Universalism, the notion that we will all go to heaven, is re-entering the church with renewed vigor. Its proponents argue: We are all created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). God is love and would never subject any of His children to eternal punishment. The idea that some are “in” and some are “out” is pharisaic and detestable. Instead, Jesus received all who came to … [Read more...]
The Main Problem with the Parable of the Blind Men and the Elephant
The parable of the blind men and the elephant "has crossed between many religious traditions and is part of Jain, Buddhist, Sufi and Hindu lore." One version goes like this: "A number of blind men came to an elephant. Somebody told them that it was an elephant. The blind men asked, ‘What is the elephant like?’ and they began to touch its body. One of them said: 'It is like a … [Read more...]
Love Wins Critique (Part 1)
The doctrine of hell is “one of the chief grounds on which Christianity is attacked as barbarous and the goodness of God is impugned.”[i] Rob Bell wishes to address this problem in his latest book, Love Wins,[ii] by providing an alternate way at looking at hell. This post was written to critique Rob Bell’s recent book - especially in light of the stance of this site against … [Read more...]