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rubythedreamer's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Bell's interpretation of Hell and God's love and character has been helpful on my deconstruction journey. I particularly liked the last two chapters and found them easy to make sense of. Although I enjoyed overall and will definitely take things from this book, at times I got a bit lost in the points that Bell was trying to make during specific chapters. A helpful and radical viewpoint presented that challenges the traditional evangelical way of thinking I've been looking for.
elotpowell's review against another edition
4.0
A controversial book in its time, I found myself never feeling particularly challenged by Bell. His arguments tend to be well crafted and argued, and the book is certainly a must read for those looking to shift their view of God into a loving one. His chapters "Hell" and "There Are Rocks Everywhere" were standout for me.
veronicascottnova's review against another edition
4.0
When you see literally every verse about "hell" up against one another for the first time, you can never look at the evangelical conception of hell the same way again.
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
3.0
Have some mixed emotions about this one. We read it for the all-church small group book read. I agree with most of Bell's conclusions but I didn't care for his writing style. He uses four or five adjectives when one or two would do and he writes like he preaches (I presume). There aren't necessarily full sentences and full paragraphs so it is a little difficult for us old folks to get used to. But he makes a compelling argument that Love Wins -- that whatever your notions of heaven, all are included. I agree but would rather read Philip Gulley on the subject.
scoticus_maximus's review against another edition
3.0
Rob Bell is an amazing communicator and a person who clearly loves Jesus and is pursuing Him reverently. I don’t quite land where he does regarding the interpretation of scripture and the implications this interpretation has for the theological aspects of salvation and eternity but that doesn’t make him a heretic. We are all doing the best we can to make sense of God, ourselves, and the world we live in. Rob challenges the traditional evangelical view of these theological topics with wit and persuasion and you will likely be stretched and challenged to consider whether your views are true aspects of faith or just traditions. When the dust settles, you will emerge a better more thoughtful person having opened yourself up to ideas that are different than yours and that is never a bad thing.
daileyxplanet's review against another edition
4.0
I have been thinking about critiquing books. Do you rate a book on how much you agree with it, or should that even be on the table? I read books not just for entertainment, but for learning and edification as well. This isn't my first Rob Bell book, but I will admit that the "Love Wins Controversy" did help me keep my distance. If you read or listen to this book you will understand why Rob Bell is a household name in communication. Bell is popular not because of what he teaches, but how. This man could give a talk on Calculus changing lives and it would be engaging, you might not agree, but he has your attention. Also this book isn't really about what you think it is. Yes he does state some things about eternal Hell and Eternal Life, but it's much more about the Heavens and Hells on Earth. You should read this book, even if it's just to see what the fuss was about. Spoiler: Rob Bell doesn't denounce Christ or the Cross. In fact, he gives them much more power and credit than some mainline Christians do. Just saying.
kimball_hansen's review against another edition
3.0
I read this short book (I think I read the abridged version, darn it) last month and can barely remember it now. Oh no. I need to do better with keeping up with my book reviews. If it wasn't for the notes that I take I'd be utterly ruined.
I liked the points he brought up at the beginning of the book. He takes conventional Christianity or the culture of it and turns it on its head. I liked all the examples he used to show that there isn't one way to Heaven but each person's path is different.
A racist will be miserable in the world to come, just like how a smoker will be. We will need to be refined until we burn out our impurities.
Coveting is what happens when you aren't at peace. Those are some very true words right there.
In the Bible they sometimes used the word Heaven for God's name because people wouldn't say God's name back then. Reading it with that context changes a few things and makes it neat.
Heaven (the Eternal Life definition) can be a present reality and not just a 'someday'.
Eminem is a Christian now since 2010? The heck?
I liked the points he brought up at the beginning of the book. He takes conventional Christianity or the culture of it and turns it on its head. I liked all the examples he used to show that there isn't one way to Heaven but each person's path is different.
A racist will be miserable in the world to come, just like how a smoker will be. We will need to be refined until we burn out our impurities.
Coveting is what happens when you aren't at peace. Those are some very true words right there.
In the Bible they sometimes used the word Heaven for God's name because people wouldn't say God's name back then. Reading it with that context changes a few things and makes it neat.
Heaven (the Eternal Life definition) can be a present reality and not just a 'someday'.
Eminem is a Christian now since 2010? The heck?
megryanreally's review against another edition
4.0
Read for it's particularly controversial impact, the frustrating fact that many opine its failure without having even read it, my skepticism around eschatology, and my profound love of Rob Bell, here's what I can say:
1. There's probably more here you can agree than disagree with... who desires to hold a view that upon one's death, the all loving master of the universe becomes an estranged, raging demagogue? Such characterization defies the very character of God and the one who promises to reconcile all things to him. Is he incapable?
2. Moses' people drank water from a rock. Later, Paul would say that rock was Jesus. Jesus is the only way, but does that preclude people who don't name him that way but are indeed following his precepts and experiencing his love in their own right?
3. In the story of the prodigal son, both sons misinterpreted their father. The returning son thought his father would deem him worthless and turn him away. The other son was resentful that he had "slaved" for his father but got nothing in return. He believes his goodness will save him. Both our badness AND goodness can separate us from the Lord, and yet both were at the party. The father's love cannot be earned, it just IS. The question is whether the sons will believe and trust their story of things or their father's and join the party.
4. When the young rich man asks Jesus what he can do to get eternal life, Jesus makes the question about what he's doing now. Heaven and hell are urgent; they are here right now. Heaven was another way for people in Jesus' time to say God without blaspheming his name, it is a realm where one will is done, that of God's. It's about aligning your will with his will now. Caring about suffering now. If you believe this life is all for life somewhere else, what are you going to do about this world now? When Jesus spoke about bringing heaven to earth, he was urging us to fully engage with our world now, not escape from it.
I rate it 4 rather than 5 stars for Bell's oftentimes round about way of coming to a conclusion that could leave me confused in the process.
1. There's probably more here you can agree than disagree with... who desires to hold a view that upon one's death, the all loving master of the universe becomes an estranged, raging demagogue? Such characterization defies the very character of God and the one who promises to reconcile all things to him. Is he incapable?
2. Moses' people drank water from a rock. Later, Paul would say that rock was Jesus. Jesus is the only way, but does that preclude people who don't name him that way but are indeed following his precepts and experiencing his love in their own right?
3. In the story of the prodigal son, both sons misinterpreted their father. The returning son thought his father would deem him worthless and turn him away. The other son was resentful that he had "slaved" for his father but got nothing in return. He believes his goodness will save him. Both our badness AND goodness can separate us from the Lord, and yet both were at the party. The father's love cannot be earned, it just IS. The question is whether the sons will believe and trust their story of things or their father's and join the party.
4. When the young rich man asks Jesus what he can do to get eternal life, Jesus makes the question about what he's doing now. Heaven and hell are urgent; they are here right now. Heaven was another way for people in Jesus' time to say God without blaspheming his name, it is a realm where one will is done, that of God's. It's about aligning your will with his will now. Caring about suffering now. If you believe this life is all for life somewhere else, what are you going to do about this world now? When Jesus spoke about bringing heaven to earth, he was urging us to fully engage with our world now, not escape from it.
I rate it 4 rather than 5 stars for Bell's oftentimes round about way of coming to a conclusion that could leave me confused in the process.