What is Rob Bell?

Rob Bell is a theological tease.

That’s my conclusion, having read his new book, Love Wins: A Book about Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived - a book much talked about in the (religious) press and among all my facebook friends for the past month.

The online press and blogs were lively in the weeks leading up to the book’s release. Bell was, by turns, bid farewell by one of his fellow evangelicals for espousing universalism, and welcomed by others as the new heretic on the block for the same reason.

In recent years I’ve been interested in reading those who suddenly discover universalist theology – people like Carlton Pearson (Gospel of Inclusion) and Philip Gulley (If Grace Is True) – who have come to the conclusion that Love/God does indeed win. Could another evangelical megachurch pastor have reached the conclusions Pearson had? Um, no, not so much.

Bell’s not really espousing universalism. However, he is raising good and important questions. Unfortunately those questions are the bulk of the book. If this were a meal, it would be all appetizers with no main course. Tasty, with some interesting combinations, but ultimately unsatisfying.

I confess that Love Wins irritated me, even before I began reading it. Note to publishers: plastic dustjackets are uncomfortable to hold. Then, the book read like a mash-up of a series of sermons. Anyone who has read G. Robert Jacks’ works on homiletics will recognize the “written for the ear, not the eye” style. The style is very much “Gosh, wow – look at how amazing God is!” Questions are raised, few possibilities are discussed, fewer answers offered, piecing together arguments is impossible. I was hoping for a more logically consistent and theologically deeper work. My first words about the book, dashed off to a philosopher-friend of mine, were less than kind.

Then a good friend, who is a very liberal Christian minister, pointed out that I was probably not Rob Bell’s audience for this book. She’s probably right.

The “me” of thirty years ago would have welcomed Love Wins, when I was indeed asking many of the questions raised within it.

Questions like:
- How can a loving God condemn anyone to hell?
- Why do the evangelical Christians I know think they know how grace works, and that Roman Catholics won’t be in Heaven?
- What if someone just never had an opportunity to hear about Jesus? and...
- Why only Jesus? What about devout Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, animists, etc.?

But, I’m thirty years older, and I’ve answered those questions for myself. A loving God (if there is one) wouldn’t condemn anyone to hell. Whatever happens after this life, happens to all of us. I am a Unitarian Universalist.

Bell flirts here with universalism. He does seem to say that good people, like Gandhi (and, presumably, Mother Teresa) are not in hell. But I get confused in his discussion of Hell – on the one hand he seems to be saying that we experience heaven and hell right here on earth, and that it often seems that those most concerned with the afterlife are the least concerned with the hells people are enduring in this life. He still seems to be saying, though, that there will be a hell for some of us ‘later.’

In a later chapter, he writes the following, which rang a bell in my mind.

“There is an energy in the world, a spark, an electricity that everything is plugged into. The Greeks called it zoe, the mystics call it “Spirit,” and Obi-Wan called it “the Force. … This energy, spark, and electricity that pulses through all of creation sustains it, fuels it, and keeps it going. Growing, evolving, reproducing, making more.” (p. 144-145)

Sounds like what one of my seminary professors called “The Juice,” and what I understand as the creative process undergirding and permeating the universe. Bell channels The Juice here at times, but I think he pulls back from opening up and letting it flow freely because he’s still tied to orthodox Christianity.

One sign of this pulling back is when he talks about exclusivity and inclusivity, and he tries hard to be all-inclusive – but fails when he falls back on Jesus being The Way. This Jesus renders all other religions meaningless, and thus ends up not being very inclusive in my opinion. In the end, Bell falls back on a formula questioned earlier in the book. Describing his own ‘acceptance of Jesus’ moment from his childhood, he urgently admonishes his readers to trust, repent (which he claims means ‘be transformed’), and be saved. The more things change…

Rob Bell has said he’s not a universalist. I agree. But, dare I hope this is still the beginning of a longer conversation?

UPDATE: A friend of mine posted this on her facebook wall.

Reading Amos on My Way to Madison, Wisconsin

March 12, 2011
For the past two-plus weeks I have watched with disbelief the decline of the democratic process in my beloved home state of Wisconsin. Day after night after day, tens of thousands of people have been gathering, marching, chanting, preaching, and praying at the state capitol building. I’m going there myself, today.

Several of my colleagues have been there almost continuously, marching and speaking out as people of faith. I’ve been keeping close watch on events via mainstream and alternative media, and Facebook updates from colleagues and friends. I have been amazed, depressed, uplifted, moved to tears, and incredibly proud.

The words of the prophet Amos keep running through my mind. Amos, 8th Century BCE prophet, often thought to be a poor shepherd or goatherder, was more likely a fairly well-off citizen who owned livestock and employed shepherds or goatherders. Nonetheless, his familiarity with agriculture makes Amos a particularly appropriate prophet to turn to here, Wisconsin being the Dairy State and heavily agricultural. Amos was also an independent, not a member of the prophetic guild, not the son of a prophet, nor a priest. Again, appropriate for Wisconsin – a state which has always prided itself on its independent spirit and politics.

“Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, saying, “When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; and the Sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the sweepings of the wheat.” The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. Shall not the land tremble on this account, and everyone mourn who lives in it, and all of it rise like the Nile, and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt?” Amos 8:4-8

If he were magically transported from 8th Century Israel to 21st Century Wisconsin, Amos would be with the protestors, crying “Shame, shame, shame” to the legislators and Gov. Walker. And his words here are apt, for what else has the governor and his cronies done but practiced ‘deceit with false balances?’ Let’s see, the governor took office with a budget surplus, but promptly converted that to a budget deficit by passing extra tax cuts for people who didn’t need them. Then he has the temerity to declare a budget crisis requiring immediate repair, saying our state is “broke.”

Deceit with false balances, definitely. Amos would call this governor out for that, and so do I.

Gov. Walker claims to be a Christian, yet insists on ignoring basic Christian values. Values like caring for the people – all the people. Instead of ensuring that the poorest of the poor have what they need, he is ‘selling the sweepings of wheat.’

For those of you who may not know, this refers to the ancient practice of leaving the fallen grain or fruit in the field after harvest, so the poor could glean what they could and hope to acquire enough food for sustenance. One proposal I’ve heard is to increase the co-pays for BadgerCare, the public assistance program providing health care for children. But, isn’t the point that this is health care for families who can’t pay? Selling sweepings of wheat, indeed.

“…for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing sick and in prison and you did not visit me. …just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” Matthew 25:42-45

Walker’s legislation hands sweeping powers over to the state health department to reduce or eliminate vital programs for the needy without following legislative processes or asking for public input. Programs the elderly, the disabled, the poor, and many, many children are dependent upon for health care. I’ve heard, though I’ve not seen it confirmed, that some nutrition programs may also be on the chopping block, again endangering those least able to advocate for themselves, the young and the poor. Instead of serving the people, the governor is planning on selling them out. I’m sure he expects to be well paid in return.

“Therefore because you trample on the poor and take from them levies of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.” Amos 5:11
(In other words: You’ve screwed the people out of what is rightfully theirs, you’ve made plans for a comfortable life with your ill-gotten gains, but you can kiss it good-bye.)

What is between Gov. Walker and his God, I can’t know. He certainly doesn’t seem to be reading the same Bible as me.

But this I know: the people of Wisconsin are well-educated (thank you, Wisconsin teachers!). We have a long memory and we are angry. This governor was elected by less than half the eligible voters, and many of us have already pledged to sign recall papers. We are patient, and we will be diligently working to recall him as soon as legally possible.

I pray the state can recover from this folly.

Sources:

Biblical quotes from The HarperCollins Study Bible, New Revised Standard Version.

Information on Amos from The Anchor Bible Dictionary.

Sources:

20 Lies and Counting told by Gov. Walker

Walker releases details of his budget repair bill

Budget bill foes say stealth vote broke open meetings law; challenges coming

Medicaid programs also a casualty of last night's surprise vote, angry advocates say

Disclosure: Yes, I support labor unions. It is because of collective bargaining that my family while I was growing up had health insurance, vacations, and a livable income. My late father was a proud UAW member, my brother is a Teamster, my daughter belongs to the Railway Workers' Union. The actions of this legislation go far beyond stripping public employees of their right to bargain collectively. God help us all.

A Believing Nonbeliever

I’ve written and re-written this blog post a few times. I will probably want to re-write it again after it’s posted.

So, what do I believe about God? Being a typical UU, I’ll start with what I don’t believe:

I don’t believe what I was taught in church about God.

I used to believe that God thought women were second best. I was interested in religion, and wanted to do more than babysit children in the nursery or teach Sunday school. But that was the role the church assigned to women – as well as being wives and mothers. Nothing wrong with being a wife, mother, or teaching Sunday school – I am a wife, a mother, and I’ve taught Sunday school. But that church said women couldn’t be ministers, or question the authority of the men who ran the church. They quoted scripture that said women were to be silent, and claimed it was God’s rule.

I used to believe that God would save some and condemn others to everlasting torment, for not believing in the right way – or in the right god. And this was the god who allegedly accepted the sacrifice of Jesus to atone for every wrong thing anyone would ever do.

I used to be scared of that God. Even after I left that church, I spent years worrying about the state of my soul, and where I would spend eternity. I worried about being left behind in the Rapture.

I don’t worry any more. I don’t know what happens after we die – but neither does anyone else with any certainty. But, I am a Unitarian UNIVERSALIST. Whatever comes after physical death will come for all of us – you, me, the Dalai Lama, and Fred Phelps – all of us. Whether I believe in one doctrine or another will not change this. I agree with Hosea Ballou, and Philip Gulley, that if the grace promised in the Christian scriptures is true, then we are all saved – whatever that means. And if it isn’t true, then we’re still all ending up at the same destination – whatever that may ultimately be.

A few years ago, I heard a song by Patty Larkin with this line: “I’m a believing nonbeliever.” That line intrigued me. A ‘believing nonbeliever’ felt like a good way to describe myself.

I believe in the holy. I believe that I am/we are part of a tapestry of existence that is larger than we know, maybe larger than we can know. I believe there is a creative process at work, creating, building, occasionally tearing down and rebuilding. We see the process at work molding and shaping this planet, and in the birth of new galaxies and black holes. I sometimes use ‘god-language’ to describe this process, even though I don’t believe in a personal deity who knows all, sees all, and manipulates events in real history.

The traditional God is omnibenevolent, omnipotent and omniscient. Well, really, I think that’s asking a bit much. Start with theodicy, explain how evil exists with an all-good, all-knowing, and all-powerful deity. It’s a lot easier if at least one of the omnis is eliminated.

I think another “omni” is more important. Whatever God may or may not be, God is omni-loving. God is love – that’s what the oldest member of a historically Universalist church told me she was taught. Everything she ever read in scripture or doctrine was tested against that simple dictum: God is love. What a concept: simple, elegant, universal, welcoming.

What do I believe about God?

For me, God is the creativity and love that flows through each of us, and through the universe, always present yet ever-changing. Holiness happens in our relationships and our connections with each other and the world. Whatever god may be is here and now, not far-away and later; whatever god may be has an open mind and heart, embracing all and rejecting none. Whatever god may be is bigger than any god yet imagined…

Here's another view, in song. Please note that some may find some of the images offensive - NSFW, for those who speak text...