned for doing so. However, this book presents Christ message in such a wonderful and easy to understand way. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in deepening their relationship with Christ.
Read this one: beautiful, hopeful, and heart changing, "There is an exclusivity on the other side of inclusivity. He is as narrow as himself and as wide as the universe. He is as exclusive as himself and as inclusive as containing every single favorite particle of creation."