Love Wins Intl [Paperback]

 

 

Create your own review

I'm rarely intimidated approaching a book review. However, this book presents some unique challenges, many of which have very little to do with the book itself. This book has become something of a lightening rod for both opponents and proponents of a particular form of universalism that it was reported to contain, by some prominent critics of Rob Bell, based upon their viewing a promotional video and before they read the book. There's a great number of people who have drawn conclusions about this book, the author Rob Bell, and what the book is or is not saying, and a remarkable number of those people have not read the book themselves either. That's the way things are. Issues of public attention like this take on a life of their own.

So, as much as I have tried to avoid getting too deeply drawn into the conversation before actually reading the book, I have to confess that I've heard a great deal of things and it's perhaps not possible to take things and set them aside completely. To the best of my ability though, here's what I saw as I read the book and then I'll make some comments following about my observations of the controversy surrounding the book.

Often times, when evaluating a review of a book, the views of the reviewer are as important to know as a point of reference. I am a former evangelical pastor and denominational worker who left formal ministry about 6 years ago for honorable reasons. Since that time, I've also left institutional church membership and am a proponent of organic or simple church. I have a degree in Biblical Literature and am fairly broadly read in several different veins of theology. In the past, I've been closely associated with reformed theology or Calvinism and while I do not reject everything in the tradition, I am moving away from several elements of it. Not too surprisingly, the most vehement renouncings of this book and the author tend to come from a reformed theological bent.

So, my initial response to all the hype was and to some extent still is, to come to the defense of Rob Bell and advocate restraint in jumping to unwarranted conclusions. Much of the criticism to me has the whiff of smoke from torch and pitchfork carrying critics and that type of reaction tends to take on a life of its own to where people feel almost obligated to take a position in order to confirm their own identity. So because certain leaders, whether fairly or not, have made some public statements and declared Love Wins to be heretical, that settles the matter and to argue otherwise is to draw your own faith into question.

Setting that aside and now after having read the book I'd make the following general observations. Rob Bell's writing style is highly conversational and employs a Socratic technique of asking questions which are obviously designed to lead people in a particular direction, but it avoids for the most part making declarative statements. Because of that Bell has been criticized for being indirect and that quality maddens several of his critics who would much prefer that he just come out and say something as opposed to teasing. If Bell were writing a formal theology that would be a fair criticism. As it is, Bell book while certainly theological, appears to be directed to an audience for which that sort of book would not appeal. Post-modern unchurched people for the most part are more concerned about the questions and impressions they have about the nature of God and the church that are what they are, and Bell expresses the questions and guides the conversation in a manner that appears designed for them, not academics and theologians. Bell too, has been writing books and pastoring for quite some time and he's obviously well aware that people follow stories much more willingly than they follow lectures. Part of effective story telling is maintaining tension. Bell isn't about to make a clear statement that resolves that tension until the time is right. Anyone going into this book who's looking for a 3 point outline and clearly stated conclusion will be disappointed.

Bell opens his book with a preface that makes clear what he is attempting to do. He notes that Jesus has a story. Further Jesus' story is often very different than the stories told about him by others who knowingly or not, are hijacking it for some other story the source of which is decidedly not Jesus, not necessarily Biblical. In fact Bell goes further than that and states that the purpose of his book is to reclaim that story and that includes revealing some of those other stories. Many of those criticizing Bell and this book I think are completely justified in believing that Bell is rejecting many things that they believe to be important. Bell is clearly taking a stand here and that stand is to refute and dispense with several popular representations of the nature and character of God. Not surprisingly many of these are part of the reformed tradition and they're not misreading his intent, even if they're frustrated that he's not being completely direct about some of his premises.

Bell intends for his book to initiate some dialog about God, Jesus, Heaven, Hell and what a relationship with God looks like. He intends to be controversial and he clearly wants to call into question some things that are tightly held by Evangelical, Fundamentalist and Reformed traditions (to name a few.) Bell clearly intends to widen the definition of what is "Christian" and to draw to the attention of people outside of Christianity or on the fringes that the popular representations of many of these issues are not all there is to Christianity.

Bell asks provocative questions. He opens with asking if Ghandi is really in hell, as a note he examined suggests is irrefutably true. He moves things from theory to where the rubber hits the road for many people, speaking of tragedy, accidents and the death, not just of theoretical people, but real people; people we know and love and with whom we can identify. He then speaks about how people come to Christ. The sinners prayer, a relatively recent development in Christian history and it's vitality is questioned, not to exclude but to put in the context of 2000 years most of which never heard or thought of such a formula in its precise form. Bell looks at some Scripture passages and questions why some are elevated above others and some are seemingly unaddressed or ignored.

A dominant theme of Love Wins is to remove the separation of "Now" and "Then". He clearly questions the value of what is sometimes called "pie in the sky by and by" meaning the disconnection of the present from the future. He doesn't discount the future state of heaven. He questions the current view and shows from scripture and culture that this isn't the only view that has characterized the church in the past. Moving on he goes to the more controversial issue of Hell and addresses it in similar terms in essence stating that Hell is more than just a future state; we can and do create hell for ourselves by the choices we make. He doesn't deny evil and he doesn't deny hell as a future state. He does however bring questions and makes observations that are not new, and are indeed fair and must be addressed by anyone seeking to understand what the scripture has to say and the impact of those beliefs upon us today.

To answer the more direct questions that come about the book, it appears to me that Bell does believe in heaven and hell. Bell is not a universalist in the manner that he is being accused of, and he clearly affirms the uniqueness of Christ. What is evident as well is that Bell is not afraid to question traditional definitions and redefine what familiar words and concepts can mean apart from their standard issues.

More at the heart of this work I do identify something that comes through clearly and I'm frankly a little surprised that it doesn't take center stage in the discussion swirling around the book. Bell clearly rejects the "traditional" view of penal substitutionary atonement as the exclusive means of understanding the nature of God and the analogous understanding of Christ's death on the cross. He appears to pretty clearly accept a broader understanding that is usually referred to as Christus Victor. This is in keeping with the broader questions that he is asking and if anything, this should in my opinion be the target of focus of discussion by those seeking to call his views into question. Here there's clear indications in the book than the spurious charge of universalism. That said, Bell's work falls into the category of other equally controversial books and authors of recent years such as The Shack, and Greg Boyd. That said, personally I find Bell's thinking and positions appealing and I agree with him, that many of the traditional positions within the church don't really have a great appreciation of what the history of the penal substitution theory of the atonement is, when it appeared and how the church viewed things before it came along. Some study in that regard reveals a lot. Frankly what it reveals makes a lot of people angry who either don't want to face the implications of the answers or who prefer to deny them.

Love Wins is indeed a provocative book that asks hard questions and it's clear it demands careful consideration. Those who are most angry about it are those who appear to prefer that the questions not be asked in the first place.

4 stars. I'm not completely on board with everything Bell states or implies. I think the questions are worth asking and Bell asks them well.

bart breen

Rob Bell has done us all good by reminding us that God is kinder and gentler than most of us portray him. I think the naysayers tend to focus on a couple of points of disagreement and throw the baby out with the bath water.
Rob asks some provocative questions throughout this book. These questions are in the back of many Christians' minds, but sometimes the answers from the conservative side of Christianity can be accusatory and defensive, so that many are afraid to ask. Rob Bell asks these questions on behalf of those who have been intimidated by the conservatives, and provides some answers that reveal a less harsh and judgmental God than some conservative Christians would have us believe.
I'm sure many who criticize this book have not yet read it. For these people, I suggest that they do read it and pay attention to the questions that may be outside their doctrinal comfort zones, and confront them biblically, rather than depending on what others have said about the book and the doctrines.
I give it a 4-star rating because there are a few places where I think the author pushes the reasonable understanding of the Bible a bit, and I don't like the style of the writing. I am unprepared, however, to throw the baby out with the bath water, and I appreciate his message of a gentler and kinder God that is well grounded on the Bible.
This is a must read for those who are wondering whether the Bible really teaches a God who is interested in throwing the vast majority of humanity into a fire and brimstone hell, and favours a relatively few with eternal bliss simply because they have encountered and received Jesus Christ in some prescribed way during their earthly lives. The reader may or may not agree 100% with "Love Wins", but the questions in the book are legitimate and should be considered with care with the Bible close by for reference.

This book although well written is rubbish. Rob Bell makes some serious accusations about Christ and Christians, heaven and hell, and although he's an eloquent writer, he's doesn't have the information to back it up. He provides many biblical references when he's writing about something, but they are inaccurate. For example, he'll say, "In Matthew 17 it says...". Unfortunately he doesn't ever provide a verse for his reference, and if you read that chapter of the bible, you'll find it does not say what Rob Bell says it does. I would only recommend this book to someone who wants to be able to talk about it with someone who has been lead astray by the teachings of Rob Bell. If you are looking for answers about Jesus Christ, this is not the book.

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 19 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

 

3.0 out of 5 stars Good points and bumpy structure
Not knowing in advance that this was a controversial book in some settings I set out to hopefully be encouraged that indeed 'Love Wins'! Read more

Published 4 months ago by Crystal Clear

2.0 out of 5 stars The Broad Way
Love Wins is indeed a broad way, assuring everyone who ever lived that the only hell that we'll ever experience is the one we create in our hearts. Read more

Published 4 months ago by Nathanal

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly refreshing
"Love Wins" was recommended to me and my husband so after borrowing it and reading it, we bought our own copy. Read more

Published 4 months ago by Shaynah

1.0 out of 5 stars Bell Doesn't Win
Horrible. He has a few very valid critiques of prevailing Christian culture, but the good is buried in lousy scholarship, straw-men and rubbish, or as the KJV would put it--dung... Read more

Published 7 months ago by Mark Nenadov

4.0 out of 5 stars Love wins by grace
Primarily--to the open-minded followers of Jesus--this book serves to be thought provoking. Although Bell is not a true Universalist he does allude to a more open and... Read more

Published 9 months ago by S Svendsen

4.0 out of 5 stars very well written
You have to be tolerant of other peoples view. We do not all have the same understanding of Gods word. The Lord knows that and that is good. Read more

Published 10 months ago by fred

1.0 out of 5 stars False Doctrine by False Teacher
Rob Bell is warned of and his doctrine described in I Timothy 4:1-2, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to... Read more

Published 12 months ago by Valiant4Truth

5.0 out of 5 stars A heart-warming and provocative read!
Early in the book Bell asks the provocative question of ' how do we know that a non-Christian like Mahatma Gandhi is not in heaven? Read more

Published 12 months ago by Adela Torchia

1.0 out of 5 stars Poor writer, false doctrine
Rob Bell is not a very good writer. He does not present a thesis, which is a necessity in a book about doctrine. Read more

Published 12 months ago by L. Ferguson

4.0 out of 5 stars Agree or Disagree it's a Must Read
Love Wins is the most compelling, compassionate, grace filled presentation of the Gospel I have ever seen. Read more

Published 12 months ago by Peter Cantelon

Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

› See all 19 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Search Listmania!