What In Hell?

Most of the people I know think the economy is in the crapper. We've got a war that won't end, a social safety net with holes in it bigger than elephants (ironic allusion intended), banks on the brink, polar ice caps turning to slush...but what we're apparently really worried about is...what does Barack Obama think about HELL.

Thanks to Lisa Miller and Richard Wolffe, writing in the current issue of Newsweek magazine, we now know that:

When Franklin Graham asked Obama recently how, as a Christian, he could reconcile New Testament claims that salvation was attainable only through Christ with a campaign that embraces pluralism and diversity, Obama tells NEWSWEEK he said: "It is a precept of my Christian faith that my redemption comes through Christ, but I am also a big believer in the Golden Rule, which I think is an essential pillar not only of my faith but of my values and my ideals and my experience here on Earth. I've said this before, and I know this raises questions in the minds of some evangelicals. I do not believe that my mother, who never formally embraced Christianity as far as I know … I do not believe she went to hell." Graham, he said, was very gracious in reply. Should Obama beat John McCain, he has history on his side. Presidents such as Lincoln and Jefferson were unorthodox Christians; and, according to a Pew Forum survey, 70 percent of Americans agree with the statement that "many religions can lead to eternal life." "My particular set of beliefs," Obama says, "may not be perfectly consistent with the beliefs of other Christians."

I'm not even going to deal with the fact that Franklin Graham is assumed to represent "orthodox" Christianity here. Miller and Wolffe do a pretty fair job of describing what Obama believes and where he got his beliefs from. And, obviously, somebody at Newsweek believes we care about all this so much that it warrants being this week's COVER story. Which leaves me with only one thing to say: What in hell are we thinking?

But it does also have me wondering (which is different from thinking, I think): What do YOU have to say about hell, anyway? 

It's common among evangelical types to say that a Christian's enthusiasm for evangelism is directly proportional to his or her belief in a hell for unbelievers. In other words, if you don't believe people are going to hell because they don't believe in Jesus then what motivation could you possibly have for telling people about Jesus? Makes sense.

Right??

I'm hoping that at least a few of you disagree and that you can explain your motivation for talking about Jesus. If it's not saving souls from the fires of damnation, then what is it?

Comments

[Tom in Ontario]

I once hear Robert Farrar Capon speak and, I hope I'm not putting words into his mouth but, I think I remember him describing hell as being contained in one of the wounds in Jesus' hands.

I very much liked that image, that even hell and those who might be condemned there are enfolded in Jesus' embrace.

I also like what one of my seminary professors once said. It was something along the lines of "If justification is by grace alone, we can't possibly know who is saved and who is not. More importantly, if justification is by grace through faith, God has already taken care of the problem of salvation. It's not one we need to worry about -- either our own salvation or others'. Our call is not to decide who is saved and who is not, but to communicate the Gospel far and wide and to work for the health and well-being of our communities."

What's our motivation to evangelize? If we know the great gift that we have from God in Jesus Christ then why would we want to keep it to ourselves?!? To quote one of my favourite authors, "The World Needs What We Have."

[allenthedrummer]

For me, the motivation is that life lived in conscious relationship with God and in a faith community is waaay better than life otherwise. In my thinking, hell is more about loneliness, despair, addiction, and broken relationships, and for most of the world, disease, hunger, fear and death. Not so much "eternal lake of fire where the worm turns and the fire is never quenced with wailing and gnashing of teeth.(Mwa ha ha.)

[Manda]

I'm soon (by the grace of God) becoming a pastor and I get so aggravated when veterans of ministry tell me that my job will be to pull non-believers into the pews so that they might have a conversion experience and be saved. AAarrgghh!
While I do hope to pull people into pews, it is not with the intention to save their souls from eternal damnation. That is not my job, nor the job of any other human being! That job belongs to God alone, and the criteria is a mystery to me (as I confess in recitation of the Apostles Creed).
I tell people about Jesus because the amazing and mysterious work that the Holy Spirit does in my life has driven me to do so. In my relationship with Christ and the communion of saints I have been welcomed, nurtured and empowered as the best version of myself. I share these experiences and invite others into a life that follows the example of Jesus Christ because I believe that the message of reconciliation in Christ is one that will heal our world NOW.
In full disclosure and trusting in the grace of readers to be gentle with my struggles, I'll share that I would like to have a sound reasoning for universal salvation within Lutheran theology - I just don't have the words yet.

[PS]

WE tell others for the same reason that we would tell anybody about anything: This great thing happened. To me. Or I was a witness to a great thing happening to another person. I'm feeling great because ____.

My cousin was just excitedly telling me about her recent trip to the Tetons. She described one thing after another. She was excited. She wanted me to here, feel, see, and maybe go there. She wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise. If I had been able to speak, I would have said, "I've been there twice." Finally I could join her in a chorus of praises for the Grand Tetons National Park.

Isn't this the way our faith should be?

[vesparev]

Manda - I have started reading the book, "If Grace is True-Why God Will Save Every Person" that attempts to address the idea of universal salvation.
I think the best Scriptural reference regarding this matter is in the repetitive little words like "all" and "everyone." I certainly cannot pretend to know what will happen, as many evangelical claim to know - but it seems obvious that God desires for all to be saved, ie - to live in a relationship with him that begins now. I believe what God wants God gets. His choice of missionary method - through us - is what is taking so long for the kingdom to come. The kingdom is near - if only we can allow it to truly come in all its fullness through us. Marilyn

[Rachel]

I..don't like to believe in hell, really. If we're all God's children, and Jesus came to save us all from our sins, then I'm a bit confused as to why anyone's still going to hell. Maybe I just haven't been to church enough lately.

As for why we're pulling in new people...altruism. Jesus did this great thing for you, God loves everyone just the same (and very, very much!)...so you should, too. I suppose that's overly simplistic, but I'm still working on it.