Rob Bell and Hell on Twitter

There has been much debate this week between various factions within the evangelical community. Many have sided with neo-Calvinist John Piper while others have defended Rob Bell’s progressive views. It is hard to believe that the eruption was over the yet to be published Love Wins, a book in which Bell explores the issue of hell and the possibility of universal salvation. It seems ludicrous that so many have taken such strong positions on this issue without having read the book. However, it is safe to say that Bell’s work will be progressive and ‘heretical’ to some. John Piper included.

What is most interesting to me is that, regardless of theology, most people automatically jump to one side. So the question is: are we followers of Piper, Bell, or Jesus?

In How (not) to speak of God, Pete Rollins discusses the idea that there is actually nothing we can concretely say about God. So while many disagree with Bell or Piper, we must remember that our idea of God is similarly misinformed or incomplete. So while we might be convinced that double-predestination or universal salvation are incorrect, there can really be no orthodox theology or belief that we can militantly counter with.

I do not believe however that this atheological view need resort to relativism. There are, I believe, some things that we can say God is not, or things that God is against.

For example, we must agree that God is not at all interested in religious practices where say human sacrifice is required, or ritual suicide, or both in the case of suicide bombers. So while we cannot directly say what God is, there are moments when we must say what God is not.

So are we followers of Piper or Bell, or are we followers of Jesus? Instead of immediately jumping to one particular side on an issue, we need to engage with public theological debate which is honest and transparent.